Payrol and Benefits Specialist

About the role

This role oversees the full lifecycle of Benefits Administration and Payroll Operations for a multi-state U.S. workforce and Canadian employees. It combines analytical expertise, regulatory compliance, vendor management, and employee support to ensure accurate payroll delivery and a competitive, compliant benefits program. The position serves as a primary liaison between employees, leadership, brokers, and payroll/benefits providers while maintaining strict confidentiality and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

Benefits Management

• Recommends benefits programs to management by studying employee requirements, trends, and developments in benefits offered by other organizations.
• Supports management decision-making process by analyzing benefit options and predicting future cost.
• Identifies benefit options by studying programs and obtaining advice from consultants/brokers.
• Ensures compliance with federal, state, and local legal requirements by studying existing laws and regulations and updates to legal requirements (ACA reporting/COBRA/HIPAA/ERISA/FMLA).
• Resolves employee questions and problems by interpreting benefit policies and procedures.
• Designs a competitive benefits package to include but not limited to Health Insurance Coverage, prescription drugs, 401k, vacation, holiday, and wellness programs.
• Manages existing disease management and wellness programs as well as analyzes effectiveness of programs and researches/recommends new initiatives.
• Collects, analyzes, and summarizes reports on a monthly basis provided by medical programs – cost vs actual.
• Reconciles all billing from all providers on a monthly basis.
• Serves as primary contact with Benefit consultants and plan providers to ensure efficient administration of benefit plans.
• Audits and tracks all plans to ensure employees are in plans they elected, terminates employees from plans, and manages eligibility of new hires via HRIS/Benefits System.
• Manages Service Award Program.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops and reviewing professional publications; networking.

Payroll Management

• Processes bi-weekly payroll for US (multi-state) and Canadian employees; directs the production and issuance of paychecks or electronic transfers to bank accounts.
• Updates payroll records by reviewing and approving changes in exemptions, insurance coverage, savings deductions, job titles, and department/division transfers.
• Prepares reports by compiling summaries of earnings, taxes, deductions, leave, disability, and nontaxable wages on a bi-weekly, quarterly, and yearly basis; conveys required reports to Accounting.
• Balances the payroll accounts by resolving payroll discrepancies.
• Complies with federal, state, and local legal requirements by studying existing and new legislation; enforcing adherence to requirements; advising management of needed actions.
• Maintains payroll guidelines by writing and updating policies and procedures.
• Maintains employee confidence and protects payroll operations by keeping information confidential.
• Maintains accurate employee files and electronic records via HRIS and Payroll System.
• Reviews employee status changes, tax withholdings, benefits, direct deposits, etc. for accuracy via HRIS/Payroll System.
• Supports Managers and first-line supervisors in permanent employee on-time and attendance records/reporting, paid time off, overtime, and leave tracking.
• Ensures state employee tax rates are communicated to HRIS/Payroll provider.
• Ensures temporary employees' time sheets are provided to vendor on a weekly basis.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; networking; professional organizations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

• Ability to work with competing or quickly changing priorities.
• Ability to work in a self-directed manner.
• Customer Service approach to employee, vendor, and agency interactions.
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written.
• Ability to meet individual goals while supporting individual business areas.
• Strong sense of work ownership and accountability.
• Ability to build and maintain positive relationships at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to manage complex subjects and situations.
• Strong commitment to confidentiality and professionalism at all times.
• Ability to analyze and diagnose problems quickly while maintaining a solutions-oriented approach.