Payroll Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Payroll Specialist

Pay Rate: $35–$40/hour

Duration: Long-Term Contract (through December 2026)

Schedule: Monday–Friday, Day Shift (8-5pm 1 hour lunch)

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Payroll Specialist to support payroll operations for a large, multi-state and international organization. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing for both hourly and salaried employees while maintaining compliance with applicable federal, state, local, and international regulations.

The ideal candidate will possess strong payroll operations experience, excellent customer service skills, and hands-on expertise with Workday Payroll and HCM. This position requires strong analytical abilities, attention to detail, and the capability to resolve complex payroll issues while supporting a diverse employee population across multiple business units.

Required Qualifications

• Experience using Workday Payroll and Workday HCM
• Bachelor's degree with 2–4 years of progressive payroll experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum 5 years of payroll experience if no degree is held
• Multi-state payroll processing experience
• Strong customer service and problem-solving skills
• Ability to interpret payroll policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements
• Strong analytical and decision-making abilities with minimal supervision
• Experience supporting employees and stakeholders across complex organizational structures
• Ability to identify data inconsistencies, system issues, and payroll discrepancies

Preferred Qualifications

• Workday certification
• Experience participating in Workday implementations, upgrades, or testing initiatives
• Experience developing training materials and user documentation
• Knowledge of payroll compliance across multiple jurisdictions

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Processing & Operations

• Process payroll accurately and on schedule for multiple pay frequencies, including weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, and monthly payrolls
• Perform payroll calculations, deductions, tax withholdings, garnishments, and special payments
• Review payroll data for accuracy and resolve discrepancies before payroll processing
• Process off-cycle payments, adjustments, reversals, and corrections as needed
• Reconcile payroll data from multiple internal and external sources
• Support payroll system integrations and data validation activities
• Ensure payroll transactions comply with organizational policies and regulatory requirements
• Maintain payroll records and supporting documentation for audit purposes
• Assist with year-end payroll activities and reporting requirements

Workday Payroll Administration

• Administer payroll activities within Workday Payroll and HCM
• Support payroll system configuration, testing, validation, and troubleshooting
• Participate in system upgrades, enhancements, and implementation activities
• Create and maintain payroll-related documentation and training materials
• Collaborate with technical teams to resolve system issues and improve payroll processes

Customer Support & Stakeholder Collaboration

• Serve as a payroll resource for employees, managers, HR teams, and business stakeholders
• Respond to payroll inquiries and provide timely issue resolution
• Educate users on payroll processes, system functionality, policies, and deadlines
• Partner with HR, Benefits, Finance, IT, and other departments to ensure payroll accuracy and efficiency
• Escalate complex payroll issues when appropriate and assist in implementing corrective actions
• Maintain positive working relationships across departments and business units

Compliance & Continuous Improvement

• Stay current on payroll regulations, tax requirements, and compliance standards
• Ensure payroll processing complies with applicable laws and organizational policies
• Participate in audits, testing activities, and process improvement initiatives
• Identify opportunities to streamline workflows, improve accuracy, and enhance operational efficiency
• Contribute to documentation updates, standard operating procedures, and training resources
• Maintain strict confidentiality when handling sensitive employee and payroll information

Key Skills

• Payroll Operations
• Workday Payroll & HCM
• Multi-State Payroll Processing
• Payroll Compliance
• Payroll Reconciliation
• Tax & Garnishment Administration
• Customer Service
• Data Analysis
• Problem Solving
• Process Improvement
• Stakeholder Management
• Documentation & Training
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Attention to Detail
• Time Management

Work Environment

This role operates in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment requiring strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of accuracy and confidentiality.