Senior Payroll Specialist

Company Description Excel Hotel Group is a fully integrated hotel ownership, management, and development company experiencing significant growth in the hospitality industry. The organization is known for creating value through expert renovation, rebranding, and repositioning of hotel properties, delivering superior quality and service as its standard. Associates are at the core of the company’s success, working together to achieve industry-leading guest satisfaction, operating results, and profit margins. Excel Hotel Group promotes creativity, dedication, teamwork, integrity, and an entrepreneurial spirit, which define its corporate character. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, the company remains committed to hotel excellence and exceptional guest experiences.

JOB SUMMARY: The Corporate Payroll Manager is responsible for independently overseeing, analyzing, and administering payroll processes across all property entities to ensure timely and accurate compensation for all associates. This role involves interpreting and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, as well as company policies, while providing exceptional support and service to the General Manager and associates. The position requires the regular exercise of discretion and independent judgment in resolving complex payroll matters, developing workflow improvements, and advising management on payroll compliance and best practices.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Payroll Operations and Processing

· Oversee and manage the end-to-end payroll cycle for multiple property entities and associates, ensuring accuracy and adherence to deadlines.

· Review, analyze, and validate payroll data and system inputs, identifying discrepancies and determining appropriate corrective action; work closely with Accounting to resolve discrepancies.

· Maintain and update payroll records, including new hires, terminations, and changes in employee status or compensation.

· Manage and process payroll deductions, including benefits, taxes, and garnishments.

· Prepares and processes all manual payroll check requests.

· Maintain payroll inbox and answer employee questions in a timely manner.

· Facilitate associate record changes in the HRIS and ensure proper setup and assignment of documents.

· Effectively maintain all payroll documentation, ensuring adherence to company policy and applicable local, state, and federal laws.

· Serve as an escalation point for payroll discrepancies requiring independent judgment and interpretation of regulations.

Compliance, Audits & Regulatory Reporting

· Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations, as well as company policies and procedures.

· Provide guidance related to federal, state, and local payroll compliance, including tax withholding and garnishments.

· Conduct regular audits of payroll data to ensure accuracy and identify areas for improvement.

· Complete government and compliance-related reports as needed.

· Respond to government agency correspondence, compliance reporting, and requests for information in a timely and accurate manner.

· Prepare and distribute year-end W‑2s and W‑2cs ensuring compliance with applicable labor laws.

· Stay informed about industry trends and changes in payroll regulations to ensure ongoing compliance and best practices.

Payroll Systems, HRIS & Reporting

• Maintain accuracy of employee data in HRIS systems.
• Prepare and distribute payroll reports and summaries for management review, including the Payroll Scorecard.
• Complete annual reports including CA Fair Pay Data Reporting and EEO‑1 Reporting.
• Support system implementations, upgrades, and process improvements.
• Evaluate payroll processes, recommend workflow enhancements, and participate in payroll-related projects, including system upgrades or implementations.

Training, Support & Collaboration

• Collaborate with the HR department to resolve complex payroll-related issues and provide support for employee inquiries.
• Provide training and support to other HR/payroll associates and property leaders as needed (e.g., New GM Training).
• Identify recommendations to scale processes to enhance payroll operational efficiency, including the design and implementation of internal controls and maintenance of payroll policies and procedures.

Administrative & Organizational Responsibilities

• Promote a positive and professional work environment by reinforcing company values and culture.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Human Resources.

Qualifications

• Strong expertise in Payroll Administration and Payroll Processing, specifically California experience.
• Demonstrated experience with Payroll Taxes and working with external Payroll Services or payroll systems.
• Knowledge of Garnishments and other statutory deductions, with the ability to ensure compliant handling and documentation.
• Proficiency with payroll software (e.g., ADP, Paycom, or similar) and advanced skills in Excel and data reconciliation.
• Solid understanding of wage and hour laws, benefits-related payroll impacts, and general accounting principles.
• High attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and the ability to manage deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Effective communication and customer service skills, with the ability to support associates at all levels of the organization.
• Previous experience in hospitality or multi-unit operations preferred; associate or bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field is beneficial.