Payroll Specialist

Payroll Specialist

The Payroll Specialist administers and oversees one or more payrolls in a high-volume, multi-entity, multi-state environment. This role ensures accurate and timely payroll processing, maintains payroll-related accounts within a complex accounting system, and supports executive compensation in partnership with the compensation team. The Payroll Specialist also manages 401(k) plan contributions and disbursements, prepares accounting schedules and reconciliations, and serves as a key resource for payroll policy information and employee inquiries. In addition, this position contributes to process improvements, performance standards, and financial controls for the payroll function while leveraging Workday as the core payroll platform.

Responsibilities

• Administer and process one or more high-volume payrolls, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with applicable regulations.
• Maintain payroll records and documentation, including voluntary deduction reports and tax-related filings.
• Process involuntary deductions such as levies and garnishments in accordance with legal requirements and company policies.
• Prepare accounting transactions, documents, schedules, exhibits, and summaries related to payroll activity.
• Reconcile payroll general ledger accounts to payroll control documents and ensure the accuracy of payroll-related accounts in a complex accounting system.
• Administer 401(k) plan contributions and disbursements, ensuring correct setup, processing, and reporting.
• Determine the need for new accounts or revisions to the payroll account structure to support evolving business and reporting requirements.
• Ensure accuracy and manage executive compensation transactions in partnership with the compensation team.
• Research and advise payroll staff on the appropriate accounting treatment of complex payroll transactions.
• Provide policy information and employee-specific payroll data to employees, managers, and internal stakeholders in a customer service capacity.
• Perform periodic internal audits of payroll processes and records, and prepare materials and documentation for internal or external audits as needed.
• Conduct training and education sessions for payroll staff, employees, and managers in both formal and informal settings.
• Collaborate with internal department representatives to resolve payroll issues and ensure clarity in processes and data exchanges.
• Contribute to setting performance standards, financial controls, and operational processes for the payroll group.
• Recommend and implement process improvements to increase efficiency, enhance accuracy, and improve the overall customer experience.
• Monitor industry trends, products, and information related to payroll and recommend enhancements or improvements to departmental practices.
• Provide input, evaluation, and performance assessment of other payroll staff as part of ongoing team development.
• Administer the company's payroll system, including Workday, and manage associated interfaces, data feeds, and connections to other critical systems to support accurate payroll processing and reporting.
• Ensure alignment with and ability to perform all duties of a Payroll Analyst as business needs and workload dictate.

Essential Skills

• At least 1 year of payroll experience in a professional setting.
• Hands-on Workday payroll experience in a production environment (Workday experience is required).
• Demonstrated ability to process high-volume payrolls (1,000+ employees).
• Experience working with multi-entity payroll structures.
• Experience processing payroll across multiple states and understanding multistate payroll requirements.
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax principles and compliance.
• Ability to reconcile payroll general ledger accounts and work within a complex accounting system.
• Experience administering payroll systems and managing interfaces and data feeds to other systems.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in handling payroll transactions, deductions, and reconciliations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for addressing complex payroll and accounting issues.
• Effective communication skills for providing policy information and guidance to employees and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to conduct training and education sessions related to payroll processes and systems.
• Customer service orientation with the ability to respond to employee and manager inquiries professionally and promptly.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with payroll tax reporting and filing across multiple jurisdictions.
• Familiarity with multistate payroll regulations and compliance requirements.
• Experience managing executive compensation transactions in coordination with compensation teams.
• Background in administering 401(k) plan contributions and disbursements.
• Experience performing internal audits of payroll processes and preparing materials for internal or external auditors.
• Ability to contribute to the development of performance standards, financial controls, and process documentation for payroll operations.
• Experience recommending and implementing process improvements to enhance efficiency and customer experience.
• Knowledge of industry trends and best practices in payroll administration and systems.
• Experience providing performance input and assessment for other payroll staff.
• ADP Smart Compliance experience is a plus.
• Comfort working in a remote environment using collaboration tools and payroll systems.

Work Environment

This role operates in a fully remote work environment, aligned to Pacific Time hours, typically 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Payroll Specialist works extensively with Workday as the primary payroll system and uses associated interfaces and data feeds to connect with other critical business systems. The position involves regular collaboration with internal departments through virtual communication tools, as well as frequent use of accounting and reporting applications to manage payroll-related accounts and reconciliations. The work focuses on high-volume, multi-entity, and multistate payroll processing, requiring sustained attention to detail and adherence to established controls and processes in a structured yet flexible remote setting.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Portland, OR.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $22.00 - $25.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)