Lead Payroll Specialist

We are looking for a Lead Payroll Specialist to join Insira’s People team in the US, Remote. This is an exciting opportunity to help build an accurate, compliant and scalable payroll capability for a growing global workforce. The role combines end-to-end multi-country payroll processing, multi-jurisdictional compliance, vendor partnership, systems expertise, reconciliations and employee support, including direct payroll processing across multiple countries such as the United States and Canada.

You will partner closely with regional People teams, Finance, Tax, Legal, HRIS, Benefits, People Operations, HR Business Partners and third-party payroll providers. A core priority will be delivering consistently accurate and timely payroll across countries while strengthening controls, data integrity, documentation and issue resolution. We would love to speak with you if you have substantial multi-country payroll experience and can move confidently between detailed payroll processing and broader operational improvement in a fast-evolving environment.

About You – experience, education, skills, and accomplishments

· 7+ years of progressive payroll experience, including substantial ownership of multi-country payroll processing in a complex organisation, with direct experience supporting the United States and Canada.

· Demonstrated experience independently managing end-to-end payroll processing across multiple countries, including reconciliations, tax compliance, year-end activities and issue resolution.

· Working knowledge of U.S. federal, state and local payroll requirements and Canadian federal and provincial payroll requirements, including withholding, remittances, garnishments and statutory reporting.

· Experience directly processing payroll across multiple countries and coordinating with third-party providers and regional stakeholders.

· 2+ years of hands-on experience with UKG, Deel or comparable payroll and HR platforms.

· Strong analytical and financial acumen, with the ability to reconcile complex data, identify root causes and turn findings into corrective action.

· Advanced Excel skills and experience working with large, detailed data sets and payroll reports.

· Strong project-management capability, exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage fixed deadlines across interdependent workstreams.

· Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.

It would be great if you also have . . .

· Proven vendor-management experience, including service performance oversight, escalations, implementations or provider transitions.

· Experience supporting payroll system implementations, upgrades, integrations, data conversions or parallel testing.

· Experience in a global technology, life sciences, information services or other knowledge-based organisation.

· Experience supporting M&A, carve-out, divestiture, entity stand-up or payroll transition environments.

· Experience with payroll accounting, general-ledger reconciliation and cross-functional partnership with Finance and Tax.

What will you be doing in this role?

· Lead end-to-end payroll processing across multiple countries, including the United States and Canada, covering regular, supplemental and off-cycle payrolls in accordance with country requirements, established calendars and controls.

· Validate employee pay, deductions, taxes, garnishments, benefits, bonuses, commissions and other payroll inputs before finalisation, and complete pre-payroll and post-payroll reconciliations, investigating variances and ensuring timely correction of errors.

· Maintain accurate employee payroll records and process new hires, terminations, transfers, leaves, compensation changes and other employee lifecycle events.

· Execute and coordinate payroll activities across countries, working directly in payroll systems and with local payroll providers to ensure inputs, approvals and funding requirements are completed on schedule.

· Interpret and apply federal, state, local and applicable international payroll regulations, tax requirements and company pay policies, and administer statutory obligations including tax withholding, Social Security, wage attachments, year-end reporting and required filings.

· Execute and document payroll controls, approvals, reconciliations and audit evidence, and support internal and external audits in partnership with Tax, Legal and Finance.

· Use UKG, Deel and other payroll or HR systems to manage payroll data, workflows and reporting, and partner with HRIS, Benefits and Finance to validate interfaces, employee data, benefit deductions, general ledger outputs and vendor files.

· Participate in payroll system implementations, upgrades, integrations and user acceptance testing, including data conversion and parallel payroll validation, and monitor data quality to identify root causes of recurring errors or control gaps.

· Serve as a primary operational contact for third-party payroll providers and tax vendors; monitor deliverables and service levels, escalate material risks and support provider implementations and contract transitions.

· Track payroll metrics, error trends and operational risks, translating findings into clear recommendations for People and Finance leadership.

· Serve as an escalation point for complex employee payroll questions, partnering with People Operations and HR Business Partners to resolve pay discrepancies, and develop payroll guidance, FAQs and employee resources.

· Build scalable payroll operations, including standard operating procedures, payroll calendars, checklists, control frameworks and dashboards; support new-country set-up, entity transitions, acquisitions, divestitures and other workforce changes; and contribute to broader People Operations and Total Rewards priorities.

About the Team

The People team is building a payroll capability that employees can trust and that leaders can rely on for accurate execution, disciplined controls and timely insight. The Lead Payroll Specialist works at the centre of regional People teams, People Operations, HR Business Partners, HRIS, Benefits, Finance, Tax and Legal, while partnering closely with third-party payroll providers and tax vendors.

Together, the team is focused on delivering accurate and on-time payrolls, strong reconciliation and audit outcomes, responsive employee issue resolution, reliable vendor and system interfaces, and scalable processes that reduce risk while improving efficiency and employee experience. This role will help build payroll infrastructure designed not only for where Insira is today, but for the organisation it is becoming.

Hours of Work

This is a full-time, remote position based in the United States, primarily working core business hours in your time zone, with flexibility to adjust to various global time zones as needed.

Equal Opportunity

Insira is committed to creating an inclusive workplace and providing equal employment opportunity. Employment decisions are based on business needs, role requirements and individual qualifications, consistent with applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are available for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities