Payroll Specialist

Pay Rate Low: 85000 | Pay Rate High: 100000 Our client is a growing nutraceutical company seeking an experienced Payroll Specialist to manage end-to-end payroll operations. This role is responsible for ensuring the accurate and timely processing of payroll while maintaining compliance with all federal, state, and local payroll regulations. Title: Payroll Specialist Location: Tustin, CA (Hybrid – 2-3 days onsite per week) Employment Type: Direct Hire Salary: $85,000-$95,000 annually (Plus 5% bonus) The Payroll Specialist is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of multi-state payroll while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. This role supports payroll operations for a publicly traded company by maintaining payroll records, processing employee transactions, ensuring SOX-compliant controls are followed, and partnering with Human Resources, Finance, and Accounting to deliver accurate payroll results. Key Responsibilities Process bi-weekly, semi-monthly, or weekly payroll accurately and on schedule. Review and validate employee data, including new hires, terminations, pay changes, benefits, deductions, garnishments, and tax withholdings. Maintain payroll records and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations. Reconcile payroll registers, taxes, benefit deductions, and general ledger payroll accounts. Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end payroll activities, including W-2 preparation and payroll tax reporting. Respond to employee payroll inquiries in a timely and professional manner. Ensure payroll processes comply with SOX internal controls and company policies. Assist with internal and external audits by preparing payroll documentation and supporting schedules. Partner with Human Resources, Finance, and Accounting to ensure accurate payroll and financial reporting. Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, efficiency, and data accuracy. Maintain confidentiality of sensitive employee and payroll information. Qualifications Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field preferred. 2–4 years of payroll processing experience, preferably in a publicly traded or multi-state environment. Working knowledge of payroll tax laws, wage and hour regulations, and payroll best practices. Experience with payroll systems (e.g., ADP, Workday, UKG, Ceridian, or similar). Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including formulas, lookups, and data reconciliation. Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills. Excellent attention to detail with the ability to meet strict deadlines. Effective written and verbal communication skills. Preferred Qualifications Experience supporting payroll for a publicly traded company. Familiarity with SOX compliance and internal control requirements. Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification is a plus. Experience processing multi-state payroll for a large employee population #J-18808-Ljbffr