Payroll Specialist

About our family of companies:

We are on a mission to bring learning to life ! At our family of companies, Learning Resources® , Educational Insights , and hand2mind , we create a unique range of toys, educational products, and supplemental curriculum trusted by teachers and loved by families alike. At Voted among the Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces for five consecutive years, we are a 500+ person strong, family-owned global organization dedicated to helping kids succeed in school and develop a love of learning. In addition to high-quality, hands-on products like VersaTiles® and Cuisenaire® Rods, we make award-winning toys, including top sellers such as the Pretend & Play® Cash Register, the Farmer's Market Color Sorting Set and Toy of the Year winner Botley® the Coding Robot as well as Educational Insights top sellers Kanoodle®, GeoSafari® Jr. series, and Playfoam™. We pride ourselves on being committed to our employee's personal and professional development, a thriving culture, and a diverse, creative atmosphere. Along with our culture and competitive benefits package, we offer a variety of opportunities for training and development. We are looking for professionals who are truly just kids at heart! We hope you will join our award-winning team today!


Team & Position Description:

We're looking for a Payroll Specialist who's excited to take ownership, make an impact, and help shape a best-in-class payroll experience for our employees. In this role, you'll be a trusted partner to HR and Finance, ensuring accurate payroll processing, maintaining compliance, and contributing to the systems and processes that keep our business running smoothly. If you're someone who loves details, thrives on responsibility, and enjoys improving processes-not just following them-this is a fantastic opportunity to grow and make your mark.

You will join a collaborative payroll team that values precision, problem-solving, and continuous improvement. Reporting to the Payroll & Compensation Manager, you'll own key aspects of payroll operations, support compliance activities, and contribute to cross-functional initiatives that enhance our systems and employee experience.

What you'll do day to day:
• Process multi-state, bi-weekly payroll for exempt, non-exempt, and hourly employees, including off-cycle payments
• Audit and validate payroll data in ADP and resolve discrepancies across payroll, benefits, and 401(k)
• Prepare compensation change communications (promotions, market adjustments letters)
• Ensure accurate payroll validation and reconciliation for every cycle. Reconcile payroll registers, deductions, and general ledger entries; prepare journal entries
• Administer and monitor the corporate credit card program with full policy compliance
• Assist with commercial insurance audits and maintain Certificates of Insurance (COIs)
• Support payroll filings, compliance requirements, and internal/external audits
• Respond to employee payroll inquiries with professionalism and accuracy
• Ad hoc projects and analysis as needed.

What we're looking for (Key Performance Objectives):

• Within 60 Days
  1. Complete onboarding and ADP training (including wage garnishments and tax notices)
  2. Successfully process two payroll cycles with an error rate below 0.5%
  3. Build strong working relationships with HR and Finance partners
• Within 90 Days
  1. Take ownership of the full payroll cycle with on-time submission and error rate below 0.5%
  2. Contribute to at least one process improvement project
  3. Ensure compliance with the corporate credit card program
• Within 1 Year
  1. Contribute to at least two cross-functional projects focused on improvement, compliance, or system enhancements
  2. Maintain a payroll error rate below 0.5% across all payroll cycles
  3. Maintain accuracy in COI documentation and assist with audits.
  4. Provide consistent, reliable support for internal and external audits

Requirements/Ideal Attributes:

• Bachelor's in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or equivalent experience
• 2-3 years of payroll processing experience (manufacturing/industrial preferred)
• Proficiency in ADP SmartCompliance
• Strong Excel skills (VLOOKUP, pivot tables, data analysis)
• CPP certification
• Multi-state payroll experience
• Experience with COI audits

We are a drug-free workplace and an EEO employer.

Please note : This role will be filled by our internal recruitment team, so no assistance is needed from any outside staffing agency at this time.

Compensation Range: $32.69 - $37.50 per hour - Actual compensation may vary due to other factors such as: years of experience, skill set and location. Total compensation includes profit sharing bonus potential, 401k matching, and a variety of other benefits (details can be found here).


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