Accountant, Payroll

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Full-time Regular Associate Chicago, IL, US

Who we are:

At Preferred Travel Group, we champion the power of travel to inspire meaningful connections and enrich lives around the world. As a global family of brands and programs representing the finest independent hotels and resorts, we are united by a shared belief in authenticity, collaboration, and the value of independent spirit. Our culture reflects our ideology in action: people first, relationships at the center, and a commitment to creating lasting impact for our partners, our global community, and one another.

When you join Preferred, you become part of a purpose-driven organization where ideas are welcomed, growth is encouraged, and your work contributes to shaping the future of travel.

Why this role matters:

The Accountant, Payroll plays a critical role in ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll operations across domestic and international populations. This role supports payroll processing, account reconciliations, payroll-related journal entries, tax and audit activities, and employee-facing issue resolution with a high degree of accuracy, confidentiality, and service orientation.

What you’ll do:

• Process domestic and international payroll accurately and on schedule using ADP Comprehensive Services, ADP Celergo, and foreign payroll providers.
• Prepare, review, and audit payroll reporting, including weekly, monthly, quarterly, and year-end reports.
• Prepare payroll-related journal entries and reconcile payroll, benefit, insurance, vacation, sick leave, and related liability accounts.
• Maintain accurate payroll records, reconcile payroll registers to the general ledger, and ensure documentation is complete and compliant.
• Administer payroll-related deductions, tax codes, garnishments, retirement plan deductions, FSA funding, Form 5500 reporting, and audit support.
• Monitor timecard compliance, enforce payroll deadlines, communicate follow-up requirements to employees and supervisors, and calculate accurate vacation and time-off accruals.
• Respond to payroll inquiries and coordinate with ADP, foreign payroll providers, and internal partners to resolve issues promptly.
• Support compliance with payroll laws, company policies, and best practices while identifying opportunities to improve processes, controls, and reporting.

What you’ll bring:

• Bachelor’s degree and 3–5 years of payroll and general accounting experience, with international payroll experience preferred.
• Apply payroll accounting knowledge, including journal entries, account reconciliations, payroll reporting, and ADP payroll systems.
• Demonstrate strong attention to detail, accuracy, organization, analytical judgement, and ability to meet deadlines while managing multiple priorities.
• Maintain integrity, professionalism, discretion, accountability, and confidentiality with minimal supervision.
• Communicate effectively and provide responsive customer service in a dynamic, team-oriented environment.
• Use intermediate Excel skills to support payroll reporting, reconciliations, data review, and analysis.

What would make you stand out:

• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or a comparable enterprise accounting platform.
• Experience with ADP Workforce Now and ADP Celergo.
• Experience supporting external audits, payroll compliance reviews, or year-end reporting processes.
• Hands-on international payroll experience, including coordination with foreign payroll providers.

Where you’ll thrive:

• Demonstrate accuracy, confidentiality, sound judgment, and attention to detail in a deadline-driven environment.
• Work effectively with payroll data, reconciliations, reporting, and process controls in a structured environment.
• Communicate clearly with employees, supervisors, internal partners, and payroll providers to resolve questions and issues promptly.
• Take ownership of recurring processes while remaining flexible and responsive to changing business needs.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, strengthen controls, and support a positive employee experience.

With our in-office philosophy, our associates are expected to be in the office at least three days per week, supporting a healthy balance between in-person collaboration and flexible remote work. We take pride in our vibrant and inclusive culture, which thrives on meaningful connection, shared purpose, and cross-functional teamwork. In-office engagement plays a vital role in fostering spontaneous collaboration, accelerating innovation, and strengthening relationships across teams.

It also provides valuable opportunities for mentorship, professional development, and a deeper sense of community.

Please note:

While the current expectation is a minimum of three days per week in the office, this may evolve over time in alignment with business needs and our continued commitment to…