Payroll Specialist

Job Title: Payroll Specialist  

Department: Payroll 

Job Summary:

This role will be responsible for extensive duties that expect high confidentiality, attention to detail, and exceptional math skills in processing employees' paychecks by collecting their payroll data and time sheets. Their duties include verifying employees' work hours and payments through the payroll system, issuing deductions, earnings, and other statements to employees, and updating payroll records regularly. The ideal candidate will have experience with payroll systems, union-specific payroll requirements, SCA regulations, and government contract guidelines. The ideal candidate must also be able to use Excel. Please note that as part of our interview process, candidates will be asked to complete a brief Excel proficiency assessment.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• None

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Maintaining payroll information by collating, calculating, and entering data with mostly Excel.
• Updating payroll records by entering any changes
• Audit payroll data to ensure compliance with union agreements, SCA, and government regulations.
• Preparing reports that include summaries of earnings, tax deductions, leave, compassionate leave, and non-taxable wages

• Calculating payroll liabilities by determining employee taxes, including federal and state income and social security tax, and calculating employer's payments for social security, unemployment, and worker's compensation
• Ensure all deductions and earnings are correct for each payroll
• Resolving payroll discrepancies and answering any employee payroll queries
• Maintaining all payroll operations according to company policies and procedures
• Processing and issuing W-2 forms to employees

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Must have understanding and knowledge of Excel basic functions such as creating pivot tables, v-lookup, formulas, etc. to properly calculate. 
• Proficient in written and oral communication skills according to skill requirements
• Possess strong computer skills, able to read, write, and comprehend written instructional documents
• Ability to function well in a high-paced and, at times, stressful environment
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide into all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals from a financial perspective

• Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume
• Proficient Microsoft Office productivity suite
• Good organizational skills, including the ability to multi-task and priorities to manage multiple accounts

• Strong verbal communication skills, including active listening and telephone manners
• Interpersonal skills, including conflict resolution, for building strong relationships

Education and Experience:

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent required
• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field preferred

• At least two (2) years of payroll experience preferred
• Experience with Service Contract Act and Union Workforce preferred
• Knowledge of multiple state and federal employment laws, travel expenses, and reimbursement

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer

• Occasional periods of prolonged exposure to loud noises
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds at times
• Ability to stand, walk, and reach with arms and hands as necessary
• Ability to hear and see to position and safety requirement levels
• Occasional exposure to elements such as heat, cold, noise, dust, dirt, and chemicals

Special Qualifications/Requirements:

• Must be able to successfully pass as required a federal, state, or local government's background investigation
• Bilingual preferred (Spanish)

Disclaimer:

The duties and responsibilities described are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time; or the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demands. 

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

The contractor will not discharge or, in any other manner, discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(cc)

Job Description Last Updated: 05/4/2026