Payroll Specialist

Costa Rica, San JoseToday, Lonza is a global leader in life sciences operating across three continents. While we work in science, there’s no magic formula to how we do it. Our greatest scientific solution is talented people working together, devising ideas that help businesses to help people. In exchange, we let our people own their careers. Their ideas, big and small, genuinely improve the world. And that’s the kind of work we want to be part of.

The **Payroll Specialist** will support our Payroll team in our Shared Service Center in Costa Rica. The Payroll Specialist will provide transactional and administrative support for employees, managers, and HR partners. This role will mainly oversee audits for inputs coming from our Payroll vendor and team. This role is responsible for the follow-up and completion of employee Payroll inquiries and audits. It will also require compiling and analyzing payroll data and reports to ensure timely and accurate payroll processing. This role will also facilitate Tier 0 or Tier 1 case resolution in transferring knowledge to these levels.

**Key responsibilities**:

- Compiling and analyzing payroll data and reports to ensure timely and accurate payroll processing.
- Directs data collection for payroll audit or other data requests as needed. Participates in special projects and other strategic initiatives (i.e. acquisitions, divestitures, and demographic changes in employee base).
- Overall responsibility for all activities and processes required to produce payroll(s), including bonus payments and off-cycle payments as needed. Ensures the accurate and timely payment of employee compensation.
- Interfaces with finance/treasury/tax to direct funding as well as tracking and reconciling credits, debits, and all adjustments.
- Conducts own work planning and prioritization to create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and optimize performance, working to define standards and best-practice approaches for Payroll processes.
- Drives effective and efficient payroll processes by building and maintaining compliance with payroll governance SOPs, ensuring compliance with internal controls.
- Manages vendor operations to ensure they achieve their responsibilities. Identify and resolve operational issues, and control vendor accountability.
- Respond to Payroll inquiries timely to our clients through our ticketing system ServiceNow.
- Manage and adjust paid time-off (accruals) and perform historical corrections and adjustments in Kronos when needed.
- Review Workday transactions to ensure Payroll accuracy.

**Key requirements**:

- Advanced English level (spoken and written).
- Bachelor’s degree in progress in Accounting, Business, Human Resources, or a related field.
- At least 1 year of working experience in Payroll for the United States (US tax Knowledge is a plus).
- Working experience with Time and Attendance System (Workday and Kronos will be desired).
- Advanced Excel knowledge.

Every day, Lonza’s products and services have a positive impact on millions of people. For us, this is not only a great privilege but also a great responsibility. How we achieve our business results is just as important as the achievements themselves. At Lonza, we respect and protect our people and our environment. Any success we achieve is no success at all if not achieved ethically.

People come to Lonza for the challenge and creativity of solving complex problems and developing new ideas in life sciences. In return, we offer the satisfaction that comes with improving lives all around the world. The satisfaction that comes with making a meaningful difference.

Lonza is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a qualified individual with a disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
- Reference: R60107