Senior Payroll Specialist

About the Team:

The AlphaSense Finance team is responsible for efficiently driving the creation of enterprise value by supporting capital allocation decisions across the business. We exist to help the company make intelligent, data-driven decisions through financial analysis; scenario modeling; tracking, interpreting and disseminating key performance indicators; and by serving as a critical thought partner to senior leadership.

About the Role: 

We are seeking a knowledgeable and detail-oriented Senior Payroll Specialist with deep expertise in U.K. payroll processing and strong experience working within Workday Payroll. This role is primarily responsible for the accurate and timely execution of end-to-end U.K. payroll operations, ensuring full compliance with statutory requirements, internal controls, and company policies.

In addition to U.K. payroll ownership, this role will process and support payroll operations across additional international entities outside of the U.S., partnering with internal stakeholders and external providers to ensure accurate execution, statutory compliance, and audit readiness.

The ideal candidate demonstrates strong technical knowledge of payroll legislation, hands-on problem-solving capability, and the ability to manage multiple jurisdictions in both structured and fast-growing environments. Experience with Workday Payroll and OneSource Virtual (OSV) or a comparable third-party tax provider is strongly preferred.

What You’ll Do: 

• Own and execute end-to-end payroll processing with in-country payroll vendors and internal stakeholders, with primary responsibility for U.K. payroll and additional support for international entities outside the U.S., ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and statutory compliance.
• Manage U.K. Real Time Information (RTI) submissions to HMRC, including Full Payment Submissions (FPS), Employer Payment Summaries (EPS), and error corrections via EYU/Year-to-Date adjustments.
• Oversee monthly and annual payroll requirements, including P45s, Starter Checklists (P46), P60s, P11D/P11D(b), W-2s, T4s, PSA filings, Class 1A NIC settlements, and other jurisdiction-specific statutory reporting.
• Reconcile payroll tax liabilities to agency remittances, including PAYE/NIC and international equivalents, ensuring timely and accurate payments across jurisdictions.
• Monitor and implement changes to payroll tax legislation, National Insurance thresholds, statutory payment rules (SMP, SPP, SSP, SAP), and other global compliance requirements.
• Partner with in-country payroll vendors and internal stakeholders to validate payroll inputs, review gross-to-net calculations, and ensure timely delivery of payments and statutory filings.
• Review, reconcile, and analyze payroll tax liabilities, funding requirements, and payroll-related general ledger postings across multiple jurisdictions.
• Serve as backup for U.S. payroll processing in Workday, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Collaborate with OneSource Virtual (OSV) or comparable providers on payroll tax filings, amendments, and resolution of agency notices.
• Support quarter-end and year-end payroll close processes and related reporting obligations.
• Conduct payroll system testing and support Workday configuration updates in response to regulatory or operational changes.
• Maintain comprehensive payroll process documentation, statutory guidance references, and audit-ready support files.
• Support internal and external audits by providing documentation and responding to payroll-related inquiries.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll accuracy, strengthen controls, and enhance process efficiency.

Who You Are:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or CPP certification required.
• 5+  years of international payroll experience, preferably in a start or high-growth environment
• Proven expertise managing multi-country payrolls across North America, EMEA, and APAC.
• Minimum 2 years of hands-on Workday Payroll experience.
• Strong knowledge of U.K. and international payroll tax compliance and reporting.
• Experience with OneSource Virtual (OSV) or comparable tax vendors is highly preferred.
• Strong understanding of payroll accounting, tax reconciliations, and funding processes.
• Advanced Excel and data analysis skills, with the ability to manage large, complex data sets.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive independently in fast-paced, high-growth environments with competing priorities and tight deadlines.