Payroll Specialist Exciting, well-funded VC-backed software firm in the McLean/Vienna area is adding a Payroll Specialist/Admin. to its growing Accounting/Finance/HR team. This is a newly created role due to careful planning and subsequently strong growth.
A brief rundown about the opportunity.... This individual will own core payroll, support compensation, and Accounts Payable processes. This hire will create real leverage for the VP Finance/Controller by taking on meaningful projects, not just transactions. He/she will help build scalable people and finance infrastructure as the company grows in headcount, customers, and geographies. Will have the chance to work around a technically exceptional product and team in a company that values autonomy and clear results.
The Payroll Specialist will run recurring cycles (payroll, commissions, AP/credit cards) while creating leverage for the VP Finance/Controller by taking on ad-hoc projects that support headcount growth, international expansion, and future system upgrades. This person is a core member of a lean Finance team, responsible for accurate, timely payroll and sales compensation while keeping day-to-day operations tight and well-controlled.
Here's a little bit about the role.... This is a hands-on, operator/builder role for someone who likes clean execution, simple processes, and jumping in where the business needs help most:
- Run end-to-end of all payrolls each cycle, ensuring accurate, timely pay, deductions, withholdings, tax fillings and clean payroll-related JEs, reconciliations, and accruals.
- Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations as headcount and locations grow, and help lay the groundwork for future international payroll (e.g., via EORs or local providers).
- Own calculations for sales commissions and variable compensation, translating plans into clear, auditable logic and preparing simple statements for eligible employees.
- Administer corporate credit card and expense program and support AP bill processing (coding, operations, payment scheduling, vendor and tax documentation).
- Act as a responsive point of contact for employee payroll and comp questions while upholding strong documentation and controls.
- Spot and implement process improvements across payroll, comp, and AP to reduce manual work, errors, and cycle time.
- Partner closely with People, Sales, RevOps, and Finance leadership to ensure HRIS, payroll, and GL data stay aligned and useful for decision-making.
- Take on ad-hoc and growth projects that create leverage for the Controller, from tool evaluations and data clean-up to supporting new entities, countries, or compensation programs.
The type of experience we would like! - 3-5+ years of hands-on experience in payroll, compensation operations, and/or AP, ideally in a high-growth or startup environment.
- Track record owning multi-state U.S. payroll and contributing to sales commission or other variable compensation calculations.
- High integrity and discretion with confidential payroll, compensation, and employee data, with strong attention to detail and follow-through.
- Clear, empathetic communicator who can explain payroll and comp topics to non-finance stakeholders and build trust with employees.
- Process- and systems-minded operator who enjoys simplifying, documenting, and improving how work gets done.
- Strong command of payroll fundamentals and comfort working in modern payroll/HRIS, AP, and expense tools (e.g., Gusto, Rippling, Justworks, ADP, Ramp, Brex, Bill.com, or similar).
- Proficiency with spreadsheets (Excel or Google Sheets) for building and auditing models, reconciliations, and simple analyses.
- Comfortable in a fast-changing, lean environment and motivated to pick up ad hoc projects that support firm's growth and create leverage for the VP Finance/Controller.
- Bring a great attitude, team spirit and the ability to grow your career!
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