Global Payroll Specialist

Company Description

Etsy is the global marketplace for unique and creative goods. We build, power, and evolve the tools and technologies that connect millions of entrepreneurs with millions of buyers around the world. As an Etsy employee, you will tackle unique, meaningful, and large-scale problems alongside passionate coworkers, all the while making a rewarding impact and Keeping Commerce Human.

Etsy is the global marketplace for unique and creative goods. We build, power, and evolve the tools and technologies that connect millions of entrepreneurs with millions of buyers around the world. As an Etsy employee, you will tackle unique, meaningful, and large-scale problems alongside passionate coworkers, all the while making a rewarding impact and Keeping Commerce Human.

Etsy is seeking a Global Payroll Specialist, who will own and execute end-to-end payroll operations for assigned international countries, ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll processing across multiple regions. You'll serve as a subject matter expert for international payroll, partnering closely with People Operations, Finance, Accounting, Tax, Equity, external payroll providers, and cross-functional stakeholders to deliver an exceptional employee experience while driving operational excellence.

This role requires a proactive, service-oriented professional who can independently manage complex payroll issues, identify process improvements, and lead initiatives that enhance payroll accuracy, scalability, and compliance. This is a full-time position reporting to the Payroll Manager.

This team plays an important role in supporting Etsy’s broader finance operations. We work cross-functionally with a variety of teams across the business and contribute to projects that help drive efficiency, accuracy, and scale. Team members are collaborative, detail-oriented, and committed to continuous improvement.

• Independently manage end-to-end payroll processing for assigned international countries (Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Mexico, India and UK) ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant payroll execution.
• Serve as the primary payroll partner for international employees, resolving complex payroll inquiries with a high level of customer service and urgency.
• Partner with external payroll providers to validate payroll inputs, review outputs, reconcile variances, manage funding timelines, and ensure all reporting deadlines are met.
• Review and reconcile payroll data between Workday and third-party payroll systems, proactively identifying discrepancies and driving timely resolution.
• Collaborate with Finance and Accounting on payroll funding, journal entries, accruals, month-end close activities, and payroll account reconciliations.
• Partner closely with People Operations, Total Rewards, Equity, Tax, and Legal teams to ensure payroll changes are processed accurately and remain compliant with local regulations.
• Monitor compliance with country-specific payroll legislation, tax requirements, social insurance contributions, and data privacy regulations, escalating risks and recommending solutions as needed.
• Lead payroll audits, data validations, and quality assurance reviews to improve payroll accuracy and reduce operational risk.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives by identifying automation opportunities, improving documentation, standardizing processes, and implementing scalable solutions.
• Participate in Workday enhancements, payroll system implementations, integrations, and testing activities while serving as a payroll subject matter expert.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with payroll vendors, evaluating service performance and ensuring…