Payroll Specialist

POSITION SUMMARY 

We are seeking an experienced Payroll Specialist to join our growing Payroll team. This is not an entry-level payroll position. The successful candidate must have hands-on experience processing high-volume, multi-state, multi-FEIN payroll, including California payroll, using ADP Workforce Now (WFN). 

This position supports end-to-end payroll processing while performing detailed payroll audits, researching discrepancies, processing commissions and other variable compensation, reviewing timekeeping exceptions, and ensuring payroll is completed accurately and on time. 

We are looking for someone who understands payroll beyond data entry—someone who can recognize when something does not look right, research the issue, understand the payroll and tax implications, and escalate concerns when appropriate. 

ADP Workforce Now, multi-state payroll, multi-FEIN payroll, and California payroll experience are REQUIRED. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Process high-volume payroll accurately and within established payroll deadlines. 
• Process payroll across multiple states and multiple FEINs/company codes. 
• Perform pre-payroll and post-payroll audits to identify discrepancies before payroll is finalized. • Review payroll registers, employee-level results, exception reports, and payroll variances. 
• Process approved new hires, terminations, transfers, compensation changes, deductions, bonuses, commissions, incentives, and other payroll transactions. 
• Review timekeeping records for missing punches, exceptions, approvals, and other discrepancies; work with managers to resolve issues before payroll deadlines. 
• Process and audit regular wages, overtime, supplemental wages, bonuses, commissions, and other variable compensation. 
• Research and resolve payroll discrepancies and employee pay issues; process authorized corrections and off-cycle payments. 
• Review and process deductions, garnishments, levies, child support orders, and other payroll deductions. • Review payroll tax setup and identify potential state or local tax discrepancies. 
• Assist with payroll reconciliations, payroll accounting activities, quarter-end and year-end payroll activities, and W-2 review. 
• Maintain complete payroll documentation and audit support; assist with audits, system testing, process improvements, acquisitions, and company-code changes. 
• Follow established payroll procedures, approval requirements, segregation of duties, and internal controls. 
• Maintain strict confidentiality of employee compensation, tax, banking, garnishment, and other sensitive payroll information. 

CALIFORNIA PAYROLL EXPERIENCE 

The successful candidate must have hands-on California payroll experience and be comfortable working with California-specific payroll requirements, including:

• California overtime and double-time requirements 
• Daily and weekly overtime calculations 
• Meal and rest-period considerations as they relate to payroll 
• California sick leave requirements 
• Final-pay timing requirements and termination/final paycheck processing 
• California wage statements 
• Supplemental and variable compensation 
• Regular-rate-of-pay considerations 
• California state and local payroll taxation 
• Payroll corrections and retroactive adjustments 

The Payroll Specialist is expected to recognize California payroll issues that require additional review and escalate potential compliance concerns to the Senior Payroll Manager. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• 3+ years of hands-on payroll processing experience 
• Multi-state payroll processing experience 
• Multi-FEIN / multi-company payroll processing experience 
• Hands-on California payroll experience 
• Hands-on ADP Workforce Now (WFN) payroll processing experience 
• Experience processing payroll from beginning through final payroll review 
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll taxation 
• Experience with payroll deductions, garnishments, bonuses, commissions, and supplemental wages • Experience reviewing and auditing employee timekeeping data 
• Strong payroll reconciliation and auditing skills 
• Intermediate or advanced Microsoft Excel skills 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with exceptional attention to detail 
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced payroll environment 
• Ability to handle confidential information appropriately 

ADP WORKFORCE NOW EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED 

Candidates should have actual payroll-processing experience within ADP Workforce Now, including payroll processing and cycles, employee payroll data, earnings and deductions, time and attendance integration, payroll reports and registers, payroll adjustments and corrections, multi-company/company-code processing, and payroll auditing and validation. 

Experience with another payroll system without ADP Workforce Now experience does not meet the minimum system requirement for this position. 

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE 

• 5+ years of payroll processing experience 
• Experience supporting a payroll population of 1,000+ employees
• Experience processing payroll across numerous states 
• Experience with commissions and other complex variable compensation 
• Experience with payroll accounting and general ledger reconciliation 
• Experience supporting payroll integrations and system testing 
• Experience with acquisitions, mergers, FEIN changes, or company-code consolidations 
• Experience working in a SOX or similarly controlled environment 

Payroll certification is not required. Relevant, hands-on payroll experience and demonstrated knowledge of complex payroll processing are valued over professional certifications. 

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR 

The right person for this role is a payroll professional—not simply a payroll data-entry processor. The successful candidate understands how payroll calculations affect an employee's paycheck, notices unusual results and investigates them, respects payroll deadlines and controls, takes ownership of assigned work, documents thoroughly, communicates professionally, and knows when an issue should be escalated. 

WHY JOIN OUR PAYROLL TEAM? 

This position provides an opportunity to be part of a payroll organization focused on accuracy, compliance, automation, stronger internal controls, and continuous process improvement. The Payroll Specialist will work with complex multi-state payroll, commissions, payroll auditing, system improvements, and other projects while developing broader end-to-end payroll expertise. 

If you are an experienced payroll professional who enjoys solving problems, improving processes, and making sure employees are paid accurately and on time, we encourage you to apply.