Payroll & Accounting Specialist - 21314

somewhere; United States; Remote; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Somewhere is seeking a Payroll & Accounting Specialist to manage payroll operations, reconciliations, and related accounting tasks in a remote, full-time contractor role. You will own payroll processing, UKG/HRIS system activities, and collaborate with HR, Ops, and vendors to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Ideal candidates have 3–5 years in payroll processing, a Bachelor's in Accounting or related field, and strong attention to detail.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years of hands-on payroll processing experience.
• Experience performing payroll reconciliations, payroll journal entries, payroll tax review, benefit deduction reconciliation, and payroll audits strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting payroll for varied employee classifications, schedules, compensation arrangements, or client-based workforce models preferred.
• Experience with UKG or a comparable payroll/HRIS platform strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Owns assigned payroll processing activities and ensures payroll is completed accurately, timely, and in accordance with established schedules and controls.
• Processes payroll data from applicable systems and maintains accurate and current employee payroll records.
• Owns the payroll processing calendar and coordinates inputs, approvals, and deadlines with HR, Operations, Finance, and other stakeholders.
• Prepares and records payroll journal entries and reconciles payroll activity between payroll and accounting systems.
• Reviews and reconciles employee accrual balances and investigates discrepancies as needed.
• Responds to payroll inquiries and provides payroll information to employees and management.

Skills

Payroll processes

Attention to detail

Ownership of responsibilities

Analytical thinking

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or related field

Tools

UKG Payroll/HRIS

Job description

Payroll & Accounting Specialist

Employment Type: Full time, independent contractor
Work Model: Remote
Work Hours: US work hours

The Payroll & Accounting Specialist is responsible for the accurate, timely, and compliant execution of payroll operations while providing hands‑on support across key accounting functions within the Finance department. This position serves as a primary owner of payroll processing, payroll reconciliations, payroll‑related system activity, and issue resolution while supporting accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing, reconciliations, and other transactional accounting responsibilities.

The Payroll & Accounting Specialist works closely with Accounting, HR, Operations, employees, and external providers to ensure payroll and accounting activities are completed accurately and on time. The successful individual demonstrates a high degree of accountability, attention to detail, follow-through, and sound judgment; proactively identifies discrepancies; resolves issues; maintains effective controls; and follows assigned responsibilities through completion with limited day‑to‑day oversight.

Responsabilities

Payroll

• Owns assigned payroll processing activities and ensures payroll is completed accurately, timely, and in accordance with established schedules and controls.
• Processes payroll data from applicable systems and maintains accurate and current employee payroll records.
• Owns the payroll processing calendar and proactively coordinates required inputs, approvals, and deadlines with HR, Operations, Finance, and other stakeholders.
• Performs pre-processing and post-processing payroll audits, including validation of hours, pay rates, deductions, taxes, incentives, reimbursements, garnishments, accruals, and other payroll activity.
• Investigates unusual payroll activity, discrepancies, and variances; resolves issues or escalates material concerns prior to payroll finalization.
• Maintains payroll schedules and payment calculations for employees with specialized compensation arrangements.
• Reviews payroll tax activity, verifies required documentation, and ensures approved tax changes are accurately reflected in the payroll system.
• Reviews and reconciles employee benefit and retirement plan activity to confirm elections, deductions, contributions, and changes are accurately reflected.
• Processes routine payroll activities, including payroll adjustments, garnishments, supplemental payments, and off‑cycle payments.
• Prepares and records payroll journal entries and reconciles payroll activity between payroll and accounting systems.
• Reviews and maintains employee accrual balances in accordance with applicable policies and investigates discrepancies as needed.
• Responds to payroll inquiries and provides payroll information and documentation to employees, management, auditors, and authorized outside parties as appropriate.

UKG & Payroll Systems

• Serves as a key Finance resource for UKG payroll and timekeeping processes, including data validation, troubleshooting, reporting, and ongoing system optimization.
• Partners with HR to validate employee lifecycle changes affecting payroll, including hires, terminations, compensation changes, employment status, tax elections, deductions, benefits, PTO/accruals, and other employee data.
• Identifies system or process issues affecting payroll accuracy and works through resolution with internal stakeholders and UKG support or other external providers as appropriate.
• Develops and maintains payroll procedures, checklists, calendars, controls, and supporting documentation to promote consistent processing, effective cross‑training, and business continuity.

Accounting

• Processes accounts payable activity and supports accurate and timely vendor payments.
• Records and maintains banking and credit card activity and assists with related reconciliations.
• Monitors internal expense activity and follows up as needed to ensure expense reports and supporting documentation are timely and complete.
• Records client payments, monitors outstanding receivables, and supports collection activities.
• Processes recurring and special client invoicing, including related billing adjustments, credits, and rebates as needed.
• Maintains customer billing information and supports regular and ad‑hoc client reporting and other client accounting requirements.
• Supports month‑end close activities, account reconciliations, audit requests, and other Finance department priorities as assigned.

General Responsibilities

• Maintains confidentiality and supports compliance with applicable payroll, wage and hour, financial, and recordkeeping requirements.
• Maintains current standard operating procedures, payroll calendars, reconciliation documentation, process maps, and backup instructions for assigned responsibilities.
• Ensures critical payroll and accounting processes are documented sufficiently to support cross‑training and business continuity.
• Identifies opportunities to improve processes, system utilization, internal controls, and operational efficiency and takes an active role in implementing improvements.
• Supports audits, system implementations, process changes, and other Finance department initiatives as needed.
• Communicates proactively when deadlines, discrepancies, or risks arise and follows issues through resolution.

What Success Looks Like

• Takes ownership and follows responsibilities through completion without requiring significant day‑to‑day oversight.
• Consistently produces accurate work and independently checks and validates results.
• Raises issues early and communicates proactively rather than allowing problems to become deadline driven.
• Balances urgency with precision, particularly when processing payroll and handling employee or client financial information.
• Builds trust through reliability, confidentiality, responsiveness, collaboration, and follow‑through.
• Looks for solutions and process improvements rather than simply identifying problems.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field preferred; equivalent payroll and accounting experience will be considered.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of hands‑on payroll processing experience required, preferably in a multi‑state environment.
• Experience performing payroll reconciliations, payroll journal entries, payroll tax review, benefit deduction reconciliation, and payroll audits strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting payroll for varied employee classifications, schedules, compensation arrangements, or client‑based workforce models preferred.
• Experience with UKG or a comparable payroll/HRIS platform strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of accounting processes, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, journal entries, billing, and account reconciliations preferred

What we are looking for

• Strong knowledge of payroll processes and applicable payroll requirements.
• Exceptional attention to detail with a demonstrated ability to identify discrepancies, validate information, and question results that do not appear reasonable.
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership of assigned responsibilities, meet deadlines consistently, communicate proactively when issues arise, and follow matters through resolution.
• Strong analytical ability, problem‑solving skills, and sound judgment.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple recurring deadlines and shifting priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, customer service, and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to handle confidential employee and financial information with professionalism and discretion.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, payroll/HRIS systems, and accounting software.
• Demonstrated initiative, reliability, responsiveness, and a continuous‑improvement mindset.