About the role
About Handshake Handshake is the career network for the AI economy. 20 million knowledge workers, 1,600 educational institutions, 1 million employers (including 100% of the Fortune 50), and every foundational AI lab trust Handshake to power career discovery, hiring, and upskilling, from freelance AI training gigs to first internships to full-time careers and beyond. This unique value is leading to unparalleled growth; in 2025, we tripled our ARR at scale.
Why join Handshake now: Shape how every career evolves in the AI economy, at global scale, with impact your friends, family and peers can see and feel Work hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutions Join a team with leadership from Scale AI, Meta, xAI, Notion, Coinbase, and Palantir, among others Build a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenue
The Role As Senior Payroll Accountant, you'll own the accounting and financial reporting for all payroll activity across our global operations — ensuring every transaction is accurately recorded, reconciled, and reported. Reporting to the Assistant Controller, you'll work closely with Payroll, People, and Finance/Accounting teams, and be the person who gets ahead of problems before they become expensive surprises. Prepare and review payroll journal entries, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules for month-, quarter-, and year-end close Own balance sheet reconciliations for wages payable, payroll tax liabilities,
benefits accruals, FSA/HSA, and payroll clearing accounts Partner with Payroll and People Ops to ensure payroll transactions are accurately reflected in NetSuite, and proactively flag discrepancies before close Manage accounting for Employer of Record (EOR) arrangements and contractors, navigating the nuances of how those transactions are classified and reported Support equity-related payroll accounting, including stock-based
compensation, RSU vest activity, and option exercise tax implications in partnership with the Equity team Support internal and external audits by preparing schedules, reconciliations, and responding to auditor inquiries You Have Hands-on Workday experience is required 4+ years of accounting experience with meaningful exposure to payroll accounting, ideally at a startup or high-growth company Solid command of payroll accounting fundamentals: accruals, journal entries, balance sheet reconciliations, and month-end close Knowledge of U.S. payroll taxes, employee