Senior Payroll Accountant

Spectro Cloud; San Jose (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vis

Equity opportunities

Flexible paid time off

Catered lunches on in-office days

Job summary

Spectro Cloud is seeking a Senior Payroll & GL Accountant to own global payroll and support general ledger payroll accounting. This hybrid role focuses about 60% on payroll management and 40% on GL activities, across US and international contractors, with a path to scale alongside a high-growth company.

You’ll coordinate with the Director of Global Accounting and cross-functional G&A teams, ensuring accurate payroll processing, tax compliance, and timely month-end closes in a fast-paced startup

Qualifications

• 5+ years progressive payroll and accounting experience.
• Solid understanding of payroll tax compliance (federal, state, FICA, etc.).
• Familiarity with multi-state payroll processing.
• Advanced Excel & Google Sheets skills with large datasets (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, formulas).
• Self-starter who operates well with minimal supervision in an ambiguous, fast-scaling environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication; comfortable coordinating across time zones and organizational levels.
• Degree in Accounting or equivalent.
• Meticulous, detail-oriented with excellent accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Own bi-weekly and semi/monthly payrolls for US-based employees and assist with monthly payrolls in other countries.
• Manage wage and overtime calculations, bonuses, deductions, severance and termination calculations, and GL recording.
• Troubleshoot payroll errors and discrepancies.
• Maintain accurate employee records and respond to payroll inquiries.
• Payroll registration for new US states, maintain payroll tax accounts and filings; ensure compliance across jurisdictions.
• Support the monthly close for payroll: JEs, accruals, reconciliations, and related flux.
• Document and maintain payroll processes and controls.
• Support external audit requests and provide ad hoc analysis to the Director of Global Accounting and leadership.
• Assist with month-end/year-end close activities and compensation reviews.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Google Sheets

Data analysis

Written communication

Verbal communication

Self-starter

Cross-time-zone coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting

Tools

NetSuite

QuickBooks

Deel

Job description

About Spectro Cloud

Spectro Cloud is a fast-growing startup on a mission to deliver a Kubernetes-centric platform that lets application teams and their IT and Platform partners work together to make software easier, safer, and more fun to deliver and manage. We help people use and run Kubernetes their way, anywhere. Led by a team that has built successful products and companies before — and is doing it again — with talented team members and industry-leading investors behind us, we're taking Kubernetes to the moon and beyond.

The Role

We're hiring a Senior Payroll & GL Accountant to own our global payroll as Spectro Cloud continues to scale. This is a hybrid position with about 60% payroll management and 40% general ledger payroll accounting. You'll manage complex, multi-jurisdiction payroll processing across the US, international contractors, and EOR arrangements while supporting a high-growth company navigating rapid headcount changes. This position is critical to our accounting operations as we scale.

You will run bi-weekly and bi-monthly payrolls for our US employees and assist with monthly global payroll processing. You will also be responsible for all things payroll ie: managing payroll sync to our ERP, posting and reconciling payroll entries, recording bonus accruals, managing payroll tax adjustments, terminations, etc.

This is a role for someone who enjoys problem-solving, doesn't panic in ambiguity, and can educate/advise internal teams. You'll report to the Director of Global Accounting and partner with other G&A members.

We're looking for someone who can operate independently, set the standard for their function, and thrive in the pace of a scaling startup.

What You'll Do

Global Payroll

• Own bi-weekly and semi/monthly payrolls for US based employees and assist with monthly payrolls in other countries including UK and Ireland
• Own all things payroll ie: wage and overtime calculations, bonuses, deductions, severance and termination calculations, and GL recording
• Troubleshoot payroll errors and discrepancies
• Maintain accurate employee records and respond to payroll inquiries
• Payroll registration for new US states, maintain payroll tax accounts and filings; ensure compliance across jurisdictions

Close & Controls

• Support the monthly close for your areas: payroll JEs, accruals, prepaid benefits, reconciliations, and flux for payroll
• Document and maintain payroll processes and controls
• Support external audit requests and provide ad hoc analysis to the Director of Global Accounting and leadership

Ad Hoc Accounting Support

• Support with month-end/year-end close activities
• Expect requests outside payroll that support broader accounting goals and initiatives
• Own payroll reports and analytics for leadership
• Support semi-annual and annual compensation reviews and adjustments
• Help troubleshoot HR/Finance process gaps and implement solutions

Required qualifications

• 5+ years progressive payroll and accounting experience
• Solid understanding of payroll tax compliance (federal, state, FICA, etc.)
• Familiarity with multi-state payroll processing
• Advanced Excel & google sheet skills with large datasets (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, formulas)
• Self-starter who operates well with minimal supervision in an ambiguous, fast-scaling environment
• Strong written and verbal communication; comfortable coordinating across time zones and organizational levels
• Degree in Accounting or equivalent
• Meticulous, detail-oriented with excellent accuracy

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with Deel or equivalent international employee of record management
• Exposure to multi-country payroll (EOR, local employees, contractors)
• Familiarity with accounting software (NetSuite, QuickBooks)
• Experience in high-growth or startup environments , ideally with experience at a venture-backed SaaS startup
• Some exposure to financial accounting

What We Offer

• Compensation: $110,000 – $135,000 base plus annual bonus, based on experience, plus equity
• Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Retirement: Access to a retirement savings plan
• Time Off: Flexible paid time off, including 12 paid holidays
• Perks: Catered lunches on in-office days

Spectro Cloud is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.