Sr. Payroll and Benefits Specialist (48971)

Sr. Payroll and Benefits Specialist_________________________________________________________________________

Position Summary

The Payroll & Benefits Analyst is responsible for the full ownership and administration of multi-state payroll and benefits for an imaging organization with approximately 800–1,000 employees across multiple locations. This exempt position ensures payroll accuracy, regulatory compliance across jurisdictions, and seamless administration of employee benefit programs. Analyze payroll data, prepare reports and identify process improvements. Must have exceptional Excel skills and be analytical minded.

This role serves as the organization’s subject matter expert for payroll and benefits, working within HR, and partnering closely with Finance, leadership, requiring strong detail, math, and problem-solving skills.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Multi-State Payroll Administration (Primary Responsibility)

• Own and manage the end-to-end, semi-monthly payroll process for 800–1,000 employees across multiple states and jurisdictions
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour laws, including overtime, paid leave, and state-specific requirements
• Manage multi-state payroll tax setup, filings, reconciliations, and audits
• Maintain accurate state and local tax registrations, unemployment accounts, and jurisdictional reporting
• Review, audit, and approve payroll data including wages, bonuses, commissions, differentials, PTO, garnishments, and deductions
• Serve as the primary administrator and internal expert for payroll systems and vendors
• Ensure timely and accurate payroll tax filings, W-2s, and year-end processing across all applicable states
• Develop, document, and maintain payroll policies, procedures, and internal controls to support compliance and audit readiness
• Respond to and resolve employee payroll inquiries and discrepancies with professionalism and confidentiality
• Commitment to sense of urgency and responsibility as the payroll processor.

Benefits Administration

• Administer benefit programs for a geographically distributed workforce, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, HSA, and retirement plans
• Oversee the administration of the company’s 401(k) plan to ensure compliance with ERISA, IRS and Department of Labor regulations
• Manage required nondiscrimination testing, Form 5500 filings, audits, and timely remittance of employee and employer contributions
• Manage benefits enrollments, qualifying life events, terminations, and annual open enrollment
• Ensure benefit deductions are correctly reflected in payroll across multiple states
• Support compliance with ACA, COBRA, ERISA, HIPAA, and applicable state benefits regulations
• Serve as a trusted resource for employee benefit questions and escalated concerns

Compliance, Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor changes in multi-state payroll, tax, and benefits regulations and recommend process or policy updates
• Prepare payroll and benefits reports for HR, Finance, audits, and leadership
• Support internal and external audits related to payroll, payroll taxes, and benefits
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll efficiency, accuracy, and employee experience

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5 years of payroll administration experience, including ownership of multi-state payroll
• Demonstrated experience supporting payroll for 800 employees preferred
• Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax laws and employment regulations
• Proven ability to manage confidential information and work independently with minimal supervision

Certifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) – strongly preferred
• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) – acceptable alternative
• SHRM-CP / SHRM-SCP or PHR/SPHR – a plus

Technical Skills

• Experience with payroll and HRIS systems, Paycom experience a big plus.
• Strong Excel and reporting skills are a MUST.
• Experience working with benefits administration platforms and third-party vendors.

Key Competencies

• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to manage competing deadlines in a multi-state, deadline-driven environment
• Clear and professional communication skills at all levels of the organization
• Exceptional time-management skills for daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual tasks and deadlines.
• High level of integrity and discretion