Senior Payroll Administrator

Goodwin Procter Boston; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Life and disability insurance

Retirement & Savings Plan

Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays

Professional development

Job summary

Goodwin Procter Boston is seeking a Senior Payroll Administrator to oversee end-to-end payroll processing for domestic and international staff. You will work with Time Tracking, Excel, and multiple payroll platforms to ensure accuracy and compliance across the firm.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years of payroll experience, including international payroll, and thrive in a professional services environment. Strong attention to detail, teamwork, and proactive problem-solving are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of payroll experience, including international payroll.
• Experience in a law firm or professional services environment is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to be proactive and manage multiple assignments with accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Process the Firm’s biweekly, monthly, partner and international payrolls accurately.
• Maintain knowledge of payroll systems and wage and hour laws.
• Prepare reports exported from Time Tracking System and ensure changes are documented.
• Reconcile quarterly and annual tax reports and respond to payroll inquiries.
• Collaborate with finance and management, providing data for audits and surveys.

Skills

Payroll management

Attention to detail

Collaborative

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Workday

Expert

Dayforce

Excel

ADP

Job description

Join Goodwin’s Global Operations Team, and make a real impact on a global scale. At Goodwin, we work with some of the world’s most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors in the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries, and where they converge. As part of the Global Operations Team – all business professionals at the firm – you’ll collaborate with colleagues from varied backgrounds and experiences, fostering an environment where cross‑functional learning, networking, and collaboration are at the core of what we do. Here, we’re not just supporting a law firm; we’re partnering with attorneys and clients to deliver cutting‑edge solutions in high‑stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world‑class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions. Our commitment to integrity, ingenuity, agility, and ambition drives us, and we’re proud to have been recognised as the “Best Business Team” by The American Lawyer. This is your opportunity to grow professionally in a dynamic, global environment, surrounded by forward‑thinking peers. As a Senior Payroll Administrator, you play a key role in ensuring the timely, accurate, and compliant end‑to‑end processing of the firm’s domestic and international payrolls.

In this hands‑on role, you collaborate closely with the management team to identify, design, and implement process improvements, enhance operational efficiency, and mitigate risk. You also provide quality control and oversight throughout the payroll cycle to ensure accuracy, consistency, and adherence to firm policies and regulatory requirements.

What You Will Do:

• Accurately process the Firm’s biweekly, monthly, partner and/or international payrolls.
• Maintain knowledge of payroll systems and accounting, and Federal/State wage & hour laws.
• Gather and Prepare reports exported from Time Tracking System.
• Ensure payroll changes are properly documented and approved.
• Load imports from multiple departments as related to payroll changes.
• Assist Management in collecting and reconciling quarterly and annual tax reports.
• Provide relevant payroll data as requested using Workday, Expert, Dayforce, Excel, ADP and other PC applications, for use in audits and surveys.
• Respond promptly and courteously to all payroll inquiries from employees.
• Stay current on all reporting functions of the payroll software.
• Enter monthly Moving Expenses, Tuition Forgiveness and other taxable Fringe Benefits received from the financial analyst.
• Assist the finance department with questions on the payroll account bank statement.
• Partner with peers to ensure managing tasks effectively, which includes cross training for coverage purposes.

Who You Are:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of payroll experience, including international payroll, with strong working knowledge of payroll and accounting systems.
• Experience in a law firm or professional services environment is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to be proactive, take initiative, and effectively manage and prioritize multiple concurrent assignments.
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively as a team player and partner effectively with staff and management at all levels.
• Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to respond to changing business needs and priorities.
• High level of integrity with the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to interact professionally with employees and leadership.
• Advanced computer skills, including strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel (advanced spreadsheets, querying, and report‑writing tools).
• Solid general ledger and accounting knowledge.

Benefits and More

At Goodwin, you will discover your next career opportunity with a rewarding compensation package and comprehensive benefits, including:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Life and disability insurance
• Retirement & Savings Plan
• Emergency back‑up child and adult care
• Paid vacation, sick time off, and holidays
• Professional development and career advancement opportunities
• Employee recognition and reward programs
• Employee wellness and assistance programs
• Employee discounts and perks

This position is eligible for overtime: Yes

The Target Salary Range For This Position Varies By Location And Is Commensurate With Relevant Experience: $80,000.00 - $90,000.00

Professional career paths at Goodwin offer you more – and less – than you might expect. You’ll find less hierarchy and more meritocracy. You’ll have more chances to work across departments and offices, and fewer roadblocks to getting the job done. We believe people are happiest when they’re not limited by a ‘that’s how we’ve always done it’ approach, so we encourage a more imaginative and collaborative working environment. Our Global Operations Team – what we call our GO Team – brings a level of professionalism, enthusiasm and commitment to work each and every day. Goodwin embraces responsible and ethical use of AI in the Hiring Process.