Benefits and Payroll Specialist

About 3E: 3E is a mission-driven company dedicated to creating a safer and more sustainable world. We offer award-winning regulatory intelligence and AI solutions to help organizations protect people and products. With over 35 years of experience and a global presence, we empower our customers with innovative compliance solutions. You will get to work at a company that combines startup agility with the stability of an industry leader. Partner with enterprise customers and global experts to advance environmental safety and solve complex data science challenges. Join us and make an impact! About the Role As a Benefits & Payroll Specialist at 3E, you’ll play an important role in delivering accurate, reliable payroll and benefits experiences for our employees while helping strengthen the processes behind them. You’ll take hands‑on ownership of the day‑to‑day administration of our U.S. benefits programs and play a key role in supporting accurate U.S. multi‑state and Canadian payroll. Working closely with HR, Finance, employees, and external partners, you’ll manage critical processes, resolve issues, and help ensure our programs operate accurately and compliantly. Our payroll is processed through an external partner, but this is not a hands‑off vendor management role. You’ll understand what needs to happen before payroll runs, carefully review results afterward, validate changes and deductions, and investigate discrepancies when something doesn’t look right. On the benefits side, we’re looking for someone who brings meaningful, hands‑on experience across the full administration cycle, from everyday employee questions and benefit changes to bill reconciliations, 401(k) administration, annual testing and audits, renewals, and open enrollment. Your experience will help you recognize common issues, determine what needs investigation, and work with the right partners to reach a resolution. You’ll also have the opportunity to improve how the work gets done. Whether that means strengthening reports, simplifying reconciliations, improving documentation, or using technology to make a process more efficient, you’ll be encouraged to look critically at existing ways of working and identify practical improvements. This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys being close to the work, takes ownership of the details, and wants to make payroll and benefits operations work better. What You’ll Do Benefits Administration Own day‑to‑day administration of U.S. benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, 401(k), and other benefit programs. Manage enrollments, changes, and carrier bill reconciliations, investigating discrepancies through resolution. Administer the U.S. 401(k) plan, including employee inquiries, recordkeeper coordination, annual testing, and audit support. Support benefits renewals and open enrollment, U.S. leave programs, and workers’ compensation administration. Payroll Administration Partner with our payroll provider to support accurate U.S. multi‑state and Canadian payroll. Review payroll inputs, reports, deductions, and outputs each cycle, identifying and resolving discrepancies. Coordinate state and provincial registrations and tax setup and support year-end payroll activities, reconciliations, audits, and regulatory filings. Compliance & Employee Support Serve as a primary contact for payroll and benefits vendors, owning questions and issues through resolution. Manage recurring compliance activities related to ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA reporting, and wage and hour requirements. Provide responsive, high-quality employee support through 3E’s HR Assist ticketing system. Process Improvement & Partnership Partner across HR and Finance to maintain accurate employee data, payroll inputs, benefit deductions, and supporting documentation. Maintain SOPs and internal controls that support accurate and consistent operations. Identify practical ways to improve reporting, reconciliations, processes, and systems for greater accuracy, efficiency, and scalability. Support additional HR operations or generalist activities as needed. What Makes You a Great Fit Required 5+ years of HR experience with a strong focus on U.S. benefits, payroll, and compliance. 4+ years of hands‑on U.S. benefits administration, including 401(k) plans. 3+ years of U.S. multi‑state payroll experience. Working knowledge of U.S. payroll, benefits, and leave regulations. Experience managing vendor relationships. Strong attention to detail, accountability, and independent problem‑solving skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment. Clear written and verbal communication skills. Adaptability and comfort working with evolving processes and systems. Based in the US in one of the states where 3E is authorized to hire, and eligible to work without sponsorship. Preferred Canadian payroll experience. Experience supporting employees through an HR ticketing or case management system. Experience working remotely on a distributed team. Familiarity with UKG or similar HRIS/payroll platforms. Experience with compliance reporting or audits, such as ACA, EEO, or AAP. Interest or experience with automation, AI-enabled tools, or process optimization. Our US Benefits Include: Health, dental, and vision insurance Life insurance and disability coverage Open PTO and parental leave 401(k) plan with company matching Employee assistance program Voluntary supplemental benefits (Accident, Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness) 3E is currently authorized to hire in the following U.S. states: Alabama, Arizona, California (excluding Los Angeles), Colorado (excluding Denver), Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois (excluding Chicago), Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York (excluding New York City), North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. Disclosures: 3E is committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. 3E is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on any legally protected categories. For applicants who would like to request accommodation, please contact us here Visit our Website or follow us on LinkedIn Privacy Policy and Candidate Privacy Notice Agencies: 3E is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at 3E via email, the Internet, or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of 3E. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by 3E because of the referral or through other means. #J-18808-Ljbffr 3e group