Senior Employee Benefits & Payroll Specialist

Pay Range: $24.75 - $30.25 per hour.

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Location: 899 Main Street Buffalo, NY 14203 (In Office)

Summary Of Duties

The Senior Benefits & Payroll Specialist is responsible for advanced payroll and benefits execution, complex case management, and compliance-driven processing. This role maintains partial ownership of payroll and benefits workflows, ensures regulatory compliance, resolves escalated issues, and supports cross-functional coordination with HR, Finance, third-party administrators, and vendors.

The position requires strong technical expertise, independent judgment, high accuracy, and strict confidentiality. The Senior Benefits & Payroll Specialist is also responsible for delivering accurate, timely, and empathetic support to employees on payroll and benefits inquiries, while ensuring compliance and a positive employee experience.

Position Responsibilities

Payroll Administration

• Process biweekly payroll end-to-end in HRMS, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Review and resolve timekeeping exceptions, including overtime, shift differentials, premium pay, and meal break compliance.
• Validate all pay-impacting HR transactions (hires, transfers, terminations, leave returns, compensation changes).
• Calculate and process retroactive pay adjustments and off-cycle corrections.
• Administer wage garnishments and levies in accordance with legal requirements.
• Coordinate final pay calculations and PTO payouts in compliance with policy and law.
• Oversee paycheck distribution and payroll communication.
• Maintain payroll audit documentation and internal controls.
  
  

Benefits & Deduction Operations

• Calculate, upload, and reconcile biweekly benefit contributions.
• Manage and process staff loan repayment programs
• Process and reconcile retirement loan repayments.
• Conduct eligibility audits and dependent verification reviews.
• Reconcile payroll deductions to carrier invoices and investigate over/under deductions.
• Process retroactive benefit corrections and enrollment adjustments.
• Support monthly benefit billing review and invoice reconciliation.
• Coordinate enrollment corrections and escalated issues with carriers and brokers.
  
  

Retirement Plan Administration

• Administer 401(k), Roth, Safe Harbor, and Profit Sharing plans.
• Perform payroll tie-outs and coordinate with retirement vendors to ensure funding accuracy.
• Manage auto-enrollment processes and compliance deadlines.
• Process salary deferral elections and contribution changes.
  
  

Leave & Workers' Compensation Administration

• Coordinate leave updates with third-party administrators (TPAs).
• Manage benefit premium impacts and deduction adjustments during leave periods.
• Support Workers' Compensation claim intake, documentation tracking, and return-to-work coordination.
• Participate in quarterly Workers' Compensation reviews and reporting.
• Maintain and distribute active leave of absence trackers to payroll and leadership as requested.
  
  

Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure required federal and state notices are issued accurately and timely.
• Maintain documentation standards, audit trails, and regulatory compliance records.
• Track and manage biweekly, monthly, and annual reporting requirements.
• Support year-end processing, including but not limited to W-2 and 1095-C preparation and validation.
  
  

Reporting & Systems Support

• Produce biweekly and ad hoc payroll and benefits reports.
• Provide end-user support in the HRMS for benefits, payroll, and timekeeping related items.
• Maintain and update benefits resources and documentation on the intranet/SharePoint.
  
  

Other

• Identify discrepancies, root causes, and recommend operational improvements in both payroll and benefits processes.
• Travel within Western New York as needed to attend meetings, give presentations, participate in benefit enrollment fairs, or support department-specific events.
  
  

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required; Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or Business, preferred.
• 3-5 years of payroll and benefits experience with hands-on, end-to-end payroll processing.
• Working knowledge of payroll and benefits concepts and procedures, including but not limited to: wage and hour laws, payroll taxes, garnishments, COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA, ACA reporting, benefits administration, workers compensation processes, retirement plans, and FMLA/NYS PFL/DBL.
• Proficiency with using HRIS/payroll systems and an advanced excel skillset.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and discretion.
• Strong analytical ability, attention to detail, and problem solving skills.
• Ability to manage deadlines independently and proactively in a fast paced environment.
• Effective communication and solution-focused customer service skills.
• Ability to travel to different agency locations to provide employee support.