US Payroll Specialist

About the role

Our partner is looking for a US Payroll Specialist based in United States. This is a fully remote opportunity for an experienced payroll professional supporting accurate, timely, and compliant US payroll operations. You will manage full-cycle payroll activities across multiple jurisdictions while ensuring strong data integrity and regulatory compliance. The role combines hands-on payroll processing with reporting, audits, tax support, employee service, and process improvement. You'll work closely with employees, managers, internal teams, and leadership to resolve payroll questions and maintain a positive employee experience. The position also offers exposure to SOX controls, payroll systems, timekeeping, garnishments, and complex off-cycle payments. Success in this role requires strong attention to detail, sound judgment, confidentiality, and the ability to work independently in a remote environment. It is an excellent opportunity to contribute to a growing organization while helping strengthen reliable and efficient payroll operations.

Accountabilities

• Manage full-cycle US payroll processing for a multi-jurisdictional employee population, including entering, auditing, reviewing, correcting, and transmitting payroll data accurately and on schedule.
• Prepare and distribute recurring and ad hoc payroll reports covering compensation, taxes, garnishments, deductions, earnings registers, payroll files, and related information.
• Process on-cycle and off-cycle payments, including final pay, commissions, stock-related payments, and other supplemental compensation.
• Prepare annual W-2 forms and complete required electronic payroll filings while maintaining well-organized and audit-ready records.
• Research, analyze, and resolve federal, state, and local payroll tax issues and support compliance with applicable wage and hour requirements.
• Respond to payroll questions from employees and managers, investigate discrepancies, and provide clear and timely resolutions.
• Conduct payroll data audits, identify inconsistencies, and collaborate with internal stakeholders to maintain accurate employee and payroll records.
• Support SOX controls by following established procedures and maintaining documentation that demonstrates payroll accuracy, compliance, and audit readiness.
• Manage payroll inputs and timekeeping data, including time punches, scheduling information, and related system issues.
• Serve as a resource for timekeeping and scheduling systems by troubleshooting issues and providing process guidance.
• Process third-party payroll matters such as garnishments, levies, bankruptcies, and child support wage assignments.
• Identify process gaps and recommend improvements that increase payroll efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and employee service.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience processing full-cycle US payroll for 500+ employees, including experience with multi-state or multi-jurisdictional payroll.
• 1+ year of Workday Payroll experience preferred; alternatively, 2+ years of experience with another US payroll platform.
• Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local wage and hour regulations, including overtime requirements and payroll tax obligations.
• Intermediate to advanced Excel skills, including formulas, data validation, reconciliations, reporting, and payroll-related analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the attention to detail needed to identify discrepancies and resolve issues accurately with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to understand, document, and improve payroll-related business processes.
• Experience supporting global and/or US-based business teams and collaborating effectively across functions.
• High level of discretion and professionalism when handling confidential employee, compensation, and payroll information.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills, with the ability to explain payroll matters clearly to employees, managers, and internal stakeholders.
• Self-motivated and dependable, with strong follow-through and the ability to manage competing priorities in a remote environment.
• Comfortable working independently while maintaining effective communication and collaboration with distributed teams.
• Reliable home-office setup, including a quiet professional workspace and internet connectivity of at least 30 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload.

Benefits

• Fully remote work arrangement.
• Monthly compensation range of COP 4,500,000–COP 5,000,000.
• Full-time employment.
• Opportunity to contribute to a growing organization and develop expertise across US payroll operations.
• Exposure to payroll compliance, SOX controls, reporting, timekeeping, and process improvement.
• Collaborative environment with opportunities to work with global and US-based teams.
• Opportunities to take ownership of meaningful payroll processes and contribute to operational improvements.