Senior Specialist, Payroll Americas & LATAM

SES Satellites; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 87,850 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

SES Satellites in the United States delivers payroll services across the Americas, including the United States and LATAM regions. The Senior Specialist focuses on accurate payroll calculation, year-end processing, and cross-border compliance across ADP Vantage and SAP SF environments.

Responsibilities include data validation, interface maintenance with HRIS/payroll systems, and collaboration with external providers to ensure timely, compliant payroll while supporting ACA, EEO/VETS/AAP reporting

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or equivalent.
• Five+ years of payroll experience, with strong U.S. payroll knowledge.
• Experience with ADP Vantage, SAP SF and HRIS/payroll interfaces preferred.
• CPP certification preferred; bilingual not required.

Responsibilities

• Ensure accurate calculation and disbursement of payroll and taxes across the Americas.
• Lead year-end processing and W‑2 finalization with retraite/expatriate data as needed.
• Coordinate benefits contributions and 401(k) handling with vendors.
• Validate ADP Vantage and SAP SF data; maintain interfaces and data integrity.
• Process special payments: commissions, bonuses, and recognition payments.
• Ensure regulatory compliance (ACA, EEO/VETS/AAP) and IRS reporting.
• Support payroll projects and related cross-functional initiatives.

Skills

Excel & Word

Cross-functional collaboration

Process improvement

Communication

Data confidentiality

Data integrity

Problem solving

Time management

Accountability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance/HR

Tools

ADP Vantage

SAP SuccessFactors

HRIS/payroll interfaces

Job description

Senior Specialist, Payroll Americas & LATAM

Role Description Summary
The Senior Specialist, Payroll Americas & LATAM delivers payroll services for the Americas, covering the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Canada and Colombia. The role ensures the accurate calculation, processing, disbursement, reconciliation and compliance of payroll, payroll taxes, benefits deductions and statutory reporting across the region. The incumbent is also responsible for updating, validating and maintaining the SAP SuccessFactors (SAP SF) and ADP Vantage payroll data for the Americas, including employee lifecycle transactions and interfaces with internal teams and external providers.

Requisition Number: 20218
Contract Type: Permanent
Location(s):
McLean, VA, US Chicago, IL, US

Primary Responsibilities / Key Result Areas

• Ensure the correct calculation and disbursement of all payroll checks, direct deposits and payroll taxes for employees in the Americas across the current payrolls in scope.
• Deliver year-end payroll processing, including Retiree Life insurance inputs, expatriate compensation files to tax providers, employee inputs received from external vendors, applicable reconciliations, and finalization of employee W-2s.
• Coordinate benefits contribution and defined contribution updates through third-party vendors, including annual updates and ad hoc adjustments to reflect correct employee contributions.
• Maintain pay codes to ensure correct taxability and inclusion or exclusion from 401(k) compensation, and monitor compliance with 401(k) IRS limits.
• Update and validate additions and changes in ADP Vantage payroll, SAP SF and related interfaces, ensuring strong data integrity across systems.
• Process all special payments, including commission payments, bonus payments and recognition payments.
• Monitor federal, state and local compensation and tax laws and regulations to ensure governmental reporting and payroll compliance.
• Calculate expatriate pay advice and support expatriate / shadow payroll arrangements where required.
• Ensure data integrity across ADP Vantage payroll and SAP SF systems, and act as liaison with internal departments and external vendors to resolve payroll, tax and SAP SF-related issues.
• Oversee and maintain the interface with the SAP SF time reporting module, external vendors and ADP self-service functionality.
• Recommend SAP SF data changes and deliver U.S. projects associated with such updates, including testing and reporting of SAP SF system updates.
• Work with the HRIS team members and relevant system owners to resolve SAP SF issues and maintain the quality of personnel data in SAP SF.
• Input and validate new hire, job change, promotion, termination and leave status data within SAP SF.
• Ensure recordkeeping compliance for required employment documentation.
• Provide data to third-party vendors in connection with annual EEO, VETS and AAP reporting, and coordinate related vendor relationships.
• Complete U.S. Department of Labor surveys in connection with location, headcount and salary data.
• Prepare and submit annual IRS ACA information reporting.
• Perform accurate bi-weekly and monthly payroll processing, reconciliation, payroll accounting and SOX controls.
• Support payroll, HRIS, Rewards & Benefits (R&B) and Finance projects, and perform other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• Proficiency in Excel and Word required; PowerPoint experience preferred.
• Strong collaboration skills and constructive team-player mindset, with the ability to work across HR, R&B, Finance, Tax, external vendors and employees.
• Proven track record in process improvement and customer service, with demonstrated initiative in implementing changes and improving processes.
• Effective oral and written communication skills, including the ability to interact professionally with employees and stakeholders at all levels.
• High level of confidentiality and discretion in daily operations and when handling sensitive payroll, tax and employee data.
• Strong data integrity, complex problem‑resolution and analytical skills, with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to use logic and reasoning to demonstrate problem sensitivity, set priorities, meet deadlines and work independently.
• Proactive, reliable and accountable approach, with the ability to elevate issues appropriately and close payroll activities on time.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Five or more years of payroll experience, including significant U.S. payroll experience; multi-country Americas payroll experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. federal, state and local payroll tax requirements, wage and hour concepts, 401(k), W-2, ACA, EEO/VETS/AAP reporting and employment‑recordkeeping requirements.
• Experience with ADP Vantage payroll systems, SAP SF and HRIS/payroll interfaces; experience testing system changes and resolving data issues is preferred.
• Experience coordinating with external payroll providers, tax providers, benefit vendors and third‑party reporting vendors.
• Payroll accounting expertise is mandatory
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and strong working knowledge of Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
• CPP certification or equivalent payroll certification is preferred.
• Fluent English, both spoken and written

Other Key Requirements / Comments

• Key interfaces include external payroll providers, HR Business Partners, HR Operations, Compensation & Benefits, Accounting, Tax, Treasury, Legal, employees and managers.
• Key performance indicators include accurate and timely payroll closure, compliant tax and social security filings, effective reconciliation, audit compliance and quality of stakeholder support.
• Support annual salary review, payroll projects, ad hoc reporting and special projects as requested by management
• The role has no direct or indirect reports.

Salary range for this full-time position is $87,850 - $135,000. Salary ranges are determined by role, level, and geographic location. Individual compensation within the range is determined based on work location and a variety of factors, including job‑related skills, experience, qualifications, and relevant education or training. Additional compensation and benefits may apply depending on the location and terms of employment.

SES and its Affiliated Companies are committed to providing fair and equal employment opportunities to all. We are an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, protected veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law.

Nearest Major Market:

Washington DC