Payroll Specialist

A well-established organization supporting a large, complex workforce is seeking an experienced Payroll Specialist to join its team.

This role is ideal for a payroll professional who thrives in high-volume environments, understands multi-state compliance requirements, and can confidently manage payroll processes across the employee lifecycle.

The Payroll Specialist will play a critical role in ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll administration while partnering closely with HR, Operations, Benefits, and leadership teams.

Ownership bonus after 6 months.

Key Responsibilities

• Process high-volume, multi-state payroll accurately and within required deadlines.
• Utilize UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) for payroll administration, employee maintenance, reporting, and data management.
• Maintain strong working knowledge of California payroll laws and compliance requirements, including:
• Final pay regulations
• Overtime calculations
• Meal and rest break requirements
• Wage and hour compliance
• Administer payroll adjustments and complex transactions including:
• Garnishments
• Child support orders
• Tax levies
• Benefit deductions
• Retroactive adjustments
• Final pay calculations
• Support payroll-related employee lifecycle processes including onboarding, status changes, offboarding, and terminations.
• Process and respond to employment verification requests while maintaining confidentiality standards.
• Conduct payroll audits, reconciliations, and reporting activities to ensure compliance and accuracy.
• Investigate payroll discrepancies and resolve issues efficiently.
• Maintain employee payroll records in accordance with federal, state, local, and company requirements.
• Partner cross-functionally with HR, Benefits, Operations, and leadership regarding payroll matters.
• Support payroll administration involving union employees, varying pay structures, and complex workforce environments.
• Maintain strict confidentiality surrounding employee information and payroll records.

Required Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of payroll experience within a high-volume, staffing, or complex workforce environment.
• Hands-on experience with UKG payroll systems required.
• Demonstrated experience processing multi-state payroll.
• Strong understanding of California payroll regulations and compliance.
• Experience administering garnishments, wage attachments, and payroll deductions.
• Knowledge of employee onboarding/offboarding payroll processes.
• Experience handling employment verifications.
• Strong understanding of payroll compliance requirements and applicable labor regulations.
• Exceptional organizational skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and payroll reporting functions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within staffing, workforce management, healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, logistics, or other high-volume industries.
• Familiarity with collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and payroll implications for union employees.
• Experience supporting payroll for large employee populations.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation preferred but not required.

The Ideal Candidate

• Highly detail-oriented and accurate.
• Comfortable working under pressure and meeting deadlines.
• Adaptable within fast-paced, evolving environments.
• Professional and discreet with sensitive information.
• A collaborative communicator who works effectively across departments.
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to meeting payroll deadlines by ensuring all work is completed accurately, efficiently, and on time.
• Must be available to work additional hours, as needed, to meet critical payroll processing deadlines and support business operations.

Employee Acknowledgment

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) of this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee(s) will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an at-will relationship.

Pay: $31.25 - $33.65 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance

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