Payroll Specialist

David Mason Associates has provided high-quality engineering services to the greater St. Louis area since 1989. Today, we have grown to 6 offices and over 170 employees. We are currently seeking a Certified Payroll Specialist who will lead, execute and improve our current payroll processes at our growing firm. The right candidate will be experienced enough to own processes, document work clearly, and keep day-to-day payroll operations moving without the complexity of a large-enterprise environment. Our ideal candidate has 5 years' experience with both Union & Non-Union payroll, previous exposure to working in UKG & Deltek Vantagepoint and is a self-proclaimed Excel expert!

The Payroll Administrator is responsible for the accurate and timely processing and administration of payroll for all employees. This position oversees payroll records, employee pay, direct deposits, deductions, reconciliations, and payroll-related reporting while supporting compliance with federal, state, and local requirements. The role partners closely with Human Resources, Accounting, Finance, operational leaders, and employees to resolve payroll questions, maintain effective controls, and improve payroll processes. This role reports directly to the Vice President of Finance and may provide indirect support to the Accounting and Finance Team and Division Managers as needed.

Essential Duties

• Oversees and processes scheduled payroll cycles accurately and on time, including off-cycle payrolls and special payments when required.
• Reviews and audits employee time records, timesheets, and payroll data before processing.
• Calculates wages, salaries, overtime, prevailing wage adjustments, bonuses, commissions, and other compensation as applicable.
• Verifies payroll changes related to new hires, terminations, pay increases, transfers, and leave activity.
• Manages employee direct deposits and payroll deductions, including benefits, taxes, garnishments, child support, and retirement contributions; including union dues, benefits, taxes, etc.
• Maintains accurate employee payroll records and documentation within payroll and timekeeping systems.
• Reconciles payroll reports and accounts, investigates discrepancies, prepares payroll journal entries, and supports Finance reporting.
• Works with the Director of Human Resources and other DMA leadership to resolve employee questions regarding timesheets, pay, deductions, taxes, paid time off balances, and payroll policies.
• Develops and maintains documentation and schedules for the delivery of annual, referral, sign-on, and other applicable bonuses.
• Partners with Human Resources and DMA leadership to support paid time off and leave-related payroll activity, including short-term and long-term disability when applicable.
• Maintains familiarity with federal, state, and local payroll and tax requirements and assists with payroll tax filings and year-end reporting, including W-2 processing.
• Supports payroll-related audits involving benefits, workers’ compensation, and unemployment claims.
• Uses payroll and timekeeping systems effectively, including UKG and related applications, and assists with implementations, upgrades, and testing activities.
• Identifies opportunities to improve payroll processes, procedures, documentation, and internal controls.
• Supports payroll communication and training initiatives as needed.
• Maintains confidentiality of employee and payroll information.
• Supports Accounting and Finance team members as requested.
• Follows and abides by the DMA employee and safety manuals.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

General Requirements

• Be detail-oriented, accurate, versatile, and enthusiastic.
• Exhibit flexibility to manage multiple priorities and respond to changing employee and company needs.
• Ability to take direction and work independently with limited supervision.
• Possess strong organizational, time-management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills and a customer-service mindset when supporting employees.
• Participate as an active member of the team through active listening and open communication.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and meet deadlines in a high-volume environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, and other Microsoft Office applications.

Required Skills

• 3 years of payroll processing experience.
• Prior experience processing multi-state Union payroll.
• Strong understanding of payroll practices and payroll tax regulations.
• Experience maintaining payroll records, processing deductions, and reconciling payroll reports or accounts.
• Must be willing to learn and use fully integrated, cloud-based payroll and timekeeping products.
• Ability to solve practical problems and work effectively where documentation or standardization may be limited.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5 years of experience working in accounting roles.
• Experience with multi-state payroll.
• Experience with payroll and timekeeping systems such as UKG, ADP, Ceridian, or similar platforms.
• Experience processing union payroll, prevailing wage and certified payrolls.
• Experience supporting benefits administration and leave-related payroll activity.

Education & Experience

An Associate's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field is required.

A Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field is preferred.

Certifications, Licenses, Registrations

• There are no required certifications for this role.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation is preferred.