Job Description - Senior Payroll Analyst

FLSA Status

Exempt

Supervisor

VP of Finance/Accounting

Job Summary:

We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Senior Payroll Analyst to serve as Falcon's Beyond's payroll subject-matter lead. This role will combine hands-on payroll execution with compliance leadership, process design, control development, vendor governance, reporting, and complex issue resolution. The Senior Payroll Analyst will help establish and maintain a reliable, scalable, and audit-ready payroll operating model.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative and solutions-oriented payroll professional who can independently assess payroll needs, translate regulatory and operational requirements into practical processes, and influence stakeholders across the organization. This individual should be comfortable operating in an evolving environment, thinking beyond established practices, and building structure where opportunities for improvement exist

Payroll Operations & Governance

• Lead end-to-end payroll operations and ensure payrolls are processed accurately, timely, and in accordance with established controls.
• Design and maintain payroll calendars, procedures, checklists, reconciliations, approval workflows, service standards, and escalation paths.
• Review complex employee changes, earnings, deductions, taxes, retroactive adjustments, off-cycle payments, and payroll corrections.
• Own payroll reconciliations, funding coordination, reporting, journal support, and resolution of variances.
• Establish meaningful payroll metrics and use data to identify trends, control gaps, and improvement opportunities.

Compliance, Risk & Audit Readiness

• Serve as the technical payroll lead for federal, state, and local payroll requirements, payroll tax, wage and hour considerations, deductions, garnishments, year-end reporting, and multi-state matters.
• Evaluate payroll risks, research complex questions, recommend practical solutions, and coordinate with HR, Finance, Accounting, Legal, tax advisors, and vendors as appropriate.
• Lead payroll audit preparation, documentation reviews, tax notice resolution, quarter-end and year-end controls, W-2 processing, and corrective actions.
• Build and maintain an effective payroll control framework, including segregation of duties, change validation, exception review, reconciliation, and evidence retention.
• Monitor regulatory developments and recommend updates to payroll practices, policies, systems, and communications.

Systems, Vendors & Continuous Improvement

• Serve as payroll functional lead for system configuration, testing, integrations, implementations, acquisitions, entity changes, and process redesign.
• Assess handoffs among Human Resources, Benefits, Finance, Accounting, timekeeping, and payroll systems to improve data quality and accountability.
• Own payroll vendor performance, issue escalation, root-cause analysis, service expectations, and resolution follow-through.
• Develop scalable documentation, training, and stakeholder guidance that support consistent payroll practices.
• Challenge inefficient or outdated practices and develop thoughtful solutions that balance compliance, control, employee experience, and operational efficiency.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Act as Falcon's primary payroll resource and trusted partner to Human Resources, Benefits, Finance, Accounting, Legal, managers, employees, and external providers.
• Translate complex payroll concepts into clear recommendations, decisions, and action plans for varied audiences.
• Lead cross-functional payroll initiatives without relying on direct reporting authority.
• Provide guidance and technical support to team members involved in payroll inputs, review, accounting, benefits, and employee changes.

Job Qualifications and Requirements:

• Must have or be able to quickly acquire knowledge of company structure (mission, goals, and objectives), and policies and procedures.
• Payroll Operations & Governance
• Lead end-to-end payroll operations and ensure payrolls are processed accurately, timely, and in accordance with established controls.
• Design and maintain payroll calendars, procedures, checklists, reconciliations, approval workflows, service standards, and escalation paths.
• Review complex employee changes, earnings, deductions, taxes, retroactive adjustments, off-cycle payments, and payroll corrections.
• Own payroll reconciliations, funding coordination, reporting, journal support, and resolution of variances.
• Establish meaningful payroll metrics and use data to identify trends, control gaps, and improvement opportunities.
• Compliance, Risk & Audit Readiness
• Serve as the technical payroll lead for federal, state, and local payroll requirements, payroll tax, wage and hour considerations, deductions, garnishments, year-end reporting, and multi-state matters.
• Evaluate payroll risks, research complex questions, recommend practical solutions, and coordinate with HR, Finance, Accounting, Legal, tax advisors, and vendors as appropriate.
• Lead payroll audit preparation, documentation reviews, tax notice resolution, quarter-end and year-end controls, W-2 processing, and corrective actions.
• Build and maintain an effective payroll control framework, including segregation of duties, change validation, exception review, reconciliation, and evidence retention.
• Monitor regulatory developments and recommend updates to payroll practices, policies, systems, and communications.
• Systems, Vendors & Continuous Improvement
• Serve as payroll functional lead for system configuration, testing, integrations, implementations, acquisitions, entity changes, and process redesign.
• Assess handoffs among Human Resources, Benefits, Finance, Accounting, timekeeping, and payroll systems to improve data quality and accountability.
• Own payroll vendor performance, issue escalation, root-cause analysis, service expectations, and resolution follow-through.
• Develop scalable documentation, training, and stakeholder guidance that support consistent payroll practices.
• Challenge inefficient or outdated practices and develop thoughtful solutions that balance compliance, control, employee experience, and operational efficiency.
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• Act as Falcon's primary payroll resource and trusted partner to Human Resources, Benefits, Finance, Accounting, Legal, managers, employees, and external providers.
• Translate complex payroll concepts into clear recommendations, decisions, and action plans for varied audiences.
• Lead cross-functional payroll initiatives without relying on direct reporting authority.
• Provide guidance and technical support to team members involved in payroll inputs, review, accounting, benefits, and employee changes.
• Must be authorized to work lawfully in the United States of America.
• Will not require Falcon's Beyond Global, LLC to commence ("sponsor") an immigration case in order to be employed (now or in the future).

NOTE:

This document outlines the general nature and level of work expected from individuals in this role. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and/or skills. Additional duties may be required as necessary by supervisory personnel. The employee is expected to adhere to all work rules, procedures, and policies established by the company, including, but not limited to, those contained in the employee handbook.