Payroll Accountant | Global Services Firm
Chicago, Illinois | Hybrid, 3 days onsite
A privately held global services organization is hiring a Payroll Accountant to support a complex domestic and international payroll environment. This is not a narrowly focused payroll-processing position. The company needs an accounting-minded professional who can review payroll data, recognize unusual activity, investigate discrepancies, and communicate effectively with partners across multiple regions.
The role offers exposure beyond payroll, including general accounting, reporting, audit support, treasury, and potential longer-term opportunities within accounting or FP&A. The hiring manager has a strong record of developing and promoting team members into increasingly senior positions.
Responsibilities
- Support accurate and timely domestic and international payroll processing
- Review payroll inputs, employee changes, timecard information, deductions, terminations, and other payroll data
- Analyze payroll reports for accuracy, completeness, and period-over-period consistency
- Identify unexpected fluctuations, patterns, and discrepancies across payrolls and currencies
- Prepare payroll-related journal entries
- Reconcile payroll registers to the general ledger
- Reconcile payroll, benefits, insurance, paid-time-off, retirement, and related liability accounts
- Coordinate with outside payroll providers and international accounting, tax, and compliance partners
- Support statutory payments and recurring payroll obligations
- Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly, and year-end payroll reports
- Maintain complete payroll records, approvals, reconciliations, and supporting documentation
- Administer deductions, tax codes, garnishments, retirement-plan deductions, and time-off accruals
- Respond to employee payroll questions professionally and discreetly
- Support external audits, compliance reviews, government inquiries, and year-end reporting
- Partner with HR, accounting, treasury, payroll providers, and other internal stakeholders
- Improve payroll controls, documentation, reporting, and recurring processes
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field
- Three to five years of payroll, payroll accounting, or related general accounting experience
- Previous hands-on involvement in payroll processing
- Strong knowledge of journal entries, account reconciliations, payroll reporting, and general-ledger principles
- Experience working with multiple currencies
- Ability to compare payroll periods, recognize unusual results, and independently investigate discrepancies
- Strong analytical judgment and attention to detail
- Clear written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work effectively with employees, managers, service providers, and international partners
- Strong organization and time-management skills
- Ability to manage recurring deadlines with limited supervision
- Intermediate Microsoft Excel proficiency
- Professional discretion when handling confidential employee and compensation information
Preferred Experience
- International payroll exposure
- ADP Workforce Now, ADP Celergo, or ADP Comprehensive Services
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or a comparable accounting platform
- Audit support and payroll compliance
- Year-end payroll reporting
- Treasury-related responsibilities
- Experience reviewing foreign-currency payroll activity
Why Consider This Payroll Accountant Opportunity
- Defined growth potential within payroll, accounting, treasury, or FP&A
- A manager with a demonstrated history of developing and promoting employees
- Meaningful exposure to global business operations
- Work that combines payroll execution with accounting and analytical problem-solving
- Opportunity to strengthen journal-entry, reconciliation, reporting, and audit experience
- Collaborative interaction with domestic and international partners
- Stable, privately held organization with strong employee retention
- Hybrid schedule with a modern downtown Chicago office
- Generally sustainable 40-hour workweek with flexibility around international meetings
Compensation and Benefits
- Base salary of $80,000 to $90,000
- Discretionary annual bonus
- Annual profit-sharing opportunity
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Employer contribution for eligible health-plan participants
- 401(k) plan with employer match
- Vacation, sick time, floating holidays, and company-paid holidays
- Employer-provided life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance
- Employee assistance resources
- Employee and family discount programs
- Travel-related benefits
- Access to onsite fitness, wellness, and shared workplace amenities
Additional Information
- International payroll deadlines occur throughout the month, while domestic payroll follows a recurring schedule
- Payroll accounting, reporting, reconciliations, and issue resolution continue between processing cycles
- Occasional early-morning or evening communication may be required when collaborating with international partners
- The interview process is expected to include an initial video interview followed by a final-stage interview involving both onsite and remote participants
- Final candidates may be asked to complete a work-style assessment
- Employment is contingent upon successful completion of required background and credit checks
Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled
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