Payroll Accounting Manager

Company Overview: Everything we do is for educators. We’re partnering with them to advance a bold vision for education that boosts district performance and student success. At Follett Software, we empower educators across roles with technology that streamlines processes and manages information and resources to improve their schools, increase student success, and drive the future of education. We believe that by empowering educators to amplify their impact on students’ lives, we can change the world. Our goal and mission is to drive the future of education. We are inspired by educators to deliver transformative technology. Our innovative, connected solutions simplify challenges and offer a seamless and intuitive experience.Position OverviewThis position plays a crucial role in overseeing the accounting and financial reporting of all global employee-related expenses, including payroll, benefits, employee reimbursements, and accrued paid time off/leave. This role ensures accurate recording, reconciliation, and reporting of these high-impact expense areas while strengthening internal controls and improving operational efficiency.This position is ideal for a hands-on accounting leader who can both execute and elevate processes. The expectation is that this individual will proactively assess current workflows, identify inefficiencies, and implement scalable process and system improvements to support a growing, performance-driven organization.Responsibilities:Global Payroll & Employee Cost AccountingOversee accounting for global payroll, including wages, bonuses, commissions, payroll taxes, and related liabilities.Ensure accurate accounting for international payroll providers and multi-country payroll processes.Manage accounting for global employee benefits programs, including health, retirement, and statutory benefits.Oversee accounting for employee expense reimbursements and credit card activity across regions.Manage and review accrued PTO calculations and related liabilities by jurisdiction.Review and approve journal entries related to global employee-related costs.Own and reconcile all balance sheet accounts associated with payroll, benefits, reimbursements, and PTO accruals.Perform variance analysis and investigate fluctuations in global employee-related expenses.Month-End Close & ReportingLead month-end close activities for all employee-related cost areas.Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting in accordance with GAAP.Prepare supporting schedules and documentation for management reporting.Partner with FP&A to ensure alignment between accounting results and workforce reporting.Support audit requests and provide detailed documentation as needed.Process Improvement & Systems Enhancement (Key Focus Area)Evaluate existing payroll and employee cost accounting processes for efficiency and risk.Identify opportunities for automation, integration, and improved controls within ERP and payroll systems.Standardize and document procedures to enhance consistency and scalability.Partner with Payroll, HR, and IT to improve data flow between systems.Implement improvements that shorten close timelines and reduce manual work.Strengthen internal controls around employee-related expense accounting.Leadership & Cross-Functional CollaborationServe as the primary accounting liaison to Payroll and HR.Provide guidance on accounting implications of compensation changes, benefit updates, and policy changes.Support special projects, including system upgrades and integrations.Qualifications:Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or related field required5+ years of progressive accounting experience including ownership of payroll, benefits, employee reimbursements, and PTO/leave accrualsExperience with multi-entity and/or multi-country environments, global payroll, benefits employee reimbursements, leave accruals strongly preferred2+ years people management experience and a background in public accounting preferredStrong understanding of GAAP and accrual-based accounting, with demonstrated experience leading month-end close activities for significant expense areasHands-on experience with ERP, T&E, and payroll systems (NetSuite, Ramp, and Rippling preferred) and comfort working across multiple systems and data sourcesProven experience improving or implementing accounting processes and internal controls, including automation, integrations, and documentation of standard operating proceduresAdvanced Excel skillsStrong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a high level of attention to detail and accuracyEffective cross-functional collaborator with experience partnering closely with Payroll, HR, and FP&AUnderstanding of payroll processing would be considered an advantageAt Follett Software, our people come first. We’re deeply committed to supporting the well-being, growth, and success of every Team Member. That commitment shows up in a thoughtfully designed, comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive—at work and in life.