Senior Payroll Accountant

We're transforming the grocery industry

At Instacart, we invite the world to share love through food because we believe everyone should have access to the food they love and more time to enjoy it together. Where others see a simple need for grocery delivery, we see exciting complexity and endless opportunity to serve the varied needs of our community. We work to deliver an essential service that customers rely on to get their groceries and household goods, while also offering safe and flexible earnings opportunities to Instacart Personal Shoppers.

Instacart has become a lifeline for millions of people, and we’re building the team to help push our shopping cart forward. If you’re ready to do the best work of your life, come join our table.

Instacart is a Flex First team

There’s no one-size fits all approach to how we do our best work. Our employees have the flexibility to choose where they do their best work—whether it’s from home, an office, or your favorite coffee shop—while staying connected and building community through regular in-person events. Learn more about our flexible approach to where we work.

About the role

We are seeking a detail-oriented, proactive Senior Payroll Accountant to join our Finance team. In this role, you’ll be responsible for managing the integrity of payroll data across multiple systems, ensuring accurate financial reporting, and supporting internal and external compliance needs. You'll play a key role in payroll-related general ledger accounting and serve as a strategic partner across HR, Finance, and Compliance functions.

About the Team

The Controller Accounting Team is the backbone of Instacart’s financial integrity. We are responsible for ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant financial reporting across the organization. With a strong foundation in U.S. GAAP and a deep understanding of operational processes, we partner closely with cross-functional teams to implement robust controls, streamline close cycles, and support business scalability. Our mission is to deliver clarity and confidence in the numbers that drive strategic decisions.

• Prepare and post payroll journal entries, ensuring accurate uploads into the accounting system with attention to detail and compliance with GAAP.
• Reconcile payroll data across systems including Workday, ADP, Oracle, Workiva, and others, maintaining integrity and accuracy in all financial records.
• Lead payroll-related audit activities, including preparation of schedules and data for internal, external, and SOX audits related to benefits and compliance.
• Respond to ad hoc reporting requests, delivering timely and accurate payroll data for internal stakeholders and special projects.
• Troubleshoot complex payroll issues, resolving discrepancies at both the employee and company level in a timely manner.
• Maintain system integrations and mapping, ensuring accurate data flow between payroll systems and Oracle accounting.
• Perform month end close tasks related to payroll accounting including journal entries, variance analysis, fluctuation explanations and reconciliations.
• Partner with FP&A or HR teams to support payroll forecasting and budgeting through accurate historical data and trend analysis.
• Identify, recommend, and implement improvements to payroll accounting processes, system workflows, and reporting efficiency.
• Prepare and maintain accurate accruals for payroll-related expenses such as bonuses, commissions, vacation/PTO, and other employee benefits.
• Coordinate with international teams or third-party providers to ensure proper accounting and compliance for foreign payrolls, including FX impacts and local statutory reporting.

Minimum qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Accounting
• 3+ years of payroll accounting experience, with exposure to international payroll considered a plus
• Strong understanding of payroll accounting principles, including how payroll expenses are booked and reconciled in the GL
• Familiarity with GAAP and SOX compliance requirements as they relate to payroll and financial reporting
• Hands-on experience with payroll systems, preferably including Workday, ADP, and Oracle Fusion
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, SUMIFS, and data reconciliation techniques
• A collaborative mindset with excellent communication skills and a commitment to continuous improvement

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA designation preferred
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations