Payroll Accountant

Position Summary

The Payroll Administrator / Payroll Accountant is responsible for managing the company’s complete end-to-end payroll process, ensuring employees are paid accurately and timely and that payroll-related accounting records are complete, accurate, and properly reconciled.

This position requires strong knowledge of payroll administration and accounting and independently manages payroll processing, reconciliations, journal entries, payroll taxes, benefits accounting, and related payroll accounting activities.

The position works closely with Accounting, Human Resources, employees, management, benefits providers, payroll providers, and applicable taxing authorities to ensure accurate and compliant payroll and financial information.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Payroll Administration – End-to-End Payroll

• Manage the complete payroll process for all employees, ensuring established deadlines and schedules are consistently met.
• Process regular and off-cycle payrolls, manual checks, adjustments, and corrections as needed.
• Review and verify time, attendance, overtime, bonuses, commissions, deductions, reimbursements, and other payroll inputs.
• Review payroll reports before final submission and identify and resolve discrepancies.
• Ensure proper calculation and withholding of federal, state, and local payroll taxes and coordinate related filings and payments with the payroll provider and/or taxing authorities.
• Respond to employee payroll questions and resolve discrepancies promptly and professionally.
• Maintain confidentiality of payroll and employee information.

Payroll Accounting

• Prepare and record payroll journal entries, ensuring proper coding to general ledger accounts, departments, locations, and cost centers.
• Reconcile payroll registers to the general ledger, payroll bank and clearing accounts, and payroll-related liabilities, including taxes, deductions, garnishments, benefits, and other liabilities.
• Investigate and resolve payroll-to-general-ledger discrepancies.
• Prepare monthly payroll account reconciliations and ensure outstanding items are researched and cleared timely.
• Assist with month-end and year-end close activities, including payroll accruals for payroll, bonuses, PTO, commissions, and other payroll-related expenses.
• Review payroll expense accounts for unusual activity and communicate variances to the Controller.
• Maintain supporting documentation for payroll journal entries, reconciliations, and related accounting activities.

Employee Benefits Accounting

• Reconcile monthly health insurance invoices to employee enrollment and payroll deductions and verify that billed premiums agree with employee elections and payroll records.
• Reconcile other employee benefit invoices and deductions, including dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement plans, and other company-sponsored benefits.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies between benefit invoices, payroll deductions, and accounting records.
• Ensure benefit-related liabilities and expenses are properly recorded in the general ledger.
• Coordinate with HR and benefits providers to resolve billing and enrollment issues.
• Maintain documentation supporting monthly benefit reconciliations.

Payroll Compliance and Reporting

• Maintain knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local payroll regulations and ensure compliance with wage and hour, tax, withholding, and reporting requirements.
• Assist with quarterly and annual payroll reporting and reconciliations.
• Coordinate year-end W-2 preparation and reconciliation.
• Assist with payroll tax and other payroll-related audits.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and documentation in accordance with company policies and applicable retention requirements.

Internal Controls and Process Improvement

• Maintain strong internal controls over payroll processing and payroll-related accounting, including appropriate segregation of duties and approval processes.
• Review payroll reports and supporting documentation for accuracy before payroll is finalized.
• Develop and maintain payroll procedures and checklists.
• Identify and recommend improvements to payroll processes, controls, systems, accuracy, and efficiency.
• Assist the Controller in developing and implementing payroll-related policies and procedures.

Other Accounting Responsibilities

• Assist with month-end and year-end accounting close as assigned.
• Support audits by providing payroll reports, reconciliations, journal entries, and supporting documentation.
• Prepare payroll and accounting reports for management.
• Assist with budgeting and forecasting of payroll and employee benefit expenses as needed.
• Perform other payroll and accounting-related duties as assigned by the Controller.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Human Resources, or a related field preferred.
• 3–5 years of progressive payroll and accounting experience.
• Strong understanding and hands-on experience with the complete payroll process, including payroll journal entries, payroll and balance sheet reconciliations, benefits reconciliation, payroll taxes, and compliance.
• Experience with accounting and payroll software.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality regarding employee compensation and personal information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC).
• Accounting degree or significant accounting experience.
• Experience with QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online.
• Experience with ADP.
• Experience in a multi-location or multi-state payroll environment.
• Experience with payroll-related audits.
• Experience with benefit reconciliations and employee benefit accounting.
• Experience with general ledger reconciliations and month-end closing.

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance