Specialist, Payroll

Delta Air Lines, Inc.; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Delta Air Lines, Inc. is seeking a Payroll Specialist to manage accurate and timely payroll processing for diverse employee populations including pilots, flight attendants, retirees, expatriates, and mobility payments.

The role emphasizes data integrity, regulatory compliance, and sensitive information handling. The position requires collaboration with HR, Tax, Finance, and Benefits teams to resolve payroll questions, drive continuous improvements, and ensure policy adherence while maintaining

Qualifications

• 3+ years’ experience in payroll processing, payroll operations, or a related function.
• Knowledge of payroll processes, controls, and issue resolution practices.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information appropriately.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Is at least 18 years of age and has authorization to work in the United States.
• Embraces diverse people, thinking, and styles.
• Consistently prioritizes safety and security of self, others, and personal data.
• Must be results oriented and capable of meeting or exceeding aggressive deadlines with attention to detail and highest quality results.
• A proven ability to work in a diverse team responsible for the management of daily HR operations including payroll functions for Flight Operations

Responsibilities

• Process payroll accurately and on time for regular employees, retirees, flight attendants, pilots, expatriates, disability-related payroll cases, and global mobility-related payments.
• Review payroll inputs and outputs to identify discrepancies, validate data, and resolve issues before payroll completion.
• Maintain and update payroll records, including banking data updates and other employee payroll changes.
• Process Pilot, disability-related payroll transactions in alignment with established procedures, timelines, and requirements. Process garnishments in accordance with applicable requirements, deadlines, and established procedures.
• Support tax-related payroll activities, including review, validation, issue resolution, and compliance-related processing.
• Research and resolve payroll issues related to pay, deductions, taxes, garnishments, direct deposit, disability cases, and employee data.
• Partner with HR, Benefits, Tax, Finance, and other internal stakeholders to gather information and resolve payroll questions or issues.
• Ensure payroll activities are completed in alignment with company policy, internal controls, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Support payroll reconciliations, audits, reporting, and year-end activities to maintain accuracy and audit readiness.
• Monitor recurring issues and process gaps and contribute to continuous improvement efforts that strengthen payroll quality and efficiency.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with employees, managers, and business partners regarding payroll questions and issue resolution.
• Maintain payroll guidelines by writing and updating policies and procedures. Stay knowledgeable of current and upcoming changes in legislation/guidelines and advise leaders accordingly.

Skills

Payroll processing

Attention to detail

Data confidentiality

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Multitasking

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

SAP payroll

Job description

How you'll help us Keep Climbing (overview & key responsibilities)

ThePayroll Specialist is responsible for processing accurate, timely, andcompliant payroll activities across multiple employee populations andspecialized payroll workstreams. This role supports payroll processing forregular employees, retirees, pilots, flight attendants, expatriates, employeeswith disability-related payroll needs, and global mobility payments, while alsomanaging garnishment processing, tax-related activities, and banking dataupdates. Success in this role requires strong attention to detail, soundjudgment, payroll knowledge, and the ability to handle sensitive informationwith accuracy and care.

Responsibilities:

• Process payrollaccurately and on time for regular employees, retirees, flight attendants,pilots, expatriates, disability-related payroll cases, and globalmobility-related payments. Review payroll inputs and outputs to identifydiscrepancies, validate data, and resolve issues before payrollcompletion. Maintain and update payroll records, including banking dataupdates and other employee payroll changes.

• Process Pilot,disability-related payroll transactions in alignment with establishedprocedures, timelines, and requirements. Process garnishments inaccordance with applicable requirements, deadlines, and establishedprocedures.

• Supporttax-related payroll activities, including review, validation, issueresolution, and compliance-related processing. Research and resolvepayroll issues related to pay, deductions, taxes, garnishments, directdeposit, disability cases, and employee data.

• Partner with HR,Benefits, Tax, Finance, and other internal stakeholders to gatherinformation and resolve payroll questions or issues. Ensure payrollactivities are completed in alignment with company policy, internalcontrols, and applicable regulatory requirements

• Support payrollreconciliations, audits, reporting, and year-end activities to maintainaccuracy and audit readiness. Monitor recurring issues and process gapsand contribute to continuous improvement efforts that strengthen payrollquality and efficiency.

• Communicateclearly and professionally with employees, managers, and business partnersregarding payroll questions and issue resolutio

• Maintain payrollguidelines by writing and updating policies and procedures. Isknowledgeable of all current and new/upcoming changes inlegislation/guidelines - proactively advises leaders of changes andprovides recommended action.

What you need to succeed (minimum qualifications)

• 3+ years’experience in payroll processing, payroll operations, or a relatedfunction

• Knowledge ofpayroll processes, controls, and issue resolution practices

• Strong attentionto detail and commitment to accuracy

• Stronganalytical, organizational, and problem-solving skill

• Ability tomanage sensitive and confidential information appropriately

• Strong writtenand verbal communication skills

• Ability tomanage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment

• Is at least 18years of age and has authorization to work in the United States.

• Embraces diversepeople, thinking, and styles.

• Consistentlyprioritizes safety and security of self, others, and personal data.

• Must be resultsoriented and capable of meeting or exceeding aggressive deadlines withattention to detail and highest quality results.

• A proven abilityto work in a diverse team responsible for the management of daily HRoperations including payroll functions for Flight Operations

What will give you a competitive edge (preferred qualifications)

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent

• SAP payroll experience or work with another ERP payroll software

Benefits and Perks to Help You Keep Climbing

Delta Air Lines, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity / Aff. If you are a qualified individual, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings through this site, apply for jobs through Delta’s online system, or at any point in the selection process.