Payroll Specialist

William Blair - Chicago, IL

Full-time

Chicago, IL

Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities

About the position

The Payroll Specialist at William Blair is responsible for processing multi-jurisdiction payrolls for US employees using Workday Payroll. This role requires collaboration with internal teams to ensure payroll is processed accurately and on time, adhering to a predetermined delivery schedule. The position demands a high level of engagement, discretion, and confidentiality in a fast-paced environment, along with basic accounting skills for reconciling payroll-related general ledger accounts.

Responsibilities

• Engage with team members to complete payroll and actively review, process, and reconcile payroll data.
• Perform necessary steps for funding, general ledger activities, and proper record keeping to ensure payroll accuracy.
• Communicate effectively with internal and external clients regarding payroll processing.
• Assist with processing wage garnishments, levies, and child support deductions for employees.
• Work with HR and Payroll Manager to handle employee benefits in payroll.
• Partner with Commissions compensation team to review and process sales commission payments.
• Assist with US payroll audit requests and ad-hoc reporting.
• Respond timely to employees' inquiries regarding payroll.

Requirements

• Three years of payroll experience, preferably with exempt/non-exempt and multi-jurisdiction landscape.
• Experience with Workday payroll is highly desired.
• Basic accounting skills and intermediate Excel skills are required.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively and problem-solve in a team environment.
• Ability to respond to payroll inquiries with empathy and professionalism.
• Ability to explain payroll statements and W2 details to clients professionally.
• Very high attention to detail.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines and prioritize competing workloads.
• Ability to create documentation and prepare notes as required.