Synchrony—Senior Payroll Specialist (L07)

Job description

Description: Job Description: Role Title: Senior Payroll Specialist (L07) Company Overview: Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) is a leading consumer financing company that has been at the heart of American commerce and opportunity for nearly a century. Synchrony delivers credit and banking products that empower tens of millions of consumers to improve their financial lives and access what matters most. Leveraging innovative solutions that are shaping the future of retail commerce, Synchrony supports the growth and success of some of the nation’s most respected brands, alongside hundreds of thousands of small and midsize businesses, including health and wellness providers. Committed to excellence in service and culture, Synchrony is proud to be named as #3 as a Great Place to Work® in India and is honored to be ranked the #1 Best Company to Work For® in the U.S. by Fortune magazine and Great Place to Work®. For more information, visit www.synchrony.com. Organizational Overview: The Payroll process is designed to ensure that employees are paid accurately and on time while maintaining compliance with statutory, tax, and organizational requirements. The payroll team is responsible for coordinating with HR, Finance, Benefits, and external partners to process monthly payroll, complete necessary checks and reconciliations, and ensure that all required approvals and controls are in place before salary disbursement. The process also encompasses statutory filings, tax reporting, pay slip generation, employee query resolution, and maintenance of accurate payroll records. Through strong governance, data accuracy, confidentiality, and continuous process improvements, Payroll contributes significantly to delivering a seamless and trusted employee experience. Role Summary/Purpose: We are looking for a detail-oriented and employee-focused Senior Payroll Specialist to support end-to-end payroll operations, statutory compliance, benefits administration, reimbursements, and full & final settlement activities. The role requires strong knowledge of payroll processes, employee lifecycle transactions, statutory deductions, and payroll-related employee query management. The ideal candidate should be able to work with high accuracy, maintain confidentiality, manage timelines effectively, and collaborate with internal stakeholders including HR, Finance, Payroll vendors, Benefits teams, and employees. Key Responsibilities: Payroll Operations - Manage employee additions, deletions, and payroll changes in the payroll system in a timely and accurate manner. - Process monthly payroll inputs including salary changes, new hires, exits, reimbursements, deductions, recoveries, and other applicable components. - Verify statutory and payroll-related deductions including Professional Tax, Provident Fund, ESIC, Labour Welfare Fund, and other applicable deductions. - Validate payroll registers to ensure accurate and error-free salary processing. - Coordinate with the payroll team/vendor to share timely and accurate payroll inputs. - Review payroll outputs and identify discrepancies before final payroll closure. - Maintain accurate payroll records and documentation for audit and compliance purposes. Full & Final Settlement and Exit Support - Ensure all Full & Final settlements are processed and closed within defined timelines. - Collate and provide accurate exit-related inputs to the payroll team for F&F processing. - Validate F&F registers for accuracy, including notice pay recovery, leave encashment, statutory deductions, gratuity, reimbursements, and other applicable payments or recoveries. - Manage exit-related employee queries and ensure timely resolution. - Support the processing of gratuity payments for eligible exited employees. - Manage the exit mailbox, including responses to employment verification requests. - Issue relieving letters, service letters, and other exit-related documents as per company policy. Statutory Compliance and Employee Support - Support employees on Provident Fund related matters including queries, withdrawals, transfers, UAN-related issues, and documentation support. - Ensure payroll processes are aligned with applicable statutory and compliance requirements. - Support internal and external audits by providing required payroll, statutory, and employee records. - Maintain confidentiality of employee salary, statutory, and personal information at all times. Employee Query and Grievance Management - Handle employee grievances and queries related to salary, payroll deductions, reimbursements, statutory benefits, and full & final settlements. - Provide clear, accurate, and timely responses to employee concerns. - Track and follow up on pending payroll-related cases to ensure closure within service timelines. - Partner with relevant teams to resolve escalated payroll or benefits-related issues. Benefits and Reimbursement Administration - Process employee benefits reimbursements in line with company policy. - Respond to employee queries related to reimbursements, benefits eligibility, documentation, and claim status. - Support employee addition and deletion on Pluxee and other benefits platforms. - Assist employees with enrollment in applicable savings, insurance, and benefit schemes. - Communicate available employee benefits and guide employees on the enrollment process. - Inform employees about updates or changes to the company benefits structure. - Coordinate with vendors and internal stakeholders for benefits administration and issue resolution. Documentation and Letters - Issue ad hoc employee letters such as employment letters, salary certificates, experience letters, address proof letters, and other HR/payroll-related documents as per policy. - Ensure all employee letters and records are accurate and released within defined timelines. - Maintain proper documentation and trackers for payroll, F&F, benefits, reimbursements, and employee letters. Required Skills/Knowledge: - Bachelor’s degree with minimum 5 years of experience in payroll, statutory compliance, benefits administration, or process management. - Working knowledge of payroll processing and statutory deductions such as PF, PT, ESIC, LWF, and income tax-related payroll inputs. - Experience in handling payroll inputs, salary registers, F&F settlements, and employee payroll queries. - Understanding of employee lifecycle processes including new hires, exits, transfers, and employee data changes. - Ability to review data accurately and identify payroll discrepancies. - Good understanding of reimbursement and benefits administration processes. - Strong documentation, tracking, and follow-up skills. - Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive employee data responsibly. - Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. - Experience working with payroll systems, HRMS platforms, ticketing tools, and web-based applications. Desired Skills/Knowledge: - Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality. - Above average oral, written and interpersonal communication skills - Ability to meet goals in a fast-paced environment - Ability to maintain a positive attitude and professional image - Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint - Proficiency on web-based applications Eligibility Criteria: - Bachelor’s degree with minimum 5 years of experience in payroll, statutory compliance, benefits administration, or process management. Work Timings: 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM IST For Internal Applicants: - Understand the criteria or mandatory skills required for the role, before applying - Inform your manager and HRM before applying for any role on Workday - Ensure that your professional profile is updated (fields such as education, prior experience, other skills) and it is mandatory to upload your updated resume (Word or PDF format) - Must not be any corrective action plan (First Formal/Final Formal, LPP) - L4 to L6 Employees who have completed 12 months in the organization and 12 months in current role and level are only eligible. - L04+ Employees can apply Grade/Level: 07 Job Family Group: Human Resources