Payroll Specialist

Payroll Specialist About the Opportunity We are seeking a Payroll Specialist to join our team in the Santa Monica area on a temp-to-hire basis. This is a great opportunity for a payroll professional who enjoys a hands-on role and is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate will have experience processing payroll from start to finish, strong attention to detail, and the ability to research and resolve payroll discrepancies independently. Responsibilities Process full-cycle payroll accurately and timely for employees Review and audit timesheets, timecards, and payroll data prior to processing Calculate regular wages, overtime, bonuses, commissions, retroactive pay, and other adjustments Process employee changes including new hires, terminations, transfers, and pay-rate changes Review and reconcile payroll reports to ensure accuracy Research and resolve payroll discrepancies and employee questions Process payroll deductions, garnishments, benefits, and other adjustments Ensure payroll is processed in compliance with company policies and applicable regulations Maintain accurate and confidential payroll records Assist with payroll-related reporting and reconciliations Partner with HR and other internal teams to resolve payroll and employee data issues Support year-end payroll activities, including W-2 preparation and reconciliation Assist with other payroll and accounting-related projects as needed Qualifications 3 years of payroll experience, preferably in a high-volume environment Experience processing full-cycle payroll Strong knowledge of payroll processes, deductions, overtime, garnishments, and payroll adjustments Experience working with an HRIS/payroll system such as ADP, Paycom, Paylocity, Workday, UKG, Rippling, or similar Strong Excel skills, including sorting, filtering, formulas, and basic reconciliations Excellent attention to detail and accuracy Strong organizational and time-management skills Ability to maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive employee information Strong communication and problem-solving skills Ability to commute to Santa Monica Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate is someone who can hit the ground running, take ownership of payroll responsibilities, and confidently identify and resolve discrepancies. Experience with payroll audits, retro pay calculations, garnishments, and employee changes is highly preferred. Temp-to-Hire Opportunity: This position is intended to transition to a permanent role for the right candidate based on performance and business needs. By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. EEO Notice Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law. Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io . Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal. Representation Notice By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal. For residents of Ontario, Canada: Based on Highspring’s discussions with its Client, Highspring’s understanding is that this position for employment is a current vacancy (either through Highspring as a contractor or with the client directly). Privacy Notice Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” or “Vaco by Highspring”) respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies. California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here. Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here. Residents of all other states may access our policies here. Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here. Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here. Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring’s use of AI can be found here ( Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client’s use of AI products in hiring. Pay Transparency Notice Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to: the individual’s skill sets, experience and training; licensure and certification requirements; office location and other geographic considerations; other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.aa415a4b-8b21-40fc-a65c-70d2b25ca29a