Payroll Specialist - Global Finance

Who We Are 

International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,200 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable. 

We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.   

The Need 

For over 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM’s Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence, we are seeking a Payroll Specialist, Global Finance to support the work of justice by leading the end-to-end payroll process to deliver accurate, timely payments in compliance with federal, state, and local laws. The role develops and executes payroll strategies that strengthen efficiency, controls, and employee service while overseeing payroll data, deductions, account reconciliations, and complex issue resolution. The Payroll Specialist partners with Accounting Systems teams to implement system enhancements and configurations and collaborates with HR, Accounting, and third-party providers to resolve payroll, tax, and benefit issues. The role also serves as a point of contact for employee payroll questions, supports audits, and mentors staff. 

This position is hybrid (onsite Tuesdays & Thursdays) if located in the Washington, DC area or remote for non-local candidates. It reports to the Director, US Finance & Accounting  and requires current authorization to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, now or in the future. 

Responsibilities: 

Leadership and Management:  

• Develop and execute the payroll operating strategy and oversee payroll and payroll tax processing for the organization;   

• Establish priorities, coordinate responsibilities and deadlines across contributing teams, and lead improvements that strengthen accuracy, efficiency, and continuity of payroll operations;  

• Partner with HR on expatriate taxation and hypothetical tax calculations;  

• Develop and apply payroll policies and Workday processes for US and global employees in coordination with HR teams; and  

• Serve as lead trainer and provide employee support regarding payroll calculations, deductions and time-card submission.  

Policies and Procedures:  

• Work with the Director, US Finance & Accounting to update payroll policies and related financial statement practices for new GAAP and regulatory requirements;  

• Partner with the Director, US Finance & Accounting to assess and execute payroll improvements by evaluating process risks, operational needs, and opportunities to improve payroll processing efficiency and effectiveness; 

• Identify opportunities to improve Workday, ADP, and other payroll-system processes, functionality, workflow, data management, and automation; and  

• Lead testing of new and updated Workday functionality and support system upgrades.  

Communication:  

• Serve as a point of contact for employees and resolve payroll questions with clear, timely, and service-oriented communication; and  

• Coordinate with HR, Accounting, external auditors, and third-party vendors on payroll information, approvals, and deadlines.  

Training and Development:  

• Train new staff members to prepare and submit timesheets and other payroll-related forms; and  

• Mentor staff and provide practical guidance on payroll processes and requirements.  

Documentation, Reporting & Data Management:  

• Perform monthly payroll ledger analysis and account reconciliations, resolving discrepancies promptly; 

• Develop custom reports from ERP system and support users in retrieving payroll data; 

• Maintain payroll software, systems, policies, and procedures and recommend updates;  

• Ensure all financial, tax, and payroll year-end reporting requirements and deadlines are met, including but not limited to W-2 and Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting; 

• Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly, and year-end management reports covering gross payroll, hours worked, vacation accrual, taxes, benefits, garnishments, and deductions; and  

• Evaluate payroll accuracy, turnaround times, workflow efficiency, data quality, and employee service to identify recurring issues. Prioritize and implement process improvements with the teams responsible for payroll inputs, systems, and approvals, and assess whether the changes improve payroll outcomes.  

General Accounting & Statutory Compliance:  

• Participate in monthly and year-end close activities including account analysis, reconciliations, and journal entries such as the payroll liabilities reconciliation and quarterly PTO accrual entry;   

• Review and approve employee and payroll reports for timely and accurate payment settlements; 

• Resolve questions and secure approvals for employee data changes; 

• Support the Global Assurance team and external auditors with payroll information and documentation; 

• Prepare the annual Form 990 payroll reporting schedules; and 

• Coordinate with third-party vendors to complete the annual 403(b) Form 5500 filing.  

General Tasks:  

• Participation in IJM’s community of spiritual formation.   

Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or an equivalent combination of education and experience.  

• At least five years of payroll-processing experience, preferably in a lead role.  

• At least five years of multi-jurisdiction payroll-tax experience, preferably in a lead role.  

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation highly desirable.  

• At least three years of Workday payroll-processing experience, including strong knowledge of configuration and functionality, highly desirable. Experience processing payroll in an ERP.   

• Extensive multistate payroll-processing experience, preferable using Workday.  

• Demonstrated knowledge of payroll principles, practices, regulations, procedures, and payroll-tax laws.  

• Ability to apply Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.  

• High proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel.  

• Experience with Workday accounting modules preferred.  

• Payroll experience in grants accounting and nonprofit organizations is beneficial.  

• Professional written and oral communication skills.  

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.  

• Advanced proficiency in payroll systems, reporting tools, Workday payroll, and Microsoft Excel.  

• Knowledge of payroll accounting, payroll taxation, and statutory reporting requirements.  

Critical Qualities: 

• Eager commitment to IJM's Core Values: Christian, Professional and Bridge-Building; 

• Self-starter with strong initiative.  

• Effective team player who fosters a collaborative environment.  

• Flexible, collaborative, and eager to support others.  

• Strong customer-service orientation and clear communication.  

• Mature orthodox Christian faith.  

 Application Process:  

Upload Resume, Cover Letter & Statement of Faith* in one PDF document. 

*What is a statement of faith? 
A statement of faith should describe your Christian faith and how you see it as relevant to your involvement with IJM. The statement can either be incorporated into the cover letter or submitted as a separate document and should include, at a minimum, a description of your spiritual disciplines (prayer, study, etc.) and your current fellowship or place of worship. 

What does IJM have to offer? 

• Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision benefits 

• Monthly commuter and parking benefits in the DC metro area 

• Retirement benefit options  

• Paid leave starting at 23 days 

• 12 holidays (plus early release the day prior) 

• Daily, quarterly, and annual community spiritual formation 

• Robust staff care resources 

IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, and Code of Ethics. Candidate selection is based on technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring criteria subject to assessing the candidate’s value congruence and thorough background, police clearance, and reference check processes. 

At IJM, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce through fair and equitable employment practices. IJM encourages people of any race, color, age, sex, marital status or political ideology to apply for employment. While we welcome everyone into this work, we truly believe that the work we are doing is God’s work, not our own, and practice spiritual disciplines together daily. That’s why we legally require under SEC. 2000e-1 [Section702] of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that all employees practice a mature orthodox Christian faith, as defined by the Apostles’ Creed. 

IJM requires a background check, police clearance and thorough review of references with an employment offer and/or employment contract.