Payroll Specialist

Payroll Specialist
Job Summary:
We are a consulting firm serving the financial services industry and are seeking an experienced Payroll Specialist to manage multi-entity payroll across the US, Canada, India and UK, with a strong HR focus on our India operations. In this role, you will partner with Accounting/Finance, HR, and our India accounting firm to ensure employees receive accurate and timely pay, benefits, and tax withholdings. You will also serve as the HR point of contact for India, overseeing benefits, employee onboarding and offboarding, and the regulatory compliance required by our clients. The ideal candidate combines a high level of accuracy with the ability to manage multiple priorities and communicate clearly and professionally with all stakeholders.
Responsibilities:

• Process semimonthly payroll for multiple entities in the US, Canada, India and UK using ADP software, within corporate and legislative guidelines
• Responsible & fully accountable for the payroll & audit function
• Manage payroll discrepancies by collecting and analyzing information; review output registers and reports and correct out-of-balance conditions
• Establish and maintain employee payroll records; enter new hires and post changes in pay, tax status, and other categories
• Input, review, and audit timekeeping and other payroll related records, including time and attendance
• Compute wage, overtime, and other types of pay; calculate and record payroll deductions (voluntary and involuntary)
• Process advance, termination, and other out-of-cycle payments
• Reconcile earnings and deduction totals; calculate and prepare general journal entries
• Prepare and file tax reports; compile payroll data for management, auditors, and others; document procedures
• Administer India employee benefits (e.g., health insurance, provident fund, gratuity, and other statutory and company benefits), including enrollments, changes, renewals, and inquiries
• Serve as primary liaison with our India accounting firm; coordinate payroll inputs, statutory filings, reconciliations, and audit requests, and review their work for accuracy and timeliness
• Ensure compliance with India labor, tax, and social security regulations (e.g., EPF, ESI, Professional Tax, gratuity, TDS/Form 16, and the new Labour Codes) and maintain a statutory filing calendar
• Support client-required India compliance requests, audits, and questionnaires; maintain India employee records and HR policies in line with local law
• Serve as first point of contact for India employee HR, benefits, and payroll questions; assure timely responses to all inquiries
• Independently coordinate and communicate with all internal groups, hiring managers, and external parties (as required)
• Address and resolve problems in a timely manner; take initiative and demonstrate strong decision-making and organizational skills
• Initiate best practices and efficiency improvements; monitor payroll, tax, and employment regulation changes in the US, Canada, India and UK
• Participate in special projects and other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Must have Payroll designation. Experience with ADP Payroll is required.
• 8+ years of full cycle, end to end multi-entity payroll processing experience across the US, Canada, UK, and India in a fast-paced environment.
• Hands-on HR operations experience, including benefits administration and employee onboarding and offboarding; India experience strongly preferred.
• India regulatory and compliance experience, including supporting client-required compliance, is highly desirable; experience working with external accounting firms is ideal.
• Strong knowledge of tax and wage laws (US, Canada, UK, India), basic accounting principles, and common fiscal procedures
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills across time zones, with the ability to translate analytical findings into actionable solutions/processes.
• Advanced Internet and MS Office Skills (Word/Excel) required.
• Strong analytical, high attention to detail, excellent troubleshooting skills, and creative problem-solving skills
• Exceptional multitasking and organizational skills; able to work effectively with minimal supervision
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential employee information with discretion
• Self-motivated, self-directed, and team oriented, with good follow-up skills, adaptability to process changes, and a strong sense of ownership
• Physically able to work seated in front of a computer for long hours at a time