Senior Payroll Specialist (Puerto Rico Payroll Accountant)

Make an impact across North America Payroll Operations

Join a global payroll team based in Guadalajara, Mexico, supporting accurate, compliant, and employee-focused payroll operations across North America. In this role, you will take ownership of key Puerto Rico payroll accounting and reconciliation activities for more than 150 employees while also supporting payroll operations serving eight legal entities and more than 18,000 employees.

You will partner with HR, Finance, Benefits, external payroll providers, and global colleagues to resolve complex issues, strengthen controls, improve processes, and support audits and payroll projects.

Key responsibilities

• Own the timely and accurate processing of US payroll cycles, including regular and off-cycle payrolls, earnings, deductions, garnishments, bonuses, and other special payments.
• Support the end-to-end processing, audit, and compliance activities for Puerto Rico payroll.
• Validate and reconcile payroll data from HRIS, time and attendance, and other source systems; investigate and resolve discrepancies before final approval.
• Reconcile payroll G/L accounts and posting files for each payroll cycle.
• Review and reconcile payroll tax filings and reports, and support the resolution of tax notices and inquiries with internal teams and external providers.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and documentation in accordance with SOX, Financial Control Framework, internal audit, and data privacy requirements.
• Respond to employee payroll questions and cases in a timely, service-oriented manner, providing clear explanations of pay calculations, taxes, and adjustments.
• Support year-end activities, including W-2PR and W-2 reviews, bonus cycles, and annual reconciliations.
• Collaborate with HR, Benefits, and Finance on changes that affect payroll, including policy updates, benefit programs, and job architecture changes.
• Participate in testing and validation of payroll system changes, enhancements, and integrations.
• Identify, design, and implement process improvements using available automation tools, such as macros, workflow tools, Power BI, Power Automate, and Claude.
• Support internal and external audits by preparing schedules, documentation, and responses.
• Provide additional support to the North America Payroll Operations team as needed.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Significant hands-on experience processing US payroll in a high-volume, multi-entity, multi-state organization.
• Strong experience in payroll accounting and G/L account reconciliation.
• Experience working with enterprise HRIS, payroll, and timekeeping systems.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including complex formulas, pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, data validation, and troubleshooting large datasets.
• Strong analytical, reconciliation, and problem-solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail and data accuracy.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
• High proficiency in English, written and spoken, with the ability to explain complex payroll concepts clearly and simply.
• Strong customer service orientation and the ability to manage sensitive employee matters tactfully.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• A continuous improvement mindset and the ability to challenge existing processes and propose automated solutions.
• Ability to collaborate effectively in a cross-functional, global, and virtual team environment.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with Workday HCM, Workday Time and Absence, and Workday Payroll.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC).
• Experience in a shared services or Global Business Services (GBS) environment.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to join a collaborative, global payroll organization where your work will directly support employees and business operations across North America. You will gain broad exposure to US and Puerto Rico payroll, payroll accounting, compliance, audit, HR systems, and process automation, while partnering with teams across functions and geographies.

The role offers the opportunity to contribute to meaningful process improvements, strengthen payroll controls, and grow your expertise in a complex, high-volume international environment.

Apply now

If you bring strong US payroll experience, payroll accounting expertise, advanced Excel skills, and a passion for accuracy and continuous improvement, we invite you to apply for the Senior Payroll Specialist – Puerto Rico Payroll Accountant position in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Date Posted

Closing Date

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity.  We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills.  We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.  We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics.  We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.