Senior Payroll Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

N A R A H O T E L S

Hotel Operations | Greater Los Angeles / Orange County, CA | Full-Time, Exempt

ABOUT NARA HOTELS

Nara Hotels is a family-owned hotel investment and management company based in Southern California. Our portfolio spans branded select-service and extended-stay hotels across the Los Angeles and Anaheim resort

markets, operating under Hyatt, Hilton, and IHG flags, with continued growth underway through acquisition. We pair an owner-operator’s attention to detail with institutional discipline: a lean corporate structure, direct access

to decision-makers, and accountability for real results.

Senior Payroll Specialist - On-site position — not eligible for remote work.

Position Summary

The Senior Payroll Specialist is responsible for managing and processing payroll accurately and efficiently while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations. This role serves as a key resource for payroll-related questions, resolves complex payroll issues, and supports accurate financial and employee records.

Key Responsibilities

• Process semi-monthly payroll for employees accurately and on time.
• Review payroll data, timekeeping records, deductions, benefits, bonuses, commissions, and other compensation components.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax laws and regulations.
• Prepare and reconcile payroll reports, general ledger entries, and payroll-related accounts.
• Coordinate payroll tax filings, payments, and year-end reporting, including W-2s and other required forms.
• Research and resolve payroll discrepancies and employee inquiries in a timely manner.
• Maintain accurate and confidential payroll records.
• Partner with Human Resources, Finance, Benefits, and other departments to resolve payroll and employee-data issues.
• Assist with payroll system implementations, upgrades, testing, and process improvements.
• Monitor changes in payroll legislation and recommend updates to payroll processes.
• Support audits by providing payroll documentation and responding to requests for information.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll accuracy, efficiency, controls, and reporting.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of payroll processing experience, preferably in a high-volume.
• Strong knowledge of payroll practices, wage and hour regulations, and payroll taxes.
• Experience with payroll systems such as ADP preferred.
• Strong Excel skills, including formulas, pivot tables, and data reconciliation.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to handle confidential employee and compensation information professionally.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities independently.

Key Competencies

• Payroll compliance
• Payroll reconciliation
• Tax and regulatory knowledge
• Data analysis
• Problem solving
• Process improvement
• Attention to detail
• Confidentiality
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Time management