Payroll Specialist

Payroll Specialist

Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets for a secure, resilient future. With a focus on national security and economic resiliency, we serve critical industries such as defense, aerospace, and automotive powering a high-technology future. Vulcan Elements is building a team of ambitious professionals committed to our core values of being Mission-Focused, having Technical Excellence and Integrity. The Payroll Specialist will be responsible for processing accurate and timely payroll for Vulcan Elements employees, including calculating wages, overtime, deductions, and tax withholdings in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. They'll maintain payroll records, resolve discrepancies, and serve as a point of contact for employee questions regarding pay, benefits deductions, and related policies. As Vulcan scales its workforce across sites like Durham and the new Benson facility, this role will also help ensure payroll systems and processes stay accurate and compliant through that growth. This role will be located at our Durham, NC location and will move to the Benson, NC office when open and operational.

Responsibilities

• Verify employee timesheets are approved by managers to confirm hours worked and ensure accuracy before processing
• Calculate wages, overtime, and bonuses in accordance with company policy and applicable labor laws using systems such as Rippling, ADP, or QuickBooks Payroll
• Process payroll using systems such as ADP, Rippling, or QuickBooks Payroll, including off cycle runs for corrections or urgent adjustments
• Enter and maintain data related to benefits deductions, tax withholdings, and direct deposit preferences
• Confirm accuracy of new hires in the payroll system and assist with terminations, ensuring final paychecks comply with state-specific deadlines
• Maintain organized, audit-ready records of payroll transactions and employee compensation history
• Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies, errors, and employee inquiries in a timely and professional manner
• Ensure ongoing compliance with federal, state, and local wage, hour, and payroll tax laws, updating systems and processes as regulations change
• Process wage garnishments, tax levies, and other court-ordered deductions accurately and confidentially
• Prepare and file payroll tax reports (e.g., Form 941, state unemployment, W-2s, 1099s) and reconcile payroll tax liabilities using systems such as Rippling, ADP, or QuickBooks payroll
• Reconcile payroll data with the general ledger and support Finance/Accounting during month-end close
• Partner with the People Partner to track and audit PTO and leave accruals (vacation, sick, FMLA) to ensure accurate employee balances
• Support payroll system upgrades, integrations, and internal or external audits
• Generate payroll reports for management, including labor costs, headcount, and overtime trends, to support budgeting and workforce decisions

Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business

Qualifications

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field (or equivalent work experience)
• 3+ years of experience processing payroll, preferably in a multi-state or high-volume environment
• Hands-on experience with payroll software (ADP, Rippling, QuickBooks Payroll, or similar)
• Working knowledge of wage and hour laws, tax withholding requirements, and garnishment procedures
• Experience with payroll tax filings and general ledger reconciliation preferred
• Strong proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets for reconciliation and reporting
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to handle confidential information with discretion
• Strong communication skills to resolve employee payroll questions clearly and professionally

Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) designation a plus, but not required
• International payroll experience (e.g., managing payroll across multiple countries, currencies, or working with global EOR/PEO providers) a plus