US Payroll Specialist

What is the Role?

Reporting to the HR & Payroll Director and working closely with the Senior Payroll Specialist Team Leads, the Payroll Specialist will support the accurate, timely, and compliant processing of high-volume, multi-state U.S. payroll.

The Payroll Specialist will own assigned payroll responsibilities from intake through processing, detailed manual reconciliation, corrections, and final documentation. This is not a solo processing role: each specialist participates in peer review of other team members’ payrolls, required meetings, shared problem-solving, and workload coverage. Success requires both individual accountability and active collaboration with the payroll team.

Responsibilities

• Independently prepare, process, balance, and document assigned weekly, biweekly, and off-cycle payrolls.
• Enter, validate, and maintain payroll data, including new hires, terminations, rates, schedules, hours, paid leaves, bonuses, commissions, deductions, tax withholdings, address changes, and retroactive adjustments.
• Compare source documentation, payroll-system data, reconciliation workbooks, and pre-process registers; research and explain discrepancies before payroll deadlines.
• Reconcile employee benefits and recurring deduction files, including 401(k) and HSA, each payroll cycle and assist with resolving variances with vendors and Finance.
• Ensure the accurate calculation and withholding of federal, state, and local taxes, employee benefits, and court-ordered deductions.
• Review information from HR, Benefits, Timekeeping, and employees for completeness and reasonableness; proactively identify missing or conflicting information.
• Research and resolve employee and manager payroll inquiries within established Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Manage assigned payroll inbox items, maintain organized and audit-ready documentation, meet internal deadlines, and provide clear handoffs.
• Participate in peer review of other specialists’ payrolls before processing, promptly complete corrections to assigned work, and consistently apply feedback to future payrolls.
• Collaborate with the payroll team to communicate status and risks, resolve issues, follow established payroll practices, and meet shared deadlines.
• Build standard and ad hoc payroll reports and support quarterly and year-end activities, including W-2 reviews, corrections, and audit preparation.
• Monitor compliance with U.S. wage-and-hour requirements and internal payroll controls, escalating risks promptly.