Payroll Specialist I

Job Description

Job Description

At ProService, payroll isn’t a back-office function — it’s the most visible promise we make to every employer we serve. When payroll runs right, clients feel it. When it doesn’t, they feel that too. The Payroll Specialist I is the first line of that trust, and the person who thrives here takes that responsibility personally.

This is a client-facing service role, not a processing position. You’ll own a portfolio of Hawaii-based businesses, serve as their primary payroll contact, and be expected to get the details right every cycle — while keeping clients informed, ahead of issues, and genuinely well-served.

IN THIS ROLE YOU WILL

• Process accurate, timely payroll for a portfolio of Hawaii-based clients across multiple cycles and pay frequencies.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for your client portfolio — responding to inquiries within 4 business hours and keeping clients informed throughout.
• Identify and resolve payroll discrepancies before they reach the client, maintaining a 99.5%+ accuracy rate.
• Manage competing priorities and strict deadlines across multiple client accounts simultaneously without sacrificing quality.
• Document cases clearly, meet SLA milestone targets, and maintain clean records across systems.
• Communicate complex payroll matters in plain, professional language that clients can act on.

IS THIS ROLE RIGHT FOR YOU?

This role moves fast and the margin for error is small. Payroll errors have real consequences for real people, and clients notice both when things go wrong and when they go right. The expectation is that you stay ahead of your queue, communicate before clients have to ask, and treat every payroll cycle as a commitment you personally stand behind.

Prior payroll experience isn’t required — what matters more is a track record of accuracy under pressure, comfort with financial transactions and compliance logic, and a genuine desire to learn a new domain at a high standard. If you’ve worked in banking, financial services, or any environment where precision and direct client accountability were daily expectations, this role could be the right fit.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE TEAM

We’re looking for someone with a strong service foundation, high personal accountability, and the organizational discipline to manage a busy client portfolio without things slipping. No prior payroll experience required — we’ll train you on the technical content.

You’re probably a fit if:

• You have a track record of accuracy in a fast-paced, client-facing or transactional role. Banking, financial services, benefits administration, or similar — you’ve worked somewhere that getting numbers right and keeping clients informed were non-negotiable daily expectations.
• You communicate proactively — before clients have to follow up. You don’t wait to be asked where things stand. A client told you they appreciated the heads-up before it became a problem.
• You manage competing priorities without losing track of the details. Multiple clients, multiple deadlines, multiple systems — you’ve stayed organized, worked ahead of due dates, and caught your own errors before they became someone else’s problem.
• You’re adaptable and pick up new systems quickly. You’ve worked across multiple platforms simultaneously and performed well before everything felt familiar.
• You take ownership of your results — the good ones and the ones that didn’t go as planned. You don’t pass problems along without trying to solve them first, and you can point to a specific time you caught a mistake and corrected it before it reached a client.

WORK LOCATION

Hawaii & US Mainland — Hybrid or Remote

We welcome applications from candidates based in Hawaii, who would work a hybrid schedule (in-office Tuesday–Thursday, with remote flexibility on Monday & Friday). We also welcome fully remote candidates based on the US Mainland within the following states: California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada. Remote candidates must be available during Hawaii Standard Time (HST / UTC-10) business hours.

In office (Hawaii): Tuesday – Thursday | Remote: Monday & Friday | Remote (Mainland): HST business hours required

COMPENSATION

The base compensation for this position is $20.00 – $25.00 per hour, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

At ProService, compensation is tied to performance. Strong results are recognized and rewarded, and there are clear paths to advance within the Payroll Specialist track and into senior client service, payroll operations, and team lead roles.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE PROSERVICE

ProService is a Hawaii-based PEO combining payroll, HR, and benefits expertise with purpose-built technology — all backed by the best local service in the islands. Backed by Silver Lake and recognized as one of Hawaii’s Best Places to Work for 20 consecutive years, we’re a team of high performers united by one mission: Empowering Employers to Succeed in Hawaii.

• A PROhana unlike any other. We assume the best in each other, give feedback focused on what’s right—not who’s right—and show up every day. This isn’t just a workplace. It’s a community.
• Do work that matters. You’ll see exactly how your contributions move the needle—meaningful problems, real decisions, and a seat at the table.
• Grow without a ceiling. Internal roles post first, and we reimburse certifications, conferences, and memberships. Your growth is our growth.
• Compete, collaborate, and win together. High expectations, real accountability, and a team of experts ready to help you push through any obstacle.
• Total rewards built around your whole life. Fully paid healthcare, 401(k) matching, paid parental leave, student loan assistance, employee assistance programs, and paid time off—just to name a few.