Payroll Specialist

The Trade Desk is a global technology company and the world’s leading independent platform for digital advertising, with over 3,000 employees across more than 30 offices. Our technology helps advertisers reach the right audiences across the open internet — from streaming TV and podcasts to mobile apps, news, and more.

Advertising powers the content people love. By making it more transparent, effective, and responsible, we help support trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and creators worldwide. The world’s brands and agencies rely on us to reach their customers and grow their businesses responsibly.

The scale of our platform brings unique technical challenges — from processing massive datasets in real time to building systems that operate reliably on a global scale. When you work here, your impact is worldwide. We welcome diverse perspectives, encourage curiosity, and build teams that learn from one another. If you’re driven to solve meaningful challenges, we’d love to meet you.

What we do:

The Payroll Specialist will be responsible for accurate, timely payroll processing for Canada and U.S. employees across multiple states, from time collection through final processing and reconciliation. The Payroll Specialist reports to the Manager, Regional Payroll. This role also uses AI tools to improve the accuracy, speed and insight of our payroll operations.

What you'll do:

The responsibilities are not limited to the following, other items will be assigned as needed.

Act as the first point of contact for employee payroll inquiries via the ticketing system, ensuring timely, accurate resolution with a strong service focus and escalating complex issues as needed

Support end-to-end payroll processing across Canada and U.S. employees across multiple states on schedule, from time and attendance collection and validation through data entry, calculation review, pre-transmission audit and post-payroll reconciliation

Reconcile payroll registers, tax liabilities and general ledger postings, and validate confirmation reports; research and correct variances

Perform 401(k) reconciliations each pay cycle, tying employee deferrals, employer match and loan repayments to recordkeeper files, and resolve discrepancies and process corrections

Process garnishments, levies, child support and other involuntary deductions, including calculating withholdings within federal and state limits, setting up orders, remitting payments on time and maintaining documentation

Apply state and local tax withholding and unemployment (SUI) requirements for multi-state employees, track work-location changes, and support new state registrations with guidance from the Payroll Manager

Support quarterly and year-end reporting across federal, state and local jurisdictions, including W-2 and T4 preparation and W-2 corrections, and research and respond to tax notices with guidance as needed

Support accurate taxation and reporting of employer-paid benefits and equity compensation, including RSU vesting, NSO exercises, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) and Incentive Stock Option (ISO) events, in partnership with senior team members

Load and validate import files and prepare ad hoc payroll reports as requested

Use company-approved AI tools to assist with payroll audits, variance analysis, reconciliations and drafting employee responses, always applying human review

Protect employee PII and confidential compensation data

Collaborate with stakeholders such as Finance, People Ops and Benefits, and assist other teams with special projects

Ensure compliance with SOPs, local regulatory requirements, and SOX control standards

Support internal and external audits and respond to requests for supporting documentation

Monitor and stay current on statutory and regulatory payroll changes across the U.S. and Canada

Support documentation of payroll processes and contribute to process improvements and automation initiatives

Work effectively in a fast-paced, high-volume environment while managing multiple priorities and deadlines

Who you are:

Minimum 3-5 years of multi-state payroll processing experience, including setting up state EINs and managing state and local tax registrations and filings

Strong working knowledge of payroll and HRIS software

Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office programs including Excel, Word, Outlook

Strong critical thinking skills to resolve issues or improve processes; self-starter who can work and learn quickly

Working knowledge of, or strong interest in, AI tools (e.g., Excel / Workday AI features or generative AI assistants) and the ability to apply them to payroll audits, research and reporting, with sound judgment in verifying outputs and safeguarding sensitive data

Ability to prioritize and work under deadline pressures

Sound judgment in knowing when to escalate issues and seek guidance

Strong knowledge of payroll principles, best practices, federal and state regulations and procedures

Analytical skills and ability to perform detailed, technical payroll calculations

Strong communication skills written and verbal

Meticulous attention to detail, with a record of accurate, well-documented work

Hands-on experience with SOX compliance requirements

Preferred: Prior experience at a publicly held company

Preferred: Workday and OneSource experience

Preferred: FPC or CPP certification

The Trade Desk does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm recruiters. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of The Trade Desk. The Trade Desk is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

In accordance with various US state laws, the range provided is the Trade Desk's reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount may differ based on non-discriminatory factors such as experience, knowledge, skills, and location. All employees may be eligible to become The Trade Desk shareholders through eligibility for stock-based compensation grants, which are awarded to employees based on company and individual performance. The Trade Desk also offers other compensation depending on the role such as variable compensation-based incentives and commissions. Plus, expected benefits for this role include comprehensive healthcare (medical, dental, and vision) with premiums paid in full for employees and dependents, retirement benefits such as a 401k plan and company match, short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, well-being benefits, reimbursement for certain tuition expenses, parental leave, sick time of 1 hour per 30 hours worked, vacation time for full-time employees up to 120 hours thru the first year and 160 hours thereafter, and around 13 paid holidays per year. Employees can also purchase The Trade Desk stock at a discount through The Trade Desk’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

The Trade Desk also offers a competitive benefits package. Click here to learn more.

Note: Interns are not eligible for variable incentive awards such as stock-based compensation, retirement plan, vacation, tuition reimbursement or parental leave

At the Trade Desk, Base Salary is one part of our competitive total compensation and benefits package and is determined using a salary range. The base salary range for this role is

$48,200 — $88,300 USD

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, The Trade Desk is committed to creating an inclusive hiring experience where