Global Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Qcells North America; Cartersville (GA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Qcells North America in Cartersville, GA is seeking a detail-oriented Global Payroll & Benefits Specialist to oversee expatriate payroll, benefits, and global mobility programs for the U.S. and Korea.

This role ensures accurate, timely, and compliant delivery of compensation and benefits across borders. You will manage day-to-day payroll processing and benefits administration for expatriates, coordinate with global mobility providers, and support expatriates with payroll and benefits inquiries

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience: 0–5 years of experience in payroll, accounting, global mobility, or HR with emphasis on Korean expatriate management.
• Language: Fluency in English and Korean (written and verbal) required.

Responsibilities

• Process and oversee dual/shadow payroll for expatriates across the U.S. and South Korea with accurate tax withholding.
• Administer expatriate benefits programs, including health insurance, relocation, and home leave benefits.
• Monitor compliance with U.S. FLSA, IRS, and international assignment policy guidelines; address risk and implement corrective actions.
• Coordinate payroll data exchanges between HQ and local entities; manage vendor relationships for insurance, relocation, and tax services.
• Prepare monthly/quarterly expatriate payroll cost and benefits utilization reports for HR and Finance leadership.

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking a detail-oriented and bilingual Global Payroll & Benefits Specialist to oversee the compliance, operational integrity, and accuracy of our expatriate payroll, benefits, and global mobility programs. This role will manage the day-to-day payroll processing and benefits administration for our expatriate workforce, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant delivery of compensation and benefits across South Korea and the U.S.

Description

Global Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Department: Human Resources

Location: Cartersville, GA

We are seeking a detail-oriented and bilingual Global Payroll & Benefits Specialist to oversee the compliance, operational integrity, and accuracy of our expatriate payroll, benefits, and global mobility programs. This role will manage the day-to-day payroll processing and benefits administration for our expatriate workforce, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant delivery of compensation and benefits across South Korea and the U.S.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Administration

• Process and administer dual/shadow payroll for expatriates, ensuring accurate tax withholding and reporting in both South Korea and the U.S.
• Conduct regular pre- and post-payroll audits to verify calculation accuracy, bonus structures, foreign service premiums, housing allowances, and cost-of-living adjustments (COLA).
• Track and update COLA, foreign service premium, and housing allowance rates in coordination with global mobility providers.
• Manage Certificate of Coverage (Totalization Agreement) applications to eliminate dual social security tax liability for expatriates.

Benefits Administration

• Oversee expatriate benefit schemes, including health insurance and relocation packages.
• Administer expatriate benefits enrollment, including health insurance, relocation, and home leave benefits.
• Verify total reward structures, ensuring proper documentation and approvals for expatriate allowances (e.g., tuition support, housing, vehicle allowances).

Compliance & Risk Management

• Monitor and enforce compliance with U.S. FLSA, IRS regulations, South Korean Labor Standards Act, and international assignment policy guidelines.
• Identify operational risks, control gaps, or compliance exposure in global mobility practices and implement corrective action plans.
• Partner with external tax counsel and third-party global mobility providers to manage hypothetical tax (Hypo-Tax) calculations, tax equalization, and annual tax reconciliations.

Coordination & Reporting

• Coordinate the timely exchange of payroll data between HQ and local entity operations.
• Coordinate with vendors (insurance carriers, relocation companies, tax providers) to ensure timely and accurate service delivery.
• Maintain accurate expatriate payroll and benefits records, ensuring documentation is audit-ready.
• Prepare monthly/quarterly reports on expatriate payroll costs and benefits utilization for HR and Finance leadership.
• Assist with assignment cost estimates and budgeting for new expatriate placements.

Employee Support

• Serve as the primary point of contact for expatriates on day-to-day payroll and benefits inquiries, providing timely and culturally sensitive support.

Qualifications & Skills

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience: 0–5 years of experience in payroll, accounting, global mobility, or HR — with a heavy focus on Korean expatriate management.
• Language: Fluency in both English and Korean (written and verbal) is required to communicate effectively with Korean HQ and local teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of payroll systems (e.g., ADP, SAP, Workday) preferred.
• Familiarity with U.S.–Korea tax treaty provisions and Totalization Agreement procedures preferred.
• Strong Excel skills for data reconciliation and reporting.

Core Competencies

• High attention to detail and accuracy in handling sensitive compensation data.
• Strong sense of confidentiality and discretion.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to support expatriates across cultures.