Payroll Specialist

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for the end-to-end ownership and execution of payroll operations for a complex, multi-state employee population, with significant emphasis on California wage and hour compliance. This role serves as the organization's primary payroll subject matter resource and is expected to independently manage payroll processing, auditing, reconciliations, tax administration, compliance, reporting, and issue resolution. The Payroll Specialist will proactively identify payroll risks, investigate discrepancies, strengthen internal controls, and partner closely with Human Resources, Finance, Operations, benefits vendors, and the company's payroll provider. The successful candidate will have the experience and judgment to manage payroll with a high degree of independence, anticipate issues before payroll is finalized, and take ownership of resolving payroll and compliance matters from identification through completion. Location: 3200 Bristol St., Suite 600, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. This is a hybrid position with a minimum of two days per week onsite at our Costa Mesa Corporate Office. Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Compensation: Starting compensation range is $72,000.00-$80,000.00 annually. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location. Responsibilities Payroll Operations & Ownership Own and execute the complete biweekly payroll process for exempt and non-exempt employees across multiple states, ensuring payroll is accurate, timely, and compliant. Serve as the primary internal payroll subject matter resource and point of escalation for complex payroll matters. Perform comprehensive pre-payroll audits of employee data, timecards, earnings, deductions, taxes, benefit deductions, paid time off, and other payroll inputs. Independently identify, research, and resolve payroll discrepancies prior to payroll submission. Review payroll registers and supporting reports prior to final approval and identify unusual transactions, variances, or potential compliance concerns. Administer complex payroll transactions including overtime, meal premiums, bonuses, commissions, incentive payments, retroactive adjustments, corrections, garnishments, reimbursements, and final pay. Ensure timely and compliant processing of employee terminations and final wages, including California-specific final pay requirements. Partner with Human Resources and Operations to identify and resolve timekeeping issues, missed punches, overtime concerns, meal-period exceptions, and other wage and hour matters. Develop and maintain payroll calendars, processing deadlines, controls, checklists, and standard operating procedures. Payroll Tax & Multi-State Administration Oversee payroll tax administration in partnership with the payroll provider, including reviewing tax filings, deposits, liabilities, notices, and reconciliations. Research and resolve payroll tax discrepancies, agency notices, filing issues, and employee taxation concerns. Manage payroll requirements associated with employees working in multiple jurisdictions. Support the establishment of payroll tax accounts and registrations when the company enters new states or jurisdictions. Coordinate with payroll providers and government agencies to ensure withholding, unemployment insurance, disability insurance, and reporting requirements are established and maintained appropriately. Monitor changes in payroll-related federal, state, and local requirements and elevate operational impacts as appropriate. Perform detailed payroll reconciliations each pay period and investigate discrepancies between payroll, HRIS data, benefit deductions, retirement contributions, and financial records. Reconcile payroll-related general ledger accounts in partnership with Finance. Review payroll journal entries and provide payroll data necessary for month-end and year-end financial close. Identify control weaknesses or recurrent payroll errors and recommend corrective actions. Maintain documentation supporting payroll calculations, adjustments, approvals, and reconciliations. Generate and analyze recurring and ad hoc payroll reports for Human Resources, Finance, Operations, leadership, and external auditors. Support internal, external, financial, retirement plan, workers' compensation, and other payroll-related audits. Year-End Payroll Administration Take a lead role in payroll year-end activities, including reconciliation of employee wages and taxes. Review W-2 data and year-end reporting for accuracy prior to distribution. Research and coordinate corrections to employee tax records and W-2s when necessary. Partner with the payroll provider to ensure year-end filings are completed accurately and timely. Retirement & Deduction Administration Administer and reconcile employee and employer 401(k) contributions. Ensure contribution files and funding are submitted accurately and timely to the retirement plan administrator/recordkeeper. Reconcile payroll deductions against participant records and investigate discrepancies. Partner with Human Resources and plan administrators to resolve contribution or deduction issues. Monitor payroll deductions for benefits, garnishments, levies, and other authorized deductions for accuracy. Compliance & Agency Requests Maintain strong working knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local wage and hour requirements, with particular expertise in California payroll compliance. Review payroll practices for compliance with overtime, minimum wage, meal and rest period premiums, sick leave, final pay, wage statements, and other applicable requirements. Respond to California Employment Development Department (EDD) and other governmental agency requests involving unemployment, disability, payroll, or employment information. Coordinate responses to wage garnishments, tax levies, child support orders, and other legally mandated payroll deductions. Escalate potential wage and hour compliance concerns promptly and assist with remediation. HRIS/Payroll System Administration Maintain payroll-related employee data within Paylocity and ensure system information remains accurate and complete. Serve as a knowledgeable resource regarding payroll system configuration, workflows, earning codes, deduction codes, timekeeping, reporting, and payroll-related functionality. Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes through automation, system configuration, reporting, and stronger controls. Test payroll system changes and enhancements prior to implementation. Partner with HRIS, Finance, Operations, and vendors on system troubleshooting and process improvements. Employee & Manager Support Serve as a primary escalation point for employee and manager payroll questions. Research and resolve payroll inquiries involving pay, deductions, taxes, timekeeping, direct deposits, benefits deductions, and payroll corrections. Explain payroll policies, procedures, deadlines, and compliance requirements clearly and professionally. Identify recurring employee or manager issues and recommend education, communication, or process changes to reduce future errors. Build effective working relationships across Human Resources, Finance, Operations, and field leadership. Process Improvement & Payroll Governance Continuously evaluate payroll processes and recommend improvements to increase accuracy, efficiency, compliance, and scalability. Track recurring payroll errors and identify root causes rather than relying solely on individual corrections. Develop and maintain payroll procedures, process documentation, audit tools, and internal controls. Proactively identify payroll risks and bring recommendations forward to Human Resources leadership. Participate in payroll-related projects, system implementations, acquisitions, integrations, and organizational changes as needed. Performs other job-related duties as assigned. Requirements 5+ years of progressive payroll experience, preferably supporting a complex multi-state workforce. Demonstrated experience independently managing the full payroll cycle. Strong working knowledge of California payroll and wage and hour requirements. Experience administering payroll for both exempt and non-exempt employee populations. Experience with payroll taxes, reconciliations, general ledger support, year-end processing, W-2s, and payroll audits. Experience administering payroll deductions, retirement plan contributions, garnishments, and other payroll transactions. Strong experience with Paylocity or a comparable HRIS/payroll platform. Advanced Excel skills, including the ability to analyze and reconcile large datasets. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and investigative skills. Ability to identify payroll risks, discrepancies, and unusual activity independently. Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and competing priorities. Strong written and verbal communication skills. High degree of discretion and ability to manage confidential employee and compensation information. Ability to work independently while effectively partnering across Human Resources, Finance, Operations, and external vendors. CPP certification strongly preferred; FPC certification considered. Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance #J-18808-Ljbffr Agile Occupational Medicine