Payroll Accountant

KBR Careers; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K plan with company match

Medical benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

KBR's Mission Technology Solutions in Houston (TX) is seeking a Payroll Accountant to ensure accurate payroll accounting, ledger integrity, and regulatory compliance across a complex organization. You will support the payroll-related general ledger activities and collaborate with Payroll, HR, and Finance to deliver reliable financial reporting.

The role involves preparing payroll journal entries, performing reconciliations, and supporting month-end close, while driving process improvements and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field; equivalent work experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 2+ years of payroll accounting or related finance experience in a corporate environment.
• Understanding of payroll accounting principles, payroll taxes, accruals, and financial reporting requirements under US GAAP.
• Experience preparing journal entries, reconciling accounts, and supporting month-end close.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations and reporting requirements.
• Strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills; detail-oriented.

Responsibilities

• Maintain payroll-related general ledger accounts and ensure accurate payroll transactions.
• Prepare and post payroll-related journal entries including wages, taxes, benefits, accruals, and other compensation-related transactions.
• Perform monthly, quarterly, and year-end reconciliations of payroll accounts and resolve discrepancies.
• Reconcile payroll registers to the general ledger and support month-end close.
• Assist with payroll tax reconciliations and regulatory reporting.
• Collaborate with Payroll, HR, and Finance to ensure proper accounting treatment of compensation and benefits.
• Support audits by preparing documentation and analyses.
• Ensure SOX controls and governance standards are followed in payroll processes.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements and automation.

Skills

Payroll accounting

General accounting

US GAAP

Journal entries

Account reconciliations

Month-end close

Excel

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

Tools

Costpoint

Workday

Ceridian Dayforce

ADP

UKG

SAP

Oracle

Job description

Title

Payroll Accountant

KBR is seeking a driven and detail-oriented Payroll Accountant to join the Mission Technology Solutions (MTS) organization in either Houston, TX or Huntsville, AL. In this role, you will support the accuracy, integrity, and compliance of payroll accounting activities across a complex and dynamic organization. You will play a key role in payroll-related general ledger accounting, account reconciliations, month-end close activities, regulatory compliance, and audit support.

The ideal candidate is a proactive self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment, takes ownership of deliverables, and collaborates effectively with Payroll, Human Resources, Finance, and other stakeholders to ensure accurate financial reporting while supporting continuous process improvement initiatives.

Trinzic is being established as an independent public company through the planned separation of KBR's Mission Technology Solutions business, which is expected to be completed on January 4, 2027. This role offers a rare opportunity to join the organization during a pivotal period of growth and transformation, helping build and support payroll accounting, financial compliance, and operational processes that will position the company for long-term success while serving critical government and commercial missions around the world.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain payroll-related general ledger accounts and ensure payroll transactions are accurately recorded in accordance with KBR accounting policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Prepare and post payroll-related journal entries, including wages, taxes, benefits, accruals, and other compensation-related transactions.
• Perform monthly, quarterly, and year-end reconciliations of payroll accounts, investigating and resolving discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Reconcile payroll registers to the general ledger and ensure payroll data is accurately reflected in financial records.
• Support payroll month-end and year-end close activities, ensuring deadlines are met with a high degree of accuracy and completeness.
• Assist with payroll tax reconciliations, regulatory reporting requirements, and payroll-related compliance activities.
• Partner with Payroll, Human Resources, and Finance teams to ensure accurate accounting treatment of employee compensation, benefits, bonuses, and equity-related transactions.
• Support internal and external audits by preparing required documentation, schedules, and supporting analyses.
• Ensure adherence to internal controls, SOX compliance requirements, and corporate governance standards related to payroll accounting processes.
• Analyze payroll data, identify trends and variances, and prepare reports and recommendations for management.
• Assist with payroll system implementations, upgrades, testing activities, and data validation efforts.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements, automation, and enhanced controls to improve efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
• Contribute to a culture of accountability, collaboration, and operational excellence within the finance organization.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent work experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 2+ years of payroll accounting, general accounting, or related finance experience in a corporate environment.
• Understanding of payroll accounting principles, payroll taxes, accruals, and financial reporting requirements under US GAAP.
• Experience preparing journal entries, performing account reconciliations, and supporting month-end close activities.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations and reporting requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis tools.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Effective communication skills with the ability to explain payroll and accounting information to various stakeholders.
• Proven ability to collaborate cross-functionally across Payroll, HR, Finance, and other business functions.
• Self-motivated with a proactive approach to identifying issues and implementing solutions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Costpoint, Workday, Ceridian Dayforce, ADP, UKG, SAP, Oracle, or similar payroll and ERP systems.
• Experience supporting multi-state and/or international payroll accounting activities.
• Familiarity with government contracting environments and payroll requirements under FAR, CAS, and related regulations.
• Experience supporting SOX compliance, internal controls, and external audit activities.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification or progress toward professional accounting certification preferred.
• Demonstrated success driving process improvements, automation initiatives, and reporting enhancements within payroll accounting functions.
• Experience working in a large, complex, matrixed organization supporting multiple business units.

Additional Compensation: KBR may offer bonuses, commissions, or other forms of compensation to certain job titles or levels, per internal policy or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be in the form of sign on bonus, relocation benefits, short term incentives, long term incentives, or discretionary payments for exceptional performance.

Benefits: KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include a 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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