Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

PAYROLL & BENEFITS SPECIALIST

Department: People Operations
Reports To: VP; People
FLSA Status: Exempt
Compensation Range: $65,000–$75,000

Midway Specialty Care is a nonprofit healthcare organization committed to providing high-quality, compassionate, and accessible care to the communities we serve. Through our growing network of locations and dedicated healthcare professionals, we work to create an environment where patients receive exceptional care and employees are empowered to make a meaningful difference.

Our continued growth depends on talented people who share our commitment to service, collaboration, accountability, and excellence. At Midway, every role contributes to our ability to strengthen our organization, support our teams, and deliver an exceptional experience for the patients and communities who depend on us.

Few things affect the employee experience more directly than being paid correctly and understanding your benefits. The Payroll & Benefits Specialist (PBS) helps ensure both happen accurately, consistently, timely, and with care.

This role coordinates the day-to-day administration of payroll and employee benefit programs while serving as an important connection among employees, the People Operations Team, Finance, payroll providers, benefit vendors, and external partners.

Coordinate Payroll Administration

• Coordinate and process payroll accurately across two (2) entities of 160+ (and growing) employees within established payroll schedules.

• Review employee changes, deductions, time records, payroll data, and exceptions before processing.

• Research and resolve payroll discrepancies promptly.

• Maintain accurate payroll information within applicable systems.

• Coordinate payroll-related employee changes with the People Operations Team.

• Support payroll adjustments, final pay, and other payroll transactions.

• Maintain appropriate payroll records and documentation.

• Monitor established payroll controls and deadlines.

Administer Employee Benefits

• Coordinate employee benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, changes, and terminations.

• Support annual benefits open enrollment activities and employee communications.

• Serve as a knowledgeable resource for routine employee benefit questions.

• Coordinate with benefit brokers, carriers, and other benefit partners.

• Maintain accurate benefit elections and employee information.

• Support benefit reconciliation and identify discrepancies requiring correction.

• Support the payroll and benefits components of employee leave and accommodation processes in coordination with the Regional People Operations Generalist, VP; People, and applicable manager.

Support the Employee Lifecycle & Shared Services Model

• Serve as the functional owner for payroll and benefits activities throughout the employee lifecycle, including new-hire setup, employee changes, benefit events, payroll-impacting transactions, and separation-related processing.

• Partner with the People Operations Administrator, Regional People Operations Generalist, Talent Acquisition Specialist, and VP; People to ensure timely and accurate handoffs across the employee lifecycle.

• Manage and monitor the Payroll & Benefits shared inbox as the primary communication channel for payroll and benefits requests, maintaining appropriate visibility, documentation, follow-through, and continuity of service.

• Respond to assigned employee and manager inquiries through established shared communication channels while providing personalized, knowledgeable, and responsive support.

• Maintain appropriate tracking of open requests and ensure matters are followed through to resolution or appropriately transferred to another People Operations team member.

• Provide cross-functional support and appropriate workflow continuity during team member absences, transitions, or other coverage needs, consistent with role responsibilities and access permissions.

• Ensure approved employee changes affecting payroll or benefits are accurately processed following appropriate People Operations and management authorization.

• Support the continued development of standardized, scalable, and employee-centered People Operations workflows.

Reconcile, Report & Improve

• Reconcile payroll and benefit information and promptly research discrepancies.

• Partner closely with Finance regarding payroll reconciliation and reporting.

• Support payroll and benefits audits and information requests.

• Maintain required payroll and benefits documentation and records.

• Monitor relevant payroll and benefits compliance requirements and deadlines.

• Develop and maintain applicable payroll and benefits procedures and process documentation.

• Identify opportunities to standardize, streamline, or automate payroll and benefit workflows.

• Maintain appropriate confidentiality of employee compensation, benefits, and personal information.

• 5+ years of payroll administration experience.

• Benefits administration experience strongly preferred.

• Strong numerical accuracy and exceptional attention to detail.

• Experience working with payroll, HRIS, and benefits systems.

• Strong reconciliation, research, and problem-solving capability.

• Ability to manage recurring deadlines without sacrificing accuracy.

• Strong customer-service and communication skills.

• Ability to handle sensitive employee and compensation information with discretion and confidentiality.

• Ability to work collaboratively with People Operations, Finance, employees, and external vendors.

• Healthcare or multi-location, multi-entity experience.

• Experience administering payroll and benefits across multiple locations and entities across a large population of hourly and salaried employees.

• FPC, CPP, CEBS, or related professional credentials.

• Experience improving or automating payroll and benefit workflows.

• Experience supporting payroll audits and benefits reconciliations.

• Employee-Centered Service: D emonstrates a responsive, respectful, and solutions-oriented approach while balancing employee needs with organizational policies, processes, and business requirements.

• Collaboration & Shared Accountability: Works effectively across the People Operations Team and broader organization, recognizing that successful employee lifecycle outcomes depend on coordinated ownership, clear handoffs, and collective accountability.

• Communication: Communicates clearly, professionally, and appropriately with employees, managers, leaders, candidates, vendors, and team members across written and verbal channels.

• Judgment & Problem Solving: Uses sound judgment to assess situations, identify appropriate next steps, resolve routine issues, and recognize when matters require consultation or escalation.

• Confidentiality & Professional Integrity: Handles employee, payroll, benefits, candidate, organizational, and other sensitive information with discretion, professionalism, and appropriate confidentiality.

• Accuracy & Attention to Detail: Produces accurate, complete, and timely work while maintaining reliable records, documentation, and data.

• Ownership & Follow-Through: Takes responsibility for assigned work from receipt through appropriate resolution, communicates status when needed, and ensures responsibilities do not stall between functional handoffs.

• Adaptability & Agility: Responds effectively to changing priorities, evolving processes, organizational growth, technology changes, and emerging business needs.

• Process & Continuous Improvement: Identifies opportunities to improve workflows, reduce unnecessary manual work, strengthen consistency, and contribute to scalable People Operations practices.

• Technology & Data Fluency: Effectively uses People Operations technology, shared systems, reporting tools, and data to support accurate administration, informed decision-making, and efficient service delivery.

Payroll is accurate and timely, benefit transactions are processed correctly, discrepancies are identified and resolved quickly, employee questions receive responsive support, and payroll and benefits records consistently reconcile.

Employees trust the processes supporting their pay and benefits, while Finance and People Operations have reliable information and clearly defined workflows.

• Competitive Salary – Commensurate with experience - with a pay-for-performance bonus opportunity.

• Comprehensive Benefits Package

• 401(k) – Invest in your future with our retirement plan.

• Paid Time Off

• Professional Growth – Opportunities for training, mentorship, and leadership development.

At Midway Specialty Care, every role contributes to something bigger: helping patients access compassionate, high-quality specialty care and supporting the teams who make that care possible.

We are building an organization where talented people can do meaningful work, grow professionally, and help strengthen the experience of our patients, employees, and communities. If you are looking for an opportunity to bring your expertise to a growing healthcare organization where your contributions matter, we invite you to join us.

Ready to make an impact? Apply today and help us continue building stronger teams, better experiences, and exceptional care for the communities we serve.

Midway Specialty Care is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We provide reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

Midway Specialty Care participates in E-Verify to confirm employment authorization in the United States for all newly hired employees.

This job description is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, or working conditions associated with this position. While intended to provide an accurate reflection of the current role, Midway Specialty Care reserves the right to review, modify, add, remove, or reassign duties and responsibilities as needed to support organizational, operational, staffing, or business goals. Job descriptions may be reviewed and updated periodically. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.

MIDWAY SPECIALTY CARE IS A DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE.