Walk-in | Hiring For Lead Payroll US Process

Sutherland; Chennai District; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Sutherland in Chennai is seeking an experienced Senior Payroll Specialist/Lead to drive US payroll operations with a focus on accuracy and compliance. The role offers night shift timings with US alignment and leadership exposure in a complex multi-state payroll environment.

You will review pre-payroll inputs, validate time and earnings, oversee post-payroll activities, and mentor junior specialists while ensuring SLAs and KPIs are met. The position requires Chennai-based presence.

Qualifications

• 3–9 years of experience in US Payroll / Payroll Audits / Compliance.
• Hands-on experience with Workday or ADP Payroll.
• Exposure to Kronos / Compass / Time & Attendance systems preferred.
• FPC / CPP certification highly preferred.
• Bachelor’s in Accounting, Finance, or HR (Masters preferred).
• Excellent knowledge of US payroll laws, multi-state taxation, FICA, garnishments, and statutory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Escalate and resolve complex payroll issues including multi-state taxation and garnishments.
• Review pre-payroll inputs and validate time, earnings, and deductions.
• Analyze payroll outputs and manage post-payroll activities and reconciliations.
• Lead Build-to-Gross and Gross-to-Net validation across employee groups.
• Reconcile payroll audit reports with client SMEs and internal teams.
• Ensure SOX readiness and compliance through audits.
• Drive automation and process improvements using RPA/analytics.
• Mentor junior payroll specialists and monitor SLA/KPI achievement.

Skills

US Payroll

Payroll Audits

Leadership

Process Improvement

Stakeholder Management

Education

Bachelor in Accounting/Finance/HR

Master's degree preferred

FPC/CPP certification

Tools

Workday

ADP

Kronos/Compass

Job description

Greeting from Sutherland!!!!

We are seeking an experienced Senior Payroll Specialist / Lead to serve for US payroll operations. Candidates are preferred to work in US shift timings. This role is responsible for ensuring compliant, accurate, and efficient payroll delivery while driving continuous improvement initiatives. The position offers exposure to complex multi-state payroll, global governance, advanced system operations, and leadership opportunities.

The Lead will additionally review and validate pre-payroll inputs, analyze payroll outputs, administer post-payroll activities, mentor junior specialists, and ensure adherence to SLAs/KPIs. This role requires night shift support with rotational weekly offs and is based out of our Chennai office.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll SME Support & Issue Resolution

• Act as SME for escalated payroll issues including multi-state taxation, leave calculations, adjustments, wage garnishments, retro payments, and complex earnings/deductions.
• Support troubleshooting of timekeeping discrepancies (Kronos, Compass), ensuring accurate payroll-impacting data.

Payroll Processing & Validation

• Review and validate pre-payroll inputs, ensuring accuracy and completeness of time, earnings, deductions, and exceptions.
• Analyze payroll reports and manage all post-payroll activities including validations, corrections, and reconciliations.
• Perform Build-to-Gross input reconciliation and Gross-to-Net validation across all employee population groups.
• Reconcile pre- and post-payroll audit reports, addressing discrepancies with client SMEs and internal stakeholders.

Payroll Tax, Compliance & Audit

• Compile wage, tax, and other taxable information; validate payroll registers and reconcile 401(k)/benefits deductions.
• Prepare and validate payroll tax data supporting quarterly and annual tax filings.
• Lead reconciliation and auditing of payroll runs across Workday, ADP, and Kronos, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Own compliance activities including SOX readiness, vendor audits, federal/state reporting, and statutory submissions.
• Implement payroll process changes aligned with evolving US tax regulations and internal policies.

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Handle escalations and complex data issues; provide guidance to resolve Tier 0/Tier 1 queries.
• Collaborate with HR, Finance, and Legal teams to align payroll execution with organizational goals.
• Manage relationships with third-party vendors (ADP, Sedgwick, Equifax), ensuring service quality and compliance adherence.

Transformation, Automation & Process Excellence

• Drive payroll process improvements, automation initiatives, and digital transformation using RPA, AI, or analytics tools.
• Conduct RCA for payroll errors, implement corrective actions, and lead retraining as needed.
• Ensure exceptional service delivery through process optimization, documentation updates, and governance practices.

Leadership & Team Enablement (Lead Role)

• Mentor junior payroll specialists, oversee workload distribution, and ensure SLA/KPI achievement.
• Support capability-building initiatives within the payroll team through training and knowledge sharing.

Eligibility & Qualifications

• 3-9 years of experience in US Payroll / Payroll Audits / Compliance.
• Strong hands-on experience with Workday or ADP Payroll.
• Exposure to Kronos / Compass / Time & Attendance systems preferred.
• FPC / CPP certification highly preferred.
• Bachelors in Accounting, Finance, HR (Masters preferred).
• Excellent knowledge of US payroll laws, multi-state taxation, FICA, garnishments, and statutory compliance.