Payroll & Benefits Administrator

Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

The Payroll & Benefits Administrator is responsible for accurately and efficiently processing multi-state payroll, administering a comprehensive range of employee benefits, and maintaining precise employee records. This role ensures full compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws while serving as a primary point of contact for employees on payroll, benefits, leave administration, and HR-related inquiries. The position requires strong confidentiality, professionalism, and attention to detail, as well as the ability to support a growing organization with weekly payroll cycles and ongoing HR support.

Responsibilities

• Process multi-state payroll accurately and on time in accordance with company policies and applicable federal, state, and local laws.
• Review and audit employee timecards, pay rates, deductions, and payroll changes prior to each payroll run to ensure accuracy.
• Maintain detailed payroll records and employee earnings histories in the HRIS and related systems.
• Process new hire, termination, promotion, transfer, and compensation changes in payroll and HR systems.
• Administer garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, and wage assignments in compliance with legal requirements.
• Reconcile payroll reports and general ledger entries to ensure accurate financial reporting.
• Coordinate payroll tax filings and assist with quarterly and annual payroll reporting requirements.
• Process bonus payments, commissions, and special payroll runs as needed.
• Assist with year-end processing, including preparation and distribution of W-2 forms.
• Administer health, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, and voluntary benefit programs for employees.
• Manage employee benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, and terminations in benefit systems.
• Conduct benefits orientations for new hires and provide ongoing benefits education to employees.
• Support annual open enrollment activities, including employee communications and system updates.
• Serve as a liaison between employees and benefit providers to resolve coverage, billing, and claims issues.
• Reconcile monthly benefits invoices and ensure accurate payroll deductions for all benefit plans.
• Assist with 401(k) plan administration, including eligibility tracking, employee enrollment, and compliance requirements.
• Monitor employee benefit eligibility and waiting periods to ensure timely and accurate coverage.
• Maintain employee personnel files and HRIS records in an accurate, organized, and confidential manner.
• Prepare employment verification letters and respond to verification requests as needed.
• Assist with onboarding and offboarding processes, ensuring that payroll and benefits changes are completed accurately and on time.
• Support leave administration, including FMLA, ADA-related accommodations, workers’ compensation, and other leave programs.
• Maintain compliance with labor laws, company policies, and reporting requirements related to payroll and benefits.
• Assist with employee communications, policy acknowledgments, and training administration.
• Generate HR and payroll reports for management and leadership as requested.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of employee payroll, benefits, and personnel information.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with federal, state, and local employment regulations related to payroll and benefits.
• Assist with audits, benefit plan testing, payroll audits, and regulatory reporting, providing required documentation and explanations.
• Maintain accurate records in accordance with company record retention policies.
• Stay current on payroll, tax, and benefits regulations and recommend process improvements to enhance accuracy and efficiency.
• Utilize prebuilt Excel VLOOKUPs and tracking spreadsheets to separate and analyze data by salary, hourly, and other categories.
• Engage directly with employees to answer payroll and benefits questions, provide guidance, and deliver a high level of customer service.

Essential Skills

• 3–5+ years of payroll processing experience utilizing an HRIS system, including exposure to benefits and HR functions.
• Proven experience processing multi-state payroll on a weekly basis, including jurisdictions such as Virginia, Maryland, Florida, and Puerto Rico.
• Hands-on experience using Paychex for payroll processing.
• Ability to review and audit payroll data, including timecards, pay rates, deductions, and payroll changes, with a high level of accuracy.
• Strong understanding of payroll compliance requirements, including garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, and wage assignments.
• Experience reconciling payroll reports and general ledger entries.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including use of prebuilt VLOOKUP formulas and the ability to manage tracking spreadsheets.
• Ability to create pivot tables in Excel for payroll and benefits data analysis.
• Experience administering health, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, voluntary benefits, and 401(k) plans.
• Knowledge of benefit eligibility rules, waiting periods, and qualifying life events.
• Experience supporting leave administration, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, workers’ compensation, and other leave programs.
• Strong HRIS data management skills, including maintaining accurate personnel and payroll records.
• Professional and clear communication skills, with the ability to work in a highly employee-facing role.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain strict confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Familiarity with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations related to payroll and benefits.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with Puerto Rico payroll processing.
• Familiarity with SHRM resources or standards.
• Associate or bachelor’s degree in human resources, accounting, business, or a related field.
• Experience supporting annual open enrollment and benefits communications.
• Comfort conducting benefits orientations and explaining complex benefits information in clear, accessible language.
• Experience generating HR and payroll reports for management and responding to audit requests.
• Ability to identify and recommend process improvements in payroll and benefits administration.
• Strong customer service mindset, with experience handling employee inquiries about payroll, benefits, and HR policies.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and prioritize tasks in a weekly payroll cycle environment.

Work Environment

This is a full-time, fully onsite role with a standard schedule of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The position operates in an office environment using HRIS and payroll systems, including Paychex, as well as Microsoft Excel and other standard office software. Payroll is processed weekly, with Tuesdays designated as payroll days, making onsite presence especially critical on those days. The work environment emphasizes professionalism, confidentiality, and direct interaction with employees, with regular in-person communication to support payroll, benefits, and HR-related needs.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Virginia Beach, VA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $55000.00 - $75000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

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Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Virginia Beach,VA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 14, 2026.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on us.fitly.work for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.