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 include:

• 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.
• Maintain SOPs, checklists, and other process documentation; contribute to error reduction, automation, and continuous improvement.
• Provide coverage during team absences and peak payroll periods and perform other duties as assigned to support payroll continuity.

Work Set-Up and Schedule

• Permanent work-from-home arrangement
• 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM Philippine time
• Reliable U.S. Eastern Time coverage is required

Who We Are Looking For

Required Qualifications

• At least three years of recent, hands-on U.S. multi-state payroll processing experience
• Experience independently processing and balancing high-volume payroll across multiple pay groups and pay frequencies
• Strong Excel skills are a must, including filters, pivot tables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, data cleanup, reconciliation, and error checking
• Hands-on experience reconciling employee benefits every payroll cycle
• Working knowledge of U.S. wage-and-hour rules, multi-state taxation, garnishments, and payroll controls
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to investigate discrepancies, explain variances, and recognize unreasonable or incomplete payroll data
• Demonstrated self-direction, organization, accuracy, and dependable follow-through in a remote environment
• Ability to prioritize competing deadlines and communicate risks or missing information before they affect payroll
• Ability to work independently while remaining actively engaged with the payroll team, including attending required meetings, participating in peer review and shared problem-solving, communicating promptly, and supporting team deadlines
• Comfortable working within a structured peer-review process and consistently applying feedback
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, including Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to handle sensitive employee and payroll information discreetly
• Reliable internet and power, with an appropriate contingency plan for remote overnight work

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Paylocity; ConnectWise experience is a plus
• Experience with union/CBA payroll, including dues, fringe files, and rate tables
• Familiarity with prevailing-wage payroll, certified reports, fringe allocations, and corrections
• Experience with Power Automate, SharePoint lists, templates, or other payroll-process automation

What we offer

• Permanent WFH
• Non-taxable allowance
• Day 1 HMO + 1 free dependent
• Sunlife Group Insurance
• Health and Wellness Reimbursement Benefits
• Company Salary Loans
• Government contributions
• Assistance with government loan payments
• 13th month pay
• Night differential pay
• Holiday pay (for hours worked on holidays)
• Mandated Leaves
• Work equipment provided
• Referral bonus

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