Payroll Specialist

About the role

As a Payroll Specialist at Datadog, you will support the US payroll process for over 3,000 employees, facilitating semi-monthly payroll for salaried exempt and non-exempt employees. You will review accuracy, partner with senior team leads to ensure timely processing, and provide administrative support across Canada and Latin America. Collaboration with People and Finance teams will help scale this critical function.

Responsibilities

• Partner with payroll stakeholders to analyze data entry feeds and support the semi-monthly payroll process from start to finish, ensuring employees are paid correctly and on time within the Workday payroll module.
• Process new hires, terminations, status changes, tax changes, domestic and international transfers, 401k contribution feeds and changes, timesheet data, compensation changes, employee personal information changes, retroactive adjustments, garnishments, and supplemental payments entered into Workday HRIS.
• Resolve payroll discrepancies by running and analyzing Workday data reports.
• Process equity transactions including restricted stock units (RSU), non-qualified stock options (NSO), incentive stock options (ISO), disqualified dispositions, and other equity-related transactions.
• Collaborate with Finance stakeholders to support audits, identify and implement control improvements, and ensure efficient processes are rigorously followed.
• Partner with SOX and 401k auditors as necessary.
• Handle government reporting inquiries for wages, payroll withholdings, cafeteria 125 plans, 401k retirement plan, garnishments, and other payroll-related government inquiries.
• Assist with setting up tax jurisdictions in Workday as needed.
• Perform audits across all aspects of the Workday payroll module to ensure accuracy and reliability of payroll data.
• Respond to payroll and tax inquiries and provide viable solutions to employee questions and concerns.
• Maintain payroll records according to record retention policy and employer obligations based on employment laws.
• Distribute correspondence to the employee population as necessary.
• Assist in collecting data for internal and external audits, special projects, and ad hoc payroll reports.
• Partner with team management to assist with Professional Employer Organizations (PEO) payrolls where needed.

Requirements

• At least three years of experience processing payroll in a multi-state environment.
• Familiarity with payroll systems; ADP and Workday are both preferred, with at least one being essential.
• Knowledge of legislation relevant to payroll (e.g., Sarbanes-Oxley Act or FLSA).
• Proficiency with Excel and Google Sheets (e.g., pivot tables, VLOOKUP, SUMIF).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively to cross-functional teams.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills with a keen attention to detail.
• Sound professional judgment and discretion when handling confidential matters.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Benefits

• Generous and competitive benefits package.
• New hire stock equity (RSUs) and employee stock purchase plan (ESPP).
• Continuous career development opportunities.
• Product training to develop understanding of the product and space.
• Best-in-breed onboarding and internal mentor and buddy program cross-departmentally.
• Friendly and inclusive workplace culture.

Pay

The reasonably estimated yearly salary for this role at Datadog is: $80,000—$106,000 USD.