Description:
The Payroll Accountant, Workday is responsible for the end-to-end payroll accounting lifecycle, including payroll audit, financial settlement, journal entry processing, and cost allocations within Workday. This role ensures payroll financial integrity, supports the close process, and strengthens internal controls through detailed reconciliation and audit practices.
The ideal candidate will have strong payroll operations experience, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate effectively with HR and Finance.
Job Responsibilities
Payroll Accounting & Financial Close
- Prepare, review, and post complex payroll journal entries, including:
- Gross-to-net payroll
- Employer taxes and statutory remittances
- Benefits and accruals (vacation, sick, bonus)
- Manage payroll subledger to general ledger reconciliation on a per-pay-period basis
- Support monthly, quarterly, and year-end close activities with strict adherence to timelines
- Perform flux and variance analysis across payroll expense accounts and balance sheet accounts
- Ensure alignment between payroll results and financial reporting structures (cost centers, programs, entities)
- Own the payroll journal entry lifecycle from Workday to the financial system:
- Validate Workday-generated accounting entries
- Review mapping to chart of accounts and cost centers
- Post and approve journal entries in accordance with delegation of authority
- Maintain documentation and audit trails supporting all journal entries
- Manage payroll costing and allocation logic within Workday:
- Labor distribution across departments, grants, or programs
- Perform payroll expense reallocations and cost corrections, including:
- Retroactive costing adjustments
- Intercompany allocations
- Perform payroll expense reallocations and cost corrections
Payroll Reconciliation, Audit & Controls
- Perform detailed reconciliations including:
- Processed vs. Settled Pay Runs
- Develop and maintain reconciliation templates and supporting schedules
- Ownership of payroll accounting reports/dashboards for FPA
- Support Year End Reporting
- Execute detailed payroll audits, including:
- Pre- and post-payroll validation checks
- Retroactive pay calculations and adjustments
- Off-cycle and manual payment reviews
- Design and maintain audit controls within payroll processes to ensure compliance and accuracy
- Partner with Internal Audit and external auditors to:
- Provide reconciliations and audit schedules
- Support controls testing and documentation
- Identify control gaps and implement remediation plans
Payroll Settlement & Funding Process
- Manage payroll funding and settlement activities, including:
- Cash requirements forecasting for payroll runs
- Reconcile payroll clearing accounts and settlement accounts
- Monitor and reconcile third-party remittances:
- Tax authorities
- Benefit providers
- Pension and garnishment agencies
- Ensure timely and accurate settlement of all payroll liabilities
Workday Payroll Configuration & Optimization
- Review and validate payroll accounting configuration in Workday
- Support enhancements to:
- Payroll accounting mappings
- Costing allocations
- Financial reporting structures
- Troubleshoot system and integration issues impacting payroll accounting
Qualifications
Education & Experience
- Diploma or degree in Accounting, Human Resources, or a related field.
- 5+ years of progressive experience in payroll accounting or financial accounting
- 5+ years of experience in Payroll processing
- Experience in Payroll and GL Configuration/Mapping
- Experience with Workday Payroll and GL integration is mandatory
- PCP or CPM from the National Payroll Institute considered an asset
Skills & Competencies
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail.
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel and comfortable working with large datasets.
- Payroll accounting principles (gross-to-net, accruals, liabilities)
- Financial close and reconciliation processes
- Internal controls and audit practices
- Collaborative team player able to work effectively with cross-functional partners.
- Strong ownership of financial integrity and controls