Payroll and Benefits Specialist

Position Summary: The Payroll and Benefits Specialist is responsible for the accurate, timely, and compliant processing of company payroll and the day-to-day administration of team member benefit programs across Denton Floyd Real Estate Group and its divisions. This role serves as the team members’ primary point of contact for payroll and benefits questions, partners closely with HR, Accounting/Finance, and outside vendors, and helps ensure that pay and benefits practices comply with all applicable federal, state, and local requirements. Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Execute end-to-end processing of bi-weekly/monthly payroll, including calculating wages, overtime, deductions, bonuses, and tax withholdings. Maintain payroll system data, including new hires, terminations, pay changes, tax withholding elections, direct deposit setup, and garnishments. Reconcile payroll registers, tax filings, and general ledger postings each pay period; research and resolve discrepancies in partnership with Accounting/Finance. Administer team member benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and voluntary benefits, for all company plans. Manage benefits enrollment, life-event changes, COBRA administration, and annual open enrollment, serving as the primary liaison with brokers, carriers, and third-party administrators. Ensure payroll and benefits practices comply with federal, state, and local wage-and-hour, tax, and benefits regulations (e.g., FLSA, ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA). Prepare and support required filings and reporting, including 401(k) contributions/testing support, ACA reporting, workers' compensation audits, and census data requests. Respond to team member inquiries regarding pay, deductions, leave balances, and benefits eligibility with a high level of accuracy and confidentiality. Maintain accurate, well-organized payroll and benefits records in compliance with company policy and applicable record-keeping requirements. Support internal and external audits related to payroll, benefits, and workers' compensation. Identify and recommend process improvements and system efficiencies, particularly within Paylocity or other HRIS/payroll platforms. Partner with HR and Accounting/Finance leadership on special projects such as benefits plan renewals, system implementations, and compensation studies. Other duties as assigned by management. Maintain accurate employee records within theHuman Resources Information System (HRIS). Audit timesheets, leave balances, and benefit deductions regularly. Employee Support:Serve as the primary point of contact for employee inquiries regarding pay discrepancies, tax forms, insurance claims, and leave policies. Offboarding & Leaves:Process final paychecks, calculate severance, and administer COBRA enrollments. Track and manage short-term disability and FMLA leaves. Required: Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience processing payroll and administering team member benefits, ideally in a multi-entity or multi-location environment. Experience processing payroll for 200 - 2000 or more team members across multiple divisions or entities. Working knowledge of payroll tax rules, wage-and-hour law, and benefits compliance requirements (FLSA, ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA). Demonstrated experience administering both self-funded and fully insured benefit plans. Strong proficiency with payroll/HRIS systems; hands-on experience with Paylocity strongly preferred. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and general office software. High degree of accuracy, attention to detail, and discretion when handling confidential team member and financial information. Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines across pay cycles and benefits events. Excellent communication skills and a customer-service orientation toward team members at all levels. Preferred: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience). Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation. Experience with Paylocity would be a highly preferred. Experience supporting payroll and benefits across real estate, property management, construction, or multifamily/senior living operations. #J-18808-Ljbffr