Payroll/HR Operations Specialist (Hoffman Estates)

Who we are. What we do.

We are Bystronic – a global technology company passionate about creating an impact for a sustainable future with sheet metal and beyond. We want to work with people who support us in creating innovative solutions to move our industry forward. Our focus is on automating the complete material and data flow of the laser cutting and bending process chain.

In a nutshell:

This is a hands-on HR operations role for someone who enjoys owning payroll, benefits and HR systems while also being a trusted resource for employees. You will help ensure our people are paid accurately and on time, receive a smooth onboarding experience, and get responsive support throughout the employee lifecycle. The role combines payroll expertise with HR operations, benefits administration, HRIS data integrity and continuous improvement.

What you will be doing:

• Own accurate, timely biweekly payroll processing and serve as the primary day-to-day payroll resource.
• Administer employee benefits and support employees with enrollment, eligibility, life-event and general benefit questions.
• Maintain high-quality employee data and workflows in UKG, including hires, changes, timekeeping, payroll, benefits and separations.
• Coordinate a welcoming, organized onboarding experience and support offboarding and other employee lifecycle activities.
• Partner closely with HR, Finance, managers and employees to solve problems, improve processes and deliver excellent employee experience.

Key tasks and Responsibilities:

Payroll, Timekeeping & Compliance

• Process multi-state biweekly payroll for hourly and salaried employees, including regular pay, overtime, bonuses, commissions, deductions, retroactive adjustments and off-cycle payments as needed.
• Review and validate timecards, PTO, payroll changes, new hires, terminations, compensation changes, deductions and benefit elections before payroll submission.
• Perform pre- and post-payroll audits and reconciliations; investigate discrepancies and partner with Finance/Accounting on payroll reporting and general ledger support.
• Support payroll tax, garnishment, wage verification, year-end W-2 and other payroll compliance activities; maintain accurate records and internal controls.
• Stay current on applicable federal, state and local wage-and-hour requirements and escalate compliance concerns appropriately.

Benefits & Leave Administration

• Support benefit enrollment and administration for medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement and other employee programs.
• Coordinate new-hire enrollments, qualifying life events, terminations and carrier/vendor updates; audit eligibility and deductions for accuracy.
• Serve as an employee resource for benefit questions and partner with vendors/brokers to resolve issues promptly.
• Provide administrative support for leave programs, including FMLA, disability and workers’ compensation, in partnership with HR leadership and external administrators.

HRIS, Data & Reporting

• Serve as a key administrator and subject-matter resource for UKG HR/payroll/timekeeping functionality.
• Maintain employee records and organizational data with a strong focus on confidentiality, accuracy and data integrity.
• Create recurring and ad hoc reports for HR, Finance and leadership; use data to identify trends, errors and process-improvement opportunities.
• Support system enhancements, testing, workflow improvements, integrations and employee/manager self-service adoption.

Employee Lifecycle & HR Operations

• Coordinate pre-employment activities including background checks, drug screening, documentation and new-hire readiness.
• Lead or coordinate new employee orientation and onboarding logistics, ensuring employees have a professional and welcoming first-day experience.
• Prepare employee change and separation documentation and maintain accurate personnel records.
• Complete employment verifications and respond to employee HR inquiries with professionalism, discretion and a service mindset.
• Support employee recognition, engagement, compliance training and other HR programs and events.

KPI’s:

• Payroll delivered accurately and on time each pay cycle, with errors identified and resolved quickly.
• Payroll, benefits and HRIS data maintained with strong audit accuracy and timely completion of employee changes.
• New hires are fully prepared for Day 1 and required onboarding steps are completed on schedule.
• Employee questions and service requests are acknowledged promptly and resolved or escalated within established service expectations.
• Recurring HR processes are documented, streamlined and continuously improved to reduce manual work and improve employee experience.

Key Skillset:

• Strong working knowledge of payroll processing, wage-and-hour fundamentals and payroll controls.
• Experience administering employee benefits and supporting leave-related processes.
• Comfort working in an HRIS/payroll platform; UKG experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong Excel skills and confidence working with reports, reconciliations and employee data.
• Exceptional attention to detail, follow-through and ability to manage recurring deadlines.
• Service-oriented communication style with the judgment to handle sensitive and confidential information.
• Analytical, curious and process-minded; able to identify issues, troubleshoot root causes and recommend practical improvements.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with HR, Finance, leaders, employees and external vendors.

Your education & experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business, Accounting, Finance or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• 3+ years of experience in payroll, HR operations, benefits administration or a combined HR/payroll role; multi-state payroll experience strongly preferred.
• Hands-on experience with an HRIS/payroll system required; UKG experience is a strong plus.
• Experience supporting a manufacturing, technical or multi-location workforce is helpful.
• CPP, FPC, SHRM-CP or PHR certification is a plus, not required.

What’s in it for you:

• A visible role on a collaborative HR team where your work directly affects the employee experience.
• Broad exposure across payroll, benefits, HR systems and people operations with opportunities to grow your HR expertise.
• The opportunity to improve processes and help shape how HR supports the business.
• PTO
• Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, STD, LTD)
• Life Insurance
• Paid Holidays
• 401(k) with 100% match up to 5%

People power our purpose:

At Bystronic, people make the difference. We value employees who take ownership, collaborate across teams, look for better ways of working and care about the experience they create for others. If you enjoy combining precision with people support—and want a role where you can make an immediate impact—we would like to meet you.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Bystronic is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and to maintaining a workplace where employees are treated with dignity and respect. Employment decisions are made without regard to any status protected by applicable law.