Senior Payroll Specialist

Position Summary

The Senior Payroll Specialist is responsible for processing and overseeing payroll operations for a multi-state workforce, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. This role serves as a subject matter expert for payroll processes, tax compliance, audits, reporting, and payroll system administration.

Key Responsibilities

• Process weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly payrolls for employees across multiple states.
• Review payroll data for accuracy, including hours worked, earnings, deductions, garnishments, bonuses, commissions, and benefit elections.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations.
• Reconcile payroll registers, tax filings, benefit deductions, and general ledger accounts.
• Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies, employee inquiries, and payroll-related issues.
• Manage payroll adjustments, off-cycle payments, retroactive pay, and final paychecks.
• Administer wage garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, and other involuntary deductions.
• Coordinate payroll-related activities for new hires, terminations, promotions, and employee status changes.
• Prepare and submit payroll tax filings and year-end reporting, including W-2s and other required documentation.
• Partner with HR, Benefits, Accounting, and Finance teams to ensure accurate employee and payroll data.
• Support internal and external audits by providing payroll records and documentation.
• Maintain payroll records in accordance with company policies and regulatory requirements.
• Generate payroll reports and analyze payroll metrics for management review.
• Assist with payroll system upgrades, implementations, testing, and process improvements.
• Train and mentor junior payroll staff and provide guidance on payroll best practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of payroll processing experience, including multi-state payroll administration.
• Strong knowledge of payroll laws, tax regulations, wage and hour requirements, and compliance standards.
• Experience with payroll systems such as ADP Workforce Now, ADP Vantage, UKG/Kronos, Workday, Ceridian Dayforce, or SAP SuccessFactors.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs, and data analysis.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage confidential information.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills.