Senior Payroll Specialist

Senior Payroll Specialist

The Senior Payroll Specialist is a senior individual contributor responsible for the accurate and timely processing of multi-state payroll for the Company and its subsidiaries. This position independently manages complex payroll transactions, payroll tax compliance, year-end reporting, and payroll accounting activities, and serves as a subject matter expert and escalation point for the payroll team. The Senior Payroll Specialist applies advanced payroll knowledge and analytical skills to ensure all team members are paid timely and accurately, mentors junior team members, and drives process improvements that strengthen compliance and efficiency.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in accounting, business or a related field or equivalent professional work experience.
• CPP - Certified Payroll Professional or FPC - Fundamental Payroll Certification preferred
• 5 - 7 years’ progressive payroll experience processing multi-state payroll; experience with multi-national payroll preferred
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage full-cycle payroll for a large and complex employee population, handling multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
• Experience training, mentoring or reviewing the work of junior payroll team members
• Strong understanding of the impact on payroll of healthcare and other benefits, FLSA, and other US and international payroll legislation
• Must possess a strong working knowledge of payroll taxes at the federal, state and local levels, including multi-state taxation and tax registrations
• Working knowledge of accounting and general ledger processes related to payroll, including journal entries and account reconciliations
• Advanced knowledge and experience with Ceridian Dayforce preferred
• Advanced skills with MS Office; Advanced to expert knowledge of Excel (e.g., pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP)
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
• Strong collaboration and communication skills to enable excellent customer service across the organization
• Ability to handle highly confidential information with discretion and professionalism
• Must be a team player who enjoys supporting internal clients and collaborating with external vendors
• Excellent organizational and time management skills

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Independently prepare, process and audit full-cycle payroll for all team members across multiple states and entities, including off-cycle, bonus and termination payments; review and ensure accuracy of approved timesheets
• Serve as the senior subject matter expert and escalation point for complex payroll issues and inquiries; train, mentor and review the work of payroll specialists and administrators
• Administer and track all garnishments, levies, child support orders and other special payroll deductions, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and timely remittance
• Partner with the payroll provider and tax agencies to ensure accurate and timely payroll tax filings, deposits and amendments; resolve tax notices and manage multi-state tax registrations
• Prepare and post payroll journal entries and perform monthly and quarterly payroll-related account reconciliations in support of the month-end close
• Lead year-end payroll activities, including W-2 (and equivalent international tax document) data review, reconciliation and timely distribution
• Coordinate with People & Culture, Benefits, Budget and other departments to ensure proper flow and maintenance of team member data, including benefit deductions, retirement contributions, leave balances and equity-related transactions; review employee changes for proper authorization and compliance with company policy and federal/state/local regulations
• Prepare payroll related metrics, analysis and reports, including weekly, monthly, quarterly and year-end reports (gross payroll, hours worked, vacation accrual, tax deductions, benefit deductions, etc.) for payroll leadership and senior management
• Support the administration of the electronic timekeeping system, including employee set-up and FLSA classification, training and resources for employees, and ensuring valid data transfers to/from the payroll service
• Support internal and external audits by preparing documentation and responding to auditor requests; maintain and strengthen payroll internal controls
• Identify and implement process improvements and automation opportunities, participate in payroll system upgrades and testing, and maintain payroll procedures and desk guides; stay current on payroll legislation and assess its impact

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• This role regularly utilizes a computer, including the use of a monitor, mouse and keyboard.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet.