Senior Payroll Accountant

Handshake Handshake · Enterprise · San Francisco, CA · General & Administrative

This role is for a Senior Payroll Accountant at Handshake, a company that operates in the AI economy. The accountant will be responsible for managing payroll accounting, journal entries, balance sheet reconciliations, and financial reporting for global operations. The role requires experience in core accounting fundamentals, payroll-related accounting, and ERP systems like NetSuite. Bonus points for public accounting background, Workday experience, international payroll, and SOX controls.

What you'd actually do

  1. Prepare and review payroll journal entries, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules for month-, quarter-, and year-end close
  2. Own balance sheet reconciliations for wages payable, payroll tax liabilities, benefits accruals, FSA/HSA, and payroll clearing accounts
  3. Partner with Payroll and People Ops to ensure payroll transactions are accurately reflected in NetSuite, and proactively flag discrepancies before close
  4. Manage accounting for Employer of Record (EOR) arrangements and contractors, navigating the nuances of how those transactions are classified and reported
  5. Support equity-related payroll accounting, including stock-based compensation, RSU vest activity, and option exercise tax implications in partnership with the Equity team

Skills

Required

  • 4+ years of accounting experience with a strong foundation in core accounting fundamentals: accruals, journal entries, balance sheet reconciliations, and month-end close
  • Meaningful exposure to payroll-related accounting — whether as a dedicated focus or as part of a broader accounting scope — ideally at a startup or high-growth company
  • Solid command of U.S. payroll taxes, employee benefits, and compensation-related accounting concepts, including audit support and internal controls
  • Experience with NetSuite or a comparable ERP system
  • Advanced Excel skills and comfort working with large, messy datasets
  • Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field

Nice to have

  • Public accounting background (Big 4 or regional firm)
  • Hands-on Workday experience
  • Experience supporting international payroll accounting, including EOR arrangements across multiple countries
  • Familiarity with stock compensation accounting and equity-related payroll impacts, including Carta
  • Experience with a close management tool such as FloQast
  • Knowledge of SOX controls and public-company readiness processes