Payroll Accounting Specialist

Job Summary: The Payroll Accounting Specialist is responsible for payroll and benefits financial reconciliation, general ledger accuracy, and payroll-related accounting activities, including accruals and month-end close support.

Reporting through Payroll within the Accounting & Finance organization, this position partners closely with Benefits and Accounting to research and resolve discrepancies and ensure payroll and benefit-related financial activity is accurately recorded and reconciled.

Responsibilities:

• Reconcile employee benefit and payroll-related general ledger accounts and resolve outstanding balances.
• Compare payroll deductions and employer contributions with benefit enrollments, carrier invoices, and GL activity to identify and resolve discrepancies.
• Partner with Benefits and Payroll to research variances and ensure reimbursements, corrections, and adjustments are processed accurately and on time.
• Ensure payroll activity is accurately mapped and recorded to the appropriate general ledger accounts, including earnings, taxes, deductions, employer taxes, and benefit expenses.
• Prepare monthly payroll accruals for wages, PTO, benefits, commissions, and other payroll-related expenses.
• Prepare journal entries, supporting schedules, and documentation for month-end close.
• Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close activities, including documentation for internal and external audits.
• Provide backup support for commission processing, including validating commission data and coordinating payments through payroll.
• Partner with Payroll, Benefits, Accounting, and Finance to support accurate financial reporting and resolve payroll and benefit-related accounting issues.
• Support payroll implementations, benefit changes, acquisitions, and system enhancements while identifying opportunities to improve processes, controls, and reporting accuracy.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 3+ years of accounting or finance experience.
• Strong understanding of general accounting principles, including general ledger reconciliations, journal entries, accrual accounting, and month-end close processes.
• Proficiency with ERP and financial reporting systems.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to handle confidential payroll, employee, and financial information with discretion.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with payroll accounting, including payroll-related general ledger reconciliations, payroll liabilities, and employer tax and benefit expenses.
• 5+ years of accounting or finance experience, preferably supporting payroll, employee benefits, or other employee-related financial activities.
• Proficiency with payroll and HRIS systems.
• Commission or incentive compensation processing knowledge is a plus.
• Working knowledge of employee benefit deductions and employer benefit accounting.

Physical Demands:

In general, the following physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. 

• Must be able to effectively communicate, (ie see, hear, speak and write clearly) in order to communicate with colleagues and/or customers; manual dexterity required for occasional reaching, lifting of light office objects, and operating office equipment 

Working Conditions:

In general, the following conditions of the work environment are representative of those that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 

• The office is clean, orderly, properly lighted and ventilated. Noise levels are considered low to moderate 

Additional Information:

• Working Hours: This position generally works Monday- Friday.
• Benefits:
  • Medical 
  • Dental 
  • Vision 
  • Flexible Spending Accounts 
  • 401K w/ company match 
  • Life/AD&D/LTD 
  • Paid Vacation/Sick/Holidays 
  • Employee Assistance Program 
  • Pet Insurance