Senior Payroll Specialist

Description

The role serves as a lead payroll resource, providing day-to-day operational support, guidance, and subject matter expertise to payroll team members while helping ensure consistent execution of payroll processes and service standards. This role supports payroll governance, tax administration, process documentation, and training activities while acting as a key escalation point for complex payroll issues. The position partners closely with Human Resources, Benefits, Finance, payroll vendors, managers, and employees to promote compliance, operational effectiveness, and a positive payroll experience.

Here's what you can expect from the job and what you need to be successful:

What You'll Do :

Essential Functions:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Process and review payroll transactions, ensuring accurate calculation and payment of salaries, overtime, commissions, bonuses, benefits, tax withholdings, deductions, and other employee compensation.
• Analyze payroll data and investigate discrepancies, applying sound judgment to resolve issues and ensure payroll accuracy.
• Maintain payroll records and employee data, including compensation changes, benefit elections, leaves of absence, new hires, transfers, and terminations.
• Perform payroll reconciliations and validate payroll-related reports, deductions, tax filings, and general ledger information to ensure data integrity.
• Interpret payroll policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements, applying them appropriately to varying business situations and employee scenarios.
• Identify opportunities to enhance payroll processes, controls, reporting, and operational efficiency, recommending and supporting improvements.
• Respond to employee, manager, and stakeholder inquiries regarding payroll matters, providing clear guidance and issue resolution.
• Participate in payroll projects, system enhancements, audits, and compliance activities, coordinating with internal and external partners as needed.
• Monitor changes in payroll legislation and regulatory requirements, helping ensure ongoing compliance with applicable laws and company policies.
• Share knowledge and provide informal guidance to less experienced team members, supporting consistent payroll practices and service delivery
• Serve as the primary point of escalation for complex payroll inquiries, discrepancies, tax issues, and employee concerns, coordinating resolution with internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide day-to-day guidance, training, onboarding support, and knowledge sharing to payroll team members to promote consistent payroll administration and service delivery.
• Partner with payroll vendors, including UKG, to support payroll tax filings, investigate tax notices, resolve tax discrepancies, and address payroll-related tax inquiries.
• Develop, maintain, and regularly review payroll standard operating procedures, job aids, process maps, and training materials to support operational consistency and knowledge management.
• Assist payroll leadership with workload coordination, prioritization, process governance activities, and the implementation of corrective actions to address operational gaps and risks.
• Support payroll system enhancements, testing activities, automation initiatives, and cross-functional projects aimed at improving payroll efficiency, accuracy, controls, and employee experience.

Typical Scope:

• Applies best practices and knowledge of internal/external business challenges to improve products, processes or services. Is accountable for small projects or programs with manageable risks and resource requirements. Resolves difficult and complex problems using judgment and analysis; contributes to problem solving in collaborative settings. Interprets policies and adapts them to new situations.
• Demonstrates judgment in selecting methods to solve problems that have cross-functional impacts or require balancing competing priorities. Applies advanced knowledge of job area with experienced understanding of functional area.
• Typically receives little instruction on daily work. Works independently within defined specialties; adapts methods and procedures for routine work with minimal oversight. Accountable for deliverables. May mentor others and coach or review their work.

Essential Skills:

Education & Experience:

• Required Education: Bachelors degree in field relevant to role (or 4 additional years of relevant experience in lieu of a degree)
• Required Experience: 4 - 6 years of relevant experience

Qualifications & Skills:

• Strong understanding of payroll processing, payroll taxes, wage and hour requirements, deductions, reconciliations, and recordkeeping practices.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex payroll issues, evaluate alternatives, and develop effective solutions.
• Experience supporting payroll projects, process improvements, audits, or system implementations.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain payroll concepts to diverse audiences.
• Proficiency with payroll systems, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and collaborate effectively across functions.
• Demonstrated ability to provide functional leadership, coaching, training, and support to payroll team members in a collaborative environment.
• Experience researching and resolving payroll tax notices, agency inquiries, and payroll tax discrepancies.
• Knowledge of payroll operational controls, process governance practices, documentation standards, and audit support requirements.
• Ability to identify recurring operational issues, analyze root causes, and recommend sustainable process improvements and corrective actions.
• Experience working effectively with Human Resources, Benefits, Finance, payroll vendors, managers, and employees to resolve complex payroll matters.
• Preferred experience includes multi-state payroll administration, Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification, and proficiency with UKG Pro and UKG Workforce Management systems.

Location:

Hillsboro, OR

Target Compensation:

$93,000 - $111,500 / year + annual bonus

Schedule:

Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm

Hybrid (1+ day/week onsite)

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