Payroll Specialist

We are looking for a Payroll Specialist to join our team in a contract-to-permanent role. This position is fully onsite Monday through Friday and is ideal for a payroll specialist who can manage recurring payroll activities with accuracy, discretion, and strong follow-through. The right candidate will support employees and managers with payroll and timekeeping questions while helping maintain smooth, compliant payroll operations.

Responsibilities:

• Manage biweekly and semi-monthly payroll processing from start to finish, ensuring employee pay is completed accurately and on schedule.
• Investigate timekeeping discrepancies and partner with employees and supervisors to secure timely corrections and approvals.
• Review payroll and time-entry records for new team members to confirm setup details are complete and properly entered in relevant systems.
• Provide day-to-day guidance to staff and leadership on payroll procedures, taxes, and the use of payroll and timekeeping platforms.
• Conduct detailed checks before and after payroll runs to identify issues early and reduce processing errors.
• Prepare and distribute payroll, benefits, and audit-related reports as needed to support business and compliance needs.
• Administer garnishments, tax levies, bonuses, commissions, and other special earnings with careful attention to deadlines and accuracy.
• Support year-end payroll activities, including assistance with tax form preparation, reporting, and responses to audit requests.
• At least 5 years of hands-on payroll experience, including full-cycle payroll processing.
• Experience handling multi-state payroll in a high-volume or fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Word, including functions such as VLOOKUPs and PivotTables.
• Strong knowledge of payroll practices, auditing steps, and payroll-related reporting.
• Ability to communicate clearly and work effectively with employees, managers, and cross-functional teams.
• Excellent attention to detail, sound judgment with confidential information, and strong organizational skills.
• Familiarity with wage and hour regulations; experience with UKG Pro is preferred.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver accurate work under tight deadlines.