Payroll Specialist

Overview

This role requires the candidate to be a W2 employee and US Citizenship is mandatory.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the escalation point for complex payroll inquiries and case investigations beyond Tier 1 resolution.
• Analyze payroll data to identify root causes and coordinate corrective actions across HR, Finance, and IT systems.
• Manage the end-to-end case lifecycle including intake, documentation, investigation, resolution, and closure.
• Maintain accurate case records in the case management system, ensuring compliance with audit and regulatory requirements.
• Produce regular metrics and reports such as case volume, SLA compliance, and root-cause trends.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to develop process improvements and preventative controls.
• Provide training and knowledge transfer to Tier 1 staff on recurring issues and best-practice resolutions.

Required Qualifications

• US Citizenship required.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 3 years in payroll processing and case management, with at least 1 year handling Tier 2 or high-level payroll issues.
• Proficiency with payroll systems; experience with SAP Employee Central Payroll (ECP) is a plus.
• Strong skills in Excel and Power Query.
• Understanding of federal and state payroll tax regulations (e.g., FICA, IRS, state withholding).
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills with data-driven decision making.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex issues to non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated knowledge of payroll principles and processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification.
• Strong experience with SAP Employee Central systems.
• Customer service mindset focused on timely and accurate resolution.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple cases simultaneously.
• Collaborative approach, working effectively across functions and levels.
• Commitment to continuous improvement by proposing and implementing process enhancements.