Payroll and Benefits Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Position Overview

A growing consumer-focused organization is seeking a detail-driven Payroll & Benefits Specialist to support core people operations. This position will oversee recurring payroll activities, employee benefits, retirement plan administration, leave coordination, HR data integrity, and compliance-related processes. The role works closely with HR leadership, Finance, employees, technology providers, benefits partners, and other external vendors.

The successful candidate will be comfortable owning operational processes end to end, reviewing data for accuracy, resolving discrepancies, and providing responsive employee support. This role is well suited for someone who can balance detailed administrative work with cross-functional coordination in a fast-moving environment.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Operations

• Own recurring payroll administration through the company’s HR and payroll platform, with a focus on accuracy and timely completion.
• Process employee changes such as hires, departures, salary updates, incentive payments, deductions, reimbursements, and other payroll inputs in coordination with Finance.
• Validate payroll reports and employee data before processing, investigating and correcting inconsistencies as needed.
• Support year-end payroll requirements, tax-related documentation, garnishments, reporting, and other payroll compliance activities.
• Work with internal partners and external payroll/HRIS support teams to address payroll questions and system issues.

Benefits & Retirement Plan Administration

• Coordinate day-to-day administration of employer-sponsored health and welfare programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage.
• Support benefits activity across the employee lifecycle, including new-hire elections, qualifying events, terminations, and employee inquiries.
• Partner with the benefits broker, carriers, HR technology vendors, and employees to keep eligibility and enrollment records aligned and resolve coverage issues.
• Help lead annual renewal and open enrollment activities, including system preparation, employee communications, enrollment assistance, audits, and reconciliation.
• Administer the company retirement savings plan, including eligibility, enrollment activity, contribution updates, employee questions, and routine plan support.
• Reconcile retirement contributions between payroll/HR systems and the plan administrator to support accurate and timely funding.

Leave Administration

• Coordinate employee leaves, including federal, state, parental, disability, and personal leave programs, while maintaining required documentation and timelines.
• Track leave milestones, documentation, status changes, and return-to-work dates to ensure records remain current.
• Coordinate leave-related changes across payroll, benefits, HR systems, and external carriers so pay, deductions, coverage, and employee information stay aligned.
• Act as the day-to-day contact for routine leave questions and partner with HR leadership on more complex leave or accommodation matters.

HR Operations, Audits & Compliance

• Perform recurring payroll and HR data reviews covering compensation, paid time off, benefits, employment status, and other employee records.
• Maintain accurate employee information and process documentation across HR, payroll, retirement, benefits, and internal recordkeeping systems.
• Investigate mismatches between systems and coordinate with internal teams or vendors to correct data and strengthen process accuracy.
• Ensure onboarding, offboarding, and employee changes are reflected correctly and on schedule across relevant HR and benefits systems.
• Assist with updates to employee policies, handbook materials, and HR procedures in partnership with HR leadership.
• Support compliance and external administrative requests such as employment verifications, unemployment matters, workers’ compensation, required reporting, and benefits or retirement plan audits.
• Document recurring workflows and identify opportunities to simplify, improve, or automate HR operational processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, or a related discipline preferred.
• At least 4 years of HR operations experience with meaningful responsibility for payroll, benefits, and related people processes.
• Working knowledge of employment regulations, payroll requirements, and HR compliance at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Hands-on experience supporting employee benefits, retirement plans, leave administration, and employee lifecycle processes.
• Experience managing full-cycle payroll processing.
• Experience working across HRIS, payroll, benefits, and vendor platforms; TriNet experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated ability to reconcile information, identify errors, and resolve employee or system issues.
• Ability to organize projects, timelines, and deliverables using common project-management tools.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work effectively with employees, internal stakeholders, and external partners.
• High attention to detail and sound judgment when handling confidential employee information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and comfort using modern productivity and AI-assisted tools.
• Self-directed working style with strong ownership, accountability, and collaboration skills.