Payroll Specialist

About the Opportunity

My client is seeking an experienced Payroll Specialist to join their team and take ownership of payroll processing across a large, multi-state organization. This individual will be responsible for ensuring accurate and timely payroll while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced payroll professional who brings strong Workday Payroll experience and wants to do more than simply process payroll. The ideal candidate will be able to identify opportunities to improve reporting, streamline processes, and enhance the overall payroll function, with the opportunity to grow into a payroll management role over time.

What You’ll Do

• Oversee end-to-end payroll processing across multiple states, locations, and pay frequencies


• Process payroll changes including new hires, terminations, salary adjustments, and benefit deductions


• Review and reconcile payroll reports to ensure accuracy of earnings, deductions, taxes, and benefits


• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws, tax regulations, wage and hour requirements, and garnishment orders


• Partner with HR and Finance on employee classifications, general ledger coding, and payroll funding


• Manage payroll tax filings and support quarterly and annual reporting requirements


• Support payroll audits and year-end processing, including W-2 and 1099 preparation


• Respond to employee payroll questions and resolve discrepancies accurately and confidentially


• Maintain accurate payroll records and documentation


• Support Workday system upgrades, testing, reporting, and payroll-related initiatives


• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, reporting, and overall efficiency

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of payroll processing or payroll management experience


• Hands-on Workday Payroll experience required


• Experience supporting multi-state and/or large-scale payroll operations


• Strong understanding of payroll regulations, tax compliance, and wage and hour laws


• Experience with payroll reporting, reconciliations, and general payroll accounting


• Strong Microsoft Excel skills


• Strategic and process-oriented mindset with the ability to identify opportunities for improvement


• Excellent attention to detail, organization, and problem-solving skills


• Strong written and verbal communication skills


• Ability to handle confidential employee and payroll information with discretion


• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered


• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) and/or Workday certification is a plus


• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus