US Payroll Senior Specialist (Latin America)

Cloud Accountant Staffing

3d•Remote

About The Position

Be the steady hand that keeps payroll accurate, on-time, and audit-ready — every cycle. You run end-to-end payroll operations, lead the team that processes them, and turn complex pay rules into clear, repeatable processes clients can rely on. You'll own the work that keeps employees paid correctly and clients compliant: multi-client payroll cycles, tax filings, year-end forms, garnishments, and audit-ready records. You'll catch errors before they hit a paycheck — then design the controls that stop them from coming back. You'll lead a payroll team, partner with the Accounting Director, and consult with HR and clients on payroll policy, system selection, and process improvements. You'll sharpen playbooks — close calendars, processing checklists, and review gates — so every pay run feels routine, not risky.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related discipline
3–5 years of payroll experience, including multi-state and multi-client cycles
Supervisory experience leading a payroll team
Intermediate to advanced payroll knowledge with strong problem-resolution skills
Comfort with payroll platforms (e.g., Gusto, ADP, Paychex, QuickBooks Payroll, Rippling) and cloud accounting tools
Strong Excel/Google Sheets skills (lookups, pivots)
Confident written and spoken English; client-facing presence
Comfortable working U.S. business hours (night shift, PH-based)

Nice To Haves

CPP or FPC certification
Experience leading payroll for CPA-firm or accounting-services clients
Payroll system implementation experience

Responsibilities

Own the work that keeps employees paid and clients compliant.
Drive payroll cycles end-to-end: timekeeping intake, gross-to-net calculations, off-cycle runs, terminations, bonuses, retro pay
Federal, state, and local tax compliance: withholdings, deposits, quarterly returns (941, state equivalents), year-end (W-2, W-3, 1099)
Multi-state payroll: nexus tracking, reciprocity rules, SUI rates, local taxes
Garnishments, benefit deductions, 401(k) remittances, and third-party sick pay
Quality & sign-off: audit-ready records, variance reviews, reconciliations to GL
Notices & follow-through: respond to agency notices, manage amendments, keep clients calm with clear options and timelines
Lead the payroll team and grow the next layer of talent.
Supervise payroll staff: assign work, review output, and provide timely, substantive feedback
Train team members on payroll systems, tax rules, and firm processes
Document evaluations and appraisals; coach toward promotion
Escalate personnel issues to the appropriate coach, partner, or HR
Build the systems that make every pay cycle survivable.
Implement and optimize payroll processing systems
Standardize SOPs, checklists, and review gates
Recommend technology and automation that reduces manual steps
Capture wins in a living playbook
Translate payroll into decisions. Join client calls, surface impacts (cash, compliance, timing), and deliver clear takeaways leaders can act on
Consult on HR/payroll policy questions, classification, and pay practices
Sell additional services that build client loyalty and satisfaction
Keep folders organized, naming consistent, and documentation complete so any reviewer or auditor can follow your work quickly