Senior Specialist, Payroll & Benefits

Socket.dev; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Klarna is seeking a Payroll & Benefits Specialist based in New York to own payroll and benefits administration for defined markets, ensuring each cycle closes correctly and enrollments are handled without delays.

You will partner with People, Finance, and external vendors to stay compliant with local tax and labor rules, spot process bottlenecks, and implement practical fixes.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in payroll or benefits administration.
• Proficient in US payroll tax withholding and wage/hour rules.
• Hands-on with payroll systems (Workday/ADP) and able to run reports independently.
• Strong attention to detail to catch discrepancies before payroll runs.
• Clear communicator with employees about pay and benefits.
• Experience coordinating with external vendors.

Responsibilities

• Process and validate payroll runs for assigned markets.
• Administer benefits enrollment, changes, and terminations; resolve employee questions.
• Reconcile payroll and benefits data against HR systems and finance ledgers.
• Work with external payroll and benefits vendors to resolve issues and maintain SLAs.
• Maintain payroll and benefits records in line with tax, labor, and data protection rules.
• Identify recurring errors and propose concrete fixes rather than just reporting them.

Skills

Payroll administration

Benefits administration

US payroll tax

Payroll systems

Detail-oriented

Clear communication

Vendor coordination

Tools

Workday

ADP

Job description

Klarna, briefly

At Klarna, we're building an everyday finance network, helping over 120 million consumers across 26 countries save time and money, and worry less about their finances. Working here means taking on problems most companies never get to solve, and being hands-on enough that the interesting part of the work lands with you, not someone else — you'll build with AI, not watch it happen.

This is the stretch zone. Come find out what you're capable of.

About the role

Every employee at Klarna gets paid accurately and on time, in every country we operate in — and that doesn't happen by accident. You'll own payroll and benefits administration for a defined group of markets, making sure each payroll cycle closes correctly and every benefits enrollment, change, and query gets handled without employees having to chase it down.

You'll be based in New York and work closely with People, Finance, and external payroll vendors to keep processes compliant with local tax and labor requirements. Because you'll be the person closest to the day-to-day mechanics of payroll and benefits, you'll also be the one who spots where a process breaks down and fixes it — not just flags it.

What you'll do

• You'll process and validate payroll runs for your assigned markets, checking inputs like hours, bonuses, and deductions before each cycle closes.
• You'll administer employee benefits enrollment, changes, and terminations, and resolve employee questions about coverage directly.
• You'll reconcile payroll and benefits data against HR systems and finance ledgers, and correct discrepancies before they compound.
• You'll work with external payroll and benefits vendors to resolve processing issues and keep service levels on track.
• You'll maintain payroll and benefits records in line with local tax, labor, and data protection requirements.
• You'll identify recurring errors or bottlenecks in payroll processes and propose concrete fixes rather than just reporting them.

Who you are

• You've spent 3+ years working in payroll administration, benefits administration, or a combined payroll and benefits function.
• You understand US payroll tax withholding, wage and hour rules, and benefits compliance requirements well enough to catch errors before they reach an employee's paycheck.
• You've worked hands-on with payroll systems (such as Workday, ADP, or similar platforms) and can navigate them without relying on someone else to run reports for you.
• You check your own work systematically — you catch discrepancies in payroll data before they become employee complaints.
• You communicate clearly with employees about pay and benefits issues, even when the underlying policy is complicated.
• You've coordinated with external vendors or third-party administrators to resolve processing issues.

Bonus points for

• Experience with multi-state or multi-country payroll processing.
• A payroll certification such as CPP (Certified Payroll Professional).
• Experience implementing or migrating payroll or benefits systems.

Things you should know before applying

• Working together: we value co-located teams; most teams currently meet in the office 2–3 days per week, and this varies by team and can change over time.
• Non-obvious backgrounds are welcome. Diversity of skills, perspectives and backgrounds is how we create, innovate, and disrupt like no other.
• Final compensation will be based on the candidate's qualifications, skills, and experience.

Klarna is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects our global customer base and to fostering a culture where everyone belongs. We provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and identities. We consider qualified applicants with criminal history for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact [e-mail].

In accordance with applicable law, the salary range for this position is provided in the job posting. The salary offered will be determined by the candidate's location, qualifications, experience, and education. The salary range posted in the job advertisement refers to the base pay. Base pay is part of a total compensation package, which may also include equity rewards, monthly stipends for health and wellness, and benefits such as life insurance, medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents.