Payroll Specialist

Payroll Specialist

RoadSafe Traffic Systems is the largest national provider of traffic safety products and services in the United States. RoadSafe serves customers in all 48 contiguous states through its network of more than 60 branch locations. At RoadSafe, we offer competitive pay, growth potential, and an excellent benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k) plans for those who qualify. We recognize and value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Position Summary: The Payroll Specialist supports RoadSafe's California branches by ensuring the timely review, preparation, accuracy, and compliance of payroll and timekeeping data. This position requires a strong understanding of California payroll laws, wage and hour regulations, meal and rest break compliance, certified payroll requirements, and California state reporting obligations. The ideal candidate will possess intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills, strong technical proficiency, exceptional organizational abilities, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. The Payroll Specialist serves as a primary local payroll resource for California field and office employees, partnering closely with branch operations, regional finance leadership, and the centralized payroll team to resolve payroll discrepancies, support compliant payroll processing, and ensure timely submission of accurate payroll information.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Review, collect, and approve employee time across approved timekeeping systems.
• Review time entries for accuracy, completeness, proper coding, and timely submission by established payroll deadlines.
• Identify, research, and resolve payroll discrepancies, including missing punches, overtime, double time, leave entries, incorrect job or project coding, and employee movement between projects or entities.
• Prepare and submit payroll corrections in accordance with company procedures, including coordination related to payroll overpayments when necessary.
• Support weekly payroll preparation, reconciliation, and reporting to ensure accurate and timely processing.
• Coordinate with branch management and centralized payroll teams to resolve outstanding payroll issues before processing deadlines.
• Apply working knowledge of California payroll laws, wage and hour regulations, and applicable state-specific payroll requirements.
• Review timekeeping records for California meal and rest break compliance, including identifying missed, late, or interrupted breaks and potential premium pay obligations.
• Support California-specific payroll processes, including final pay coordination, sick leave tracking, Wage Theft Prevention Act requirements, blended overtime rate considerations, and hourly employee attestation requirements.
• Assist with the preparation, reconciliation, and submission of California state payroll reports and required documentation.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and supporting documentation in accordance with applicable regulatory and company requirements.
• Identify potential payroll compliance concerns and escalate complex issues to the appropriate payroll, HR, or compliance personnel.
• Prepare, review, and reconcile certified payroll reports for applicable public works and prevailing wage projects.
• Maintain an understanding of certified payroll requirements, prevailing wage classifications, labor rates, and required reporting documentation.
• Coordinate with operations, finance, and payroll teams to validate employee classifications, hours worked, and project-specific payroll information.
• Support timely submission of certified payroll documentation and respond to reporting discrepancies or requests for clarification.
• Assist with California-specific public works payroll reporting and applicable state reporting requirements.
• Utilize intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills to organize, analyze, reconcile, and report payroll and timekeeping data.
• Demonstrate proficiency in copying, pasting, moving, and organizing data across cells, columns, worksheets, and workbooks.
• Create and maintain spreadsheets using formulas and functions such as SUM, IF, COUNTIF, SUMIF, and lookup functions.
• Create, modify, and interpret PivotTables to summarize payroll data, identify discrepancies, and support reporting requirements.
• Perform data sorting, filtering, formatting, and reconciliation to support payroll accuracy and operational reporting.
• Work efficiently across two to three computer monitors simultaneously while navigating payroll systems, spreadsheets, emails, and supporting documentation.
• Utilize Microsoft Outlook to organize and prioritize incoming requests, manage deadlines, coordinate follow-up activities, and maintain effective communication.
• Use Microsoft Teams to collaborate with branch leadership, payroll teams, finance partners, and other internal stakeholders.
• Navigate multiple business applications simultaneously while maintaining accuracy, productivity, and attention to detail.
• Independently prioritize daily responsibilities based on payroll deadlines, operational urgency, incoming emails, and business needs.
• Manage a high volume of payroll-related emails, requests, and inquiries while ensuring timely responses and resolution.
• Demonstrate the ability to shift priorities when urgent payroll matters arise without compromising established deadlines.
• Communicate payroll deadlines, requirements, and expectations to field operations, branch leadership, regional finance partners, and centralized payroll teams.
• Serve as a local payroll point of contact for California branches, responding to employee and manager questions related to pay, timekeeping, payroll deadlines, system access, pay statements, and year-end tax documents.
• Support planning and communication for holiday payroll schedules and other non-standard payroll periods.
• Maintain confidentiality and integrity of payroll information by following established controls, data governance practices, and company policies.
• Support payroll-related projects, process improvements, business continuity needs, and other duties as assigned.

Key Professional Competencies:

• Accuracy and Attention to Detail: Consistently reviews payroll information for accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
• Technical Proficiency: Demonstrates strong Excel capabilities and the ability to efficiently navigate multiple software platforms and computer monitors.
• Time Management and Prioritization: Effectively manages competing deadlines, high-volume email communications, and time-sensitive payroll requests.
• California Payroll Knowledge: Applies an understanding of California wage and hour laws, meal and rest break requirements, and state payroll reporting obligations.
• Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills: Identifies discrepancies, researches root causes, and implements appropriate solutions.
• Communication and Collaboration: Maintains professional, responsive communication with employees, managers, finance partners, and payroll teams.
• Confidentiality and Accountability: Handles sensitive payroll information with discretion while demonstrating ownership of assigned responsibilities.
• Adaptability: Maintains productivity and accuracy in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and multiple simultaneous tasks.

Education, Experience, and Skills Required:

• Minimum of 35 years of payroll experience, including hands-on experience supporting California-specific payroll requirements.
• Strong working knowledge of California payroll laws and wage and hour regulations, including overtime, double time, meal and rest break premiums, final pay, sick leave, and timekeeping compliance.
• Experience preparing, reviewing, and reconciling certified payroll reports, preferably within construction, public works, or prevailing wage environments.
• Knowledge of California state payroll reporting requirements and related compliance documentation.
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency required, including formulas, data manipulation, sorting, filtering, lookups, and PivotTables.
• Demonstrated ability to copy, paste, organize, and manipulate data across multiple cells, columns, worksheets, and workbooks.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365 applications, particularly Excel, Outlook, Teams, and Word.
• Ability to work efficiently using two to three computer monitors simultaneously while navigating multiple systems and applications.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, including the ability to prioritize competing assignments, payroll deadlines, and high-volume email communications.
• Experience reviewing employee time, resolving payroll discrepancies, and supporting payroll preparation for hourly employees.
• Experience with construction payroll practices, job costing, project-based labor allocation, or industry-specific payroll systems strongly preferred.
• Experience with payroll or timekeeping systems such as Paycor, TCR, TradeSeal, or similar platforms preferred.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and follow-through skills.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and maintain accuracy under strict deadlines.
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field preferred; equivalent payroll experience may be considered.

EOE Statement: RoadSafe is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disabled/Veterans.