Payroll and Benefits Specialist

About the Role

The Payroll and Benefits Specialist plays a critical role in supporting the financial and human resources functions of the health center. This position ensures accurate and timely payroll processing, administers employee benefits, and maintains compliance with federal, state, and grant regulations. As part of an FQHC, the specialist helps sustain operational efficiency by managing payroll systems and benefit programs. Effective intradepartmental communication is essential to ensure alignment, collaboration, and the smooth exchange of information across teams. This role also oversees financial audits to ensure accuracy, transparency, and compliance in payroll and benefits operations.

Responsibilities

Administrative & Audit Duties

• Prepare and distribute annual W-2 and 1099 forms in compliance with federal and state regulations.
• Provide support during annual financial audits related to payroll, ensuring accuracy and transparency.
• Coordinate and submit documentation for the annual workers’ compensation audit.
• Develop and publish the annual holiday calendar within Paylocity to ensure consistent scheduling across the organization.
• Manage monthly benefits administration through Patient Navigator, benefit portals, and Paylocity, ensuring accurate enrollment and deductions.
• Prepare and submit monthly payroll reports to support grant reimbursement requirements.
• Generate and review overtime audit reports to ensure accuracy, identify discrepancies, and maintain compliance with labor regulations.
• Periodically distribute documents.
• Train supervisors and employees on payroll and benefits systems, including Paylocity.

Benefit Management & Training

• Develop resources and materials to improve understanding of payroll and benefit processes.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for payroll and benefits-related questions.
• Reconcile benefit premiums for each pay period and coordinate with HR to resolve discrepancies.
• Manage employer HSA and FSA contributions, deductions, and ensure accurate payroll file uploads.

Payroll & Support

• Administer holiday pay within the current payroll cycle to ensure accurate compensation.
• Update and manage PTO banks and accruals, maintaining compliance with organizational policies.
• Assist supervisors with schedule updates and adjustments in Paylocity to support workforce management.
• Oversee end-to-end payroll processing for all employee pay groups, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and full compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour laws.
• Follow up with supervisors on pending punch corrections and PTO requests to ensure timely resolution.
• Monitor and track employee punches outside of scheduled hours and established grace periods.
• Report attendance discrepancies to HR for review and corrective action.
• Oversee and support remote clock-in processes to maintain accurate timekeeping records.

System Administration

• Manage onboarding and offboarding payroll tasks, including verification of new-hire entries, tax forms, pay rates, and final pay.
• Review and process position pay rate updates, promotions, and job changes within Paylocity.
• Maintain and configure payroll system settings to support accurate and efficient operations.
• Conduct regular data integrity audits of the HRIS and payroll system to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of payroll and employee information, always safeguarding sensitive data.
• Monitor and manage user access levels within Paylocity to ensure appropriate permissions.
• Implement and enforce security controls to protect system integrity and compliance with organizational policies.

Other Duties

• Promote and demonstrate Hope values: Gospel motivation, Prayer, Excellence, Stewardship, Patience, Thankfulness, Humility, Service, Dignity through Relationship, and Hospitality and Joy.
• Maintain a courteous and professional demeanor.
• Ensure confidentiality of Hope Christian Health Center finances and patient-related information.
• Comply with HIPAA and protect patient information.
• Ensure compliance with all 19 Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program Requirements.
• Actively participate in and support quality improvement activities and clinical practice team efforts, emphasizing the individual patient and prioritizing patient needs.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• At least 1-2 years’ experience in Payroll and Benefits (Required).
• Knowledge of Paylocity software (Preferred).
• High School Diploma (Required).

Key Competencies

• Faith to believe that Hope is a ministry of God, exemplifying the love of Christ, and held and directed by the Holy Spirit.
• Ability to operate general office machinery (computers, calculators, copy/fax machine, telephones, etc.).
• Outstanding ability to build interpersonal relationships at all levels.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Demonstrated passion for community health care.
• Proven leadership, teambuilding, and organizational skills.
• Proven ability to maintain integrity in a fast-paced and high-demand environment.
• Proven ability to manage performance goals.
• Ability to interact with people from all ethnic backgrounds, ages, and lifestyles; ability to understand and respond appropriately, effectively, and sensitively to special populations.

Physical Demands

• Occasional standing, walking, lifting, reaching, kneeling, bending, pushing, pulling, and lifting and/or moving up to 25 pounds.
• Frequent sitting.
• Manual dexterity.
• Good reading eyesight and vision for close work.
• Ability to communicate by speaking and hearing in person or on the phone.
• Ability to travel to various locations.