Payroll & Expense Specialist

Overview

This role is for a Payroll & Expense Specialist within the Finance department, reporting to the Senior Accounting Manager. The position is full-time and exempt, supporting a workforce of approximately 140 employees.

Responsibilities

Payroll

• Manage the bi-weekly payroll process for exempt and non-exempt employees using UKG, ensuring accurate processing of new hires, terminations, status changes, and mid-cycle adjustments.
• Reconcile payroll registers before each cycle submission and resolve discrepancies prior to fund release.
• Administer garnishments, levies, and court-ordered deductions in coordination with management and HR.
• Review payroll tax returns and remittances filed by the payroll processor, including federal, state, and local taxes.
• Oversee year-end W-2 report reviews processed by the payroll system.
• Maintain payroll records in compliance with federal and state retention requirements and support internal and external audits.
• Collaborate with HR on benefit deduction changes, leaves of absence, and employment verifications affecting payroll.
• Serve as the primary contact for employee payroll inquiries, resolving issues promptly and professionally.

Expense Reporting

• Administer the company's travel and expense (T&E) reporting process.
• Review and audit employee expense reports for policy compliance, approvals, and accurate general ledger coding.
• Process approved expense reimbursements by routing audited reports to accounts payable for payment through NetSuite.
• Ensure timely and accurate posting of expenses to the general ledger.
• Identify and communicate out-of-policy expense submissions to managers and senior accounting leadership.
• Maintain expense documentation and assist with periodic spend analysis for finance leadership.

Other Duties

• Perform additional tasks as assigned by the Senior Accounting Manager.

Requirements

Must-Have Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of end-to-end payroll processing experience, including tax filing and year-end close, for organizations with 100+ employees.
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Working knowledge of federal and state payroll tax laws; experience with multi-state payroll is a plus.
• Proficiency with UKG (formerly Kronos/UltiPro) or a similar enterprise payroll platform; UKG experience is strongly preferred.
• Advanced Excel skills, including reconciliations, pivot tables, and audit-ready documentation.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing or medical device industries.
• Familiarity with Concur for expense management and NetSuite for accounts payable.

Physical Requirements

The role requires regular mobility, computer interaction, and communication with colleagues. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Location

This position can be performed remotely or from the Madison, WI office.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The employer is committed to creating an inclusive environment and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status.