Payroll Specialist

POSITION SUMMARY

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for accurately and efficiently processing employee payroll, ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. This role involves managing payroll data, calculating wages, deductions, and taxes, and providing excellent customer service to employees regarding payroll-related inquiries.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Payroll Processing:

• Collect and maintain employee payroll data, including hours worked, time off, and relevant changes (e.g., new hires, terminations, salary adjustments).
• Calculate employee salaries, wages, overtime, and commissions.
• Process payroll on a regular schedule, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Verify and reconcile payroll discrepancies and adjustments.
• Handle special payroll transactions such as bonuses, incentives, and deductions
• Prepares Audit Packages and related schedules for projects.

Tax Compliance:

• Calculate and withhold federal, state, and local taxes and other deductions (e.g., retirement contributions, healthcare premiums).
• Stay up-to-date with tax laws and regulations, making necessary adjustments to ensure compliance.
• Research and gather required documents to set up required tax accounts in new states where companies operate.
• Research payroll tax payments and data discrepancies with federal, state, and local agencies, and work with tax agencies as well as internal staff for resolution

Record-Keeping:

• Maintain accurate and confidential payroll records.
• Prepare relevant documents as necessary for distribution to employees.
• Download payroll reports for regular payroll runs and off-cycle payroll runs from the payroll system and save them in a specific payroll folder.
• Download Quarterly payroll tax reports from the payroll system and save them in a specific payroll folder.
• Update employee information in the payroll and project management systems.

Reporting:

• Generate regular payroll reports for management and finance teams.
• Assist in preparing financial statements and budget reports as needed.

Benefits Administration:

• Administer financial portions of employee benefits programs, including health insurance, retirement plans, and other voluntary deductions as part of coordination with Human Resources.
• Ensure that employee contributions and employer matches are accurately calculated and processed.
• Track PTO entries in the project management system and reconcile PTO entries in the payroll system after finishing the bi-weekly payroll run.
• Works and communicates with the HR/Benefits department concerning employee data information on new hires, termination, deductions, and any other HR/Benefits Schedules meeting.

Customer Service:

• Respond to employee inquiries regarding payroll, taxes, time entry, and benefit deductions.
• Assist employees with payroll-related issues, concerns, and discrepancies.
• Provide excellent customer service to maintain employee satisfaction.

Compliance and Auditing:

• Assist in ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws and regulations.
• Assist in internal and external audits related to payroll and benefits.
• Processes garnishments and communicates garnishment information to all parties.

Process Improvement:

• Continuously review and improve payroll processes for efficiency and accuracy.
• Implement best practices and stay current with industry standards.

Miscellaneous Duties:

• Provide employee pay rate information to the Senior Management Team for budgeting.
• Conducts payroll orientation to new hires regarding payroll procedures and policies, reporting hours on the timesheet, and completing necessary payroll forms.
• Prepare compensation plans for new hires at the direction of the HR department.
• Enter rate schedules in the project management system.

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE

• High School diploma with college coursework in Accounting or Finance is required.
• 1 to 2 years of professional office experience in Accounting or Finance.
• Prior experience with ADP payroll is preferred.

SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

• Experience with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as SAP, Vantagepoint is a plus.
• Ability to meet scheduled deadlines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to exercise absolute discretion related to handling of confidential employee information.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Requires a valid driver's license and must maintain eligibility to drive as per the Company Vehicle Policy.
• May occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Regularly required to sit, talk, or listen.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Reasonable accommodations may enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• May require occasional evening or weekend overtime during peak payroll processing periods.

NOTE: This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position and is not an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities, or working conditions associated with it.