Payroll Analyst

Overview

This Payroll Analyst supports payroll operations by performing payroll audits, reconciliations, exception management, payroll investigations, reporting, data validation, and process improvement activities. The role partners with Payroll Specialists, Human Resources, Benefits, Finance, and operational leaders to support payroll accuracy and compliance in a complex healthcare environment with both union and non-union employees.

The position provides analytical support across Workday Payroll and UKG/Kronos Timekeeping, including payroll testing, work rule validation, leave administration, payroll compliance, and continuous process improvement.

Responsibilities

Payroll Processing

• Process and audit bi-weekly, semi-monthly, and special payroll runs, including payroll data validation, balancing, reconciliation, exception review, and resolution of discrepancies before finalization.
• Administer timekeeping activities in UKG/Kronos by reviewing employee schedules, hours, overtime, shift differentials, premium pay, missing punches, and timecard exceptions.
• Partner with managers and employees to resolve timekeeping and leave-related issues.
• Respond to employee payroll inquiries and investigate discrepancies involving paychecks, taxes, deductions, direct deposits, leave balances, and payroll adjustments.
• Perform payroll reconciliations; review payroll reports and related accounts; support internal audits, compliance reviews, and month-end and year-end activities.

Tax, Garnishments, and Records Maintenance

• Support payroll tax and garnishment administration, including wage garnishments, levies, tax exceptions, and coordination with ADP for payroll-related filings and compliance documentation.
• Maintain accurate employee payroll records and validate employee data changes in Workday.
• Support payroll system updates, enhancements, and process improvements.

Testing, Validation, and Compliance

• Participate in testing and implementation of payroll system changes, including union work rules, payroll codes, schedules, and configurations.
• Perform validation in Workday Sandbox and UKG/Kronos, document results, and support production sign-off.
• Ensure payroll activities comply with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, internal controls, and confidentiality requirements.
• Cross-train with team members and support additional payroll projects as needed.

Required System Access

• Workday Payroll (required)
• UKG/Kronos Timekeeping (required)
• ServiceNow

Required Tools

• Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Excel, Word, and SharePoint
• Payroll reporting tools, employee master data records, and internal process documentation

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience working with automated payroll systems, preferably in a high-volume U.S. payroll environment.
• Strong knowledge of end-to-end U.S. payroll processing, including gross-to-net calculations, taxes, deductions, supplemental earnings, benefits, and federal and state payroll requirements.
• Experience with payroll balancing, reconciliation, employee payroll inquiries, and discrepancy resolution.
• Experience supporting unionized payroll environments, including union contracts, work rules, schedules, overtime, shift differentials, and premium pay.
• Healthcare or hospital payroll experience preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Workday Payroll experience preferred; UKG/Kronos timekeeping systems required.
• ServiceNow experience preferred.
• ADP experience is an advantage, particularly payroll tax, garnishments, tax disbursements, quarterly filings, and W-2 support.
• Experience working with integrated HRIS, payroll, and timekeeping systems.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills, including VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, sorting, filtering, data validation, and reconciliation. Macros and VBA are not required.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification or equivalent.
• Healthcare payroll experience in a unionized environment.
• Experience supporting large employee populations, multiple pay groups, high-volume transactions, and complex payroll structures.

Compensation & Benefits

• In the US, the target base salary for this role is $75,000-$100,000.
• Compensation is based on a range of factors, including relevant experience, knowledge, skills, other job-related qualifications, and geography.
• Full-time, Fixed-Term (6-12 months with possible extension. Eligible for Benefits)

Location

• Columbus, Ohio
• #LI-Remote