Payroll Accountant

Plaid; California (MO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Plaid is seeking a Payroll Accountant to support semi-monthly U.S. payroll and international activities. You will own payroll accounting, ensure timely processing, and respond to employee questions with empathy.

You'll work with cross-functional partners across People, Legal, Finance, and external providers to scale payroll operations while maintaining strong controls and compliance.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years of multi-state U.S. payroll experience.
• HAnds-on Workday Payroll experience.
• Payroll accounting incl. journal entries & month-end close.
• Strong payroll tax regulation knowledge & compliance.
• Discretion handling sensitive information.
• Clear written and verbal communication; cross-team collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Process semi-monthly U.S. payroll and support international payroll.
• Review inputs and reports; resolve discrepancies before payroll is final.
• Manage garnishments, payroll tax notices, and related compliance.
• Answer employee questions; provide timely, clear support.
• Coordinate leaves, time reporting, benefits deductions, and comps changes.
• Prepare payroll journal entries and month-end reconciliations.
• Support audits (401(k), workers' comp, and financials).
• Maintain compliance with regulations; document controls.
• Propose process improvements for accuracy and scale.
• Build partnerships across Accounting, Finance, People, Legal and vendors.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Discretion

Tools

Workday Payroll

ADP SmartCompliance

NetSuite

Job description

We believe that the way people interact with their finances will drastically improve in the next few years. We’re dedicated to empowering this transformation by building the tools and experiences that thousands of developers use to create their own products. Plaid powers the tools millions of people rely on to live a healthier financial life. We work with thousands of companies like Venmo, SoFi, several of the Fortune 500, and many of the largest banks to make it easy for people to connect their financial accounts to the apps and services they want to use. Plaid’s network covers 12,000 financial institutions across the US, Canada, UK and Europe. Founded in 2013, the company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, Seattle, Washington D.C., Raleigh, London, and Amsterdam.

About The Team

The Payroll team ensures Plaid employees around the world are paid accurately, on time, and in compliance with applicable regulations. We manage payroll operations across four countries and partner closely with People, Legal, Finance, Accounting, Total Rewards, and external vendors to deliver a reliable employee experience and maintain strong financial controls. As Plaid continues to scale, we are focused on strengthening compliance, improving processes, and building systems that support future growth.

Role Description

You will support the accurate and timely processing of Plaid's semi-monthly U.S. payroll while contributing to international payroll activities. Reporting to the Payroll & Stock Administration Manager, you will own key payroll accounting and compliance activities, respond to employee questions, and partner cross-functionally to resolve payroll issues. You will also help improve documentation, controls, and workflows as Plaid's payroll operations continue to scale.

Responsibilities

We're looking for a detail-oriented Payroll Accountant to support Plaid's payroll operations, accounting, and compliance. You will combine hands-on payroll processing with strong accounting fundamentals and thoughtful employee support, while helping build reliable and scalable processes across the payroll function.

• Process semi-monthly U.S. payroll and support international payroll activities, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time
• Review payroll inputs, changes, and reports for completeness and accuracy; research and resolve discrepancies before payroll is finalized
• Manage garnishments, payroll tax notices, and related compliance activities in partnership with internal teams and external providers
• Own the payroll inbox and provide timely, clear, and empathetic support to employees
• Partner with the People team to coordinate leaves of absence, time reporting, benefit deductions, and compensation changes
• Prepare payroll journal entries, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules for month-end close
• Support 401(k), Workers' Compensation, financial statement, and other payroll-related audits
• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations and document key payroll processes and controls
• Identify and implement process improvements that increase accuracy, efficiency, and scalability across payroll operations
• Build trusted partnerships across Accounting, Finance, People, Legal, and external payroll vendors

Requirements

• 2-5 years of payroll experience, including hands-on processing of multi-state U.S. payroll
• Experience using Workday Payroll
• Payroll accounting experience, including journal entries, account reconciliations, and month-end close
• Strong understanding of payroll tax regulations and the ability to research and resolve compliance questions
• Excellent attention to detail, organization, and follow-through in a deadline-driven environment
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience partnering across teams

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with ADP SmartCompliance, NetSuite, or Canada and EU payrolls

Our mission at Plaid is to unlock financial freedom for everyone. To support that mission, we seek to build a diverse team of driven individuals who care deeply about making the financial ecosystem more equitable. We recognize that strong qualifications can come from both prior work experiences and lived experiences. We encourage you to apply to a role even if your experience doesn't fully match the job description. We are always looking for team members that will bring something unique to Plaid!

Plaid is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion or religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, military or veteran status, disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Plaid is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance with your application or interviews due to a disability, please let us know at [e-mail].

Please review our Candidate Privacy Notice here.

Additional compensation in the form(s) of equity and/or commission are dependent on the position offered. Plaid provides a comprehensive benefit plan, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k). Pay is based on factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience and skillset, and location. Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.

Compensation Range: $85K - $120K