What are the responsibilities and job description for the Payroll and Benefits Specialist position at A&R Corporate?
Love Where You Work. Love How They’re Paid.
Payroll & Benefits Specialist | Gulf Shores, AL
Are you a meticulous professional who thrives at the intersection of finance and people operations? Do you want to spend your workdays on the beautiful Alabama coast, supporting a team that brings hospitality to life?
We are seeking a Payroll & Benefits Specialist to be the backbone of our operations. From managing multi-state compliance to overseeing our comprehensive benefits suite, your work ensures our team is rewarded for their hard work.
The Role: Why You Matter
As our Payroll & Benefits Specialist, you aren’t just crunching numbers—you are the guardian of the employee experience. You’ll manage the full lifecycle of compensation and wellness with precision, integrity, and a service-oriented mindset.
Core Responsibilities
- Precision Payroll: Execute complex, multi-state, bi-weekly payroll for salaried and hourly staff, handling everything from wage garnishments to retro pay and bonuses.
- Benefits Administration: Lead the annual Open Enrollment process, manage daily benefit additions/changes, and serve as the primary liaison with insurance brokers and 401(k) providers.
- Compliance & Reporting: Lead the charge on ACA compliance, 1095/W-2 generation, and federal/state tax filings.
- Financial Integrity: Perform deep-dive reconciliations for 401(k) and health premiums against GL accounts to ensure every penny is accounted for.
- Leave Management: Coordinate FMLA, short-term disability, and PTO tracking, ensuring seamless integration with payroll cycles.
What You’ll Bring to the Table
We are looking for a "details person" who understands that behind every data point is a hardworking team member.
Minimum Qualifications (MQs)
- Experience: 3 years of high-volume, multi-state payroll processing and at least 1 year of hands-on benefits administration.
- Education: Associate’s degree in Accounting, HR, or Finance (Bachelor’s preferred).
- Technical Expertise: You are an Excel Power User (VLOOKUPs and Pivot Tables are your second language) and have proficiency in major platforms (e.g., ADP, Paycom, or UKG).
- Compliance Knowledge: Proven understanding of ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, and FLSA regulations.
Preferred Skills
- Certifications: CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) or PHR/SHRM-CP.
- Industry: Prior experience in the Hospitality or Service industry is a major plus!
Why Join Us in Gulf Shores?
- Competitive Pay & Excellent Benefits: We practice what we preach—top-tier health, dental, and retirement plans.
- Professional Growth: Manage complex data in a supportive, high-resource office environment.
- The Location: Work where others vacation! This is a full-time, office-based role in the heart of our coastal community.
Ready to Make an Impact?
If you’re ready to ensure our people are paid right and protected well, we want to meet you.
REQUIREMENTS
A&R Group is a vertically integrated turn-key hospitality firm focused on developing and operating high-value hotels through partnerships with globally recognized hotel brands. Equipped with full-service Development, Design, Construction and Hospitality Management teams, A&R is capable of addressing every stage of the process - from initial conception to ongoing maintenance and operations, A&R is the one-stop shop for every hospitality requisite.