Vice President - Payroll

In this role, you’ll make an impact in the following ways:

Payroll Accounting Oversight & Financial Close

• Oversee and monitor the payroll accounting close process across all relevant entities and jurisdictions, ensuring it is executed accurately and on time.

• Ensure payroll-related transactions are accurately recorded in the general ledger, supported by appropriate documentation, and reconciled each reporting period.

• Oversee the preparation and review of payroll-related journal entries, accruals, reclasses, reversals, and adjustments through a robust review and approval framework.

• Ensure payroll delivery and payroll accounting activities are executed in line with monthly, quarterly, and annual close deadlines.

• Oversee the timely identification, escalation, and resolution of payroll accounting discrepancies, reconciling items, and aged balances.

• Provide clear commentary and analysis on payroll-related balances, movements, and close variances to Finance leadership and key stakeholders.

• Supervise the Payroll Accounting team responsible for accounting operations, reconciliations, reporting, controls, and close support, reviewing work output for accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.

• Reinforce expectations of ownership, partnership, control discipline, and continuous improvement through ongoing review and monitoring.

General Ledger Governance & Reconciliations

• Oversee and manage all payroll and HR-related balance sheet accounts, including payroll clearing, employment tax liability clearing, employee benefit accruals, benefit clearing, and compensation-related accruals and reserves.

• Monitor and maintain a clear ownership and accountability structure for all payroll and HR-related general ledger accounts.

• Ensure all reconciliations are completed timely, supported by appropriate documentation, and include clear variance explanations in line with financial control standards.

• Oversee the investigation of reconciling items, out-of-balance conditions, and aged balances, ensuring root causes are identified and remediation plans are implemented.

• Oversee payroll system and vendor pay element to general ledger mapping configurations, reviewing changes to ensure alignment with Finance and Controllership expectations.

Controls, Compliance & Audit Support

• Oversee and monitor the internal control framework over payroll accounting activities, ensuring compliance with applicable financial reporting and control requirements.

• Identify control gaps, process weaknesses, and financial reporting risks, and monitor remediation efforts to strengthen the control environment.

• Serve as a point of contact for auditors on payroll accounting-related activity, including reconciliations, accounting support, documentation, and issue resolution.

• Oversee implementation of remediation plans resulting from audits, risk assessments, and operational reviews, with a focus on sustainable process improvement.

• Assist in maintaining payroll accounting policies, procedures, and governance documentation in line with internal standards and regulatory expectations.

Reporting, Metrics & Business Partnership

• Provide accounting oversight across payroll process design, payroll funding and settlement, payroll-to-general ledger integrations, benefit and compensation accounting, employment tax financial reporting, compensation accrual methodologies, and system implementations and upgrades.

• Develop and oversee recurring and ad hoc reporting related to payroll accounting activities, reconciliations, close performance, and control effectiveness.

• Review and monitor key performance indicators and status reporting to provide transparency into the risks, and performance of the Payroll Accounting function.

• Act as the accounting technical reviewer and point of oversight for payroll and HR-related financial activity, bridging the gap between Finance and HR.

Systems, Automation & Process Transformation

• Oversee efforts to improve the automation, scalability, accuracy, and control environment around payroll accounting.

• Monitor and support standardization, simplification, and process redesign across payroll accounting activities and related workflows.

• Reduce manual accounting effort and improve financial transparency through enhanced process design, systems capability, and stronger integrations.

• Oversee integrations between payroll platforms, vendors, and internal accounting or ERP systems, monitoring their accuracy and control effectiveness.

To be successful in this role, we’re seeking the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 12+ years of progressive accounting experience, including significant experience in payroll accounting, compensation accounting, controllership, or financial operations.
• Proven experience in a large multinational organization with complex, multi-entity payroll and accounting environments.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing teams and processes, including review, monitoring, and holding multiple stakeholder groups accountable.
• Strong understanding of GAAP/IFRS, particularly in areas related to compensation, benefits, accruals, and payroll accounting.
• Strong knowledge of payroll accounting flows, compensation accrual methodologies, employment tax accounting, employee benefit accounting, balance sheet reconciliations and substantiation, financial reporting controls, ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Workday Financials, or similar, and payroll platforms such as Workday, ADP, SAP, or similar.
•  Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail and control orientation.
• Strong judgment in managing complex financial processes and risks.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills across Finance, HR, Payroll, Tax, and Audit.
• Continuous improvement and transformation mindset.
• Ability to provide effective oversight in ambiguous situations and influence across functions.