Payroll and Benefits Analyst

About the role

We are seeking a Payroll and Benefits Analyst to own full-cycle biweekly payroll and benefits administration for an organization located in Atlanta. This role plays a key part in benefits reconciliation, employee communications, event coordination, and year-end HR/payroll activities. Hands-on experience with UKG Pro is required. This is an onsite role.

Responsibilities

• Biweekly Payroll Processing
  • Own full-cycle biweekly payroll processing in UKG Pro.
  • Manage all aspects of the payroll cycle end-to-end, including new hires, terminations, changes, deductions, and off-cycle payments.
  • Serve as the primary owner of the payroll process, not a specialist limited to timekeeping or a single payroll function.
• Payroll Reporting and Review
  • Prepare, analyze, and communicate payroll-related variances.
  • Understand what to review each cycle, identify unusual or unexpected items, and proactively explain impacts to accounting and leadership.
• Benefits Reconciliation
  • Reconcile benefit invoices to payroll deductions each billing cycle.
  • Identify, investigate, and resolve discrepancies between carrier invoices and payroll records.
• Employee Communications
  • Draft and distribute clear, professional employee communications across a range of HR, payroll, and benefits-related topics.
• Employee Events
  • Support the planning and execution of employee events throughout the year.
  • Take ownership of year-end event coordination, working with guidance from the HR team.
• Open Enrollment Support
  • Coordinate open enrollment meetings and logistics.
  • Distribute enrollment materials and assist with related employee communications and administrative activities.
• Year-End HR and Payroll Activities
  • Manage annual payroll processes tied to year-end activities and reporting requirements (e.g., W-2 processing, payroll close, related compliance reporting).

Qualifications

• 3+ years of full-cycle payroll processing experience with direct, end-to-end ownership of the payroll function — not limited to timekeeping or a single specialized area.
• Hands-on experience with UKG Pro for payroll processing and benefits administration and reporting.
• Experience reconciling benefits invoices against payroll deductions.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to independently identify and explain payroll variances.
• Excellent written communication skills for drafting employee-facing materials.
• High attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Comfortable working in a small-company environment, wearing multiple hats across payroll, benefits, and HR support.

Preferred Qualifications

• FPC or CPP certification (Fundamental Payroll Certification / Certified Payroll Professional).
• Prior experience supporting a predominantly salaried workforce.
• Experience supporting open enrollment and employee events in a small or mid-sized organization.