Senior Payroll Specialist

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Payroll Specialist / Payroll Manager to lead and process multi-client, multi-state payroll operations for our PEO client base. This role owns the end-to-end payroll cycle from timekeeping review through tax filing and reporting while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations across a diverse portfolio of client companies. The ideal candidate combines deep, hands-on payroll processing expertise with the judgment to manage escalations, mentor junior staff, and serve as a trusted point of contact for client HR and finance teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Process accurate, on-time, multi-state payroll for a portfolio of PEO client companies on weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly cycles.
• Review and validate timekeeping data, garnishments, benefit deductions, retirement contributions, and other payroll inputs prior to processing.
• Calculate and process off-cycle payments, retroactive adjustments, bonuses, commissions, and final paychecks in accordance with state termination laws.
• Oversee payroll tax withholding, filing, and remittance (federal, state, and local) and ensure timely quarter-end and year-end filings, including W-2s and 941s.
• Maintain compliance with FLSA, IRS, and state wage-and-hour regulations, and monitor legislative changes that affect client payroll obligations.
• Reconcile payroll registers, general ledger entries, and third-party benefit/retirement remittances each pay cycle.
• Serve as the primary payroll point of contact for assigned clients, resolving discrepancies and answering employee-level pay inquiries with professionalism and urgency.
• Partner with HR, Benefits, and Client Services teams to ensure new hires, terminations, leaves of absence, and benefit changes are reflected accurately in payroll.
• Support internal and external payroll audits by preparing documentation and reports as requested.
• Identify process improvement opportunities and contribute to payroll system implementations, upgrades, or client onboarding/transitions.
• Mentor and provide guidance to payroll specialists/processors, reviewing their work for accuracy prior to submission.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on, multi-client or multi-state payroll processing experience; PEO or payroll bureau experience strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of federal and multi-state payroll tax regulations, wage-and-hour law, and payroll compliance requirements.
• Proficiency with payroll/HRIS platforms (e.g., ADP Workforce Now, Prism, UKG, Paylocity, or similar).
• Strong Excel skills, including VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables, and data reconciliation.
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail when working under recurring deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain payroll concepts clearly to clients and employees.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate''s or Bachelor''s degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, or related field preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) through the American Payroll Association (APA/PayrollOrg).
• Prior experience in a PEO, ASO, or HR outsourcing environment.
• Experience leading or mentoring a payroll team.