Payroll & Compliance Specialist

About the role

This role owns payroll from start to finish — not just processing payroll, but validating compensation, ensuring compliance, resolving discrepancies, and partnering with HR, Finance, and Operations so every payment is accurate.

Responsibilities

• Process accurate and timely biweekly payroll for employees across multiple pay structures, including hourly, salaried, commissions, bonuses, and incentive compensation.
• Administer subcontractor compensation by reviewing invoices and supporting documentation to ensure payments align with executed agreements, approved work orders, completion documentation, and company policies.
• Review and validate payroll changes including new hires, terminations, promotions, compensation adjustments, commissions, bonuses, and incentive programs.
• Audit payroll data for accuracy prior to processing and research discrepancies as needed.
• Process payroll adjustments, off-cycle payments, final pay, deductions, and reimbursements.
• Respond to employee payroll questions and resolve payroll issues professionally and confidentially.
• Maintain payroll records, supporting documentation, and audit trails in accordance with company policy and applicable laws.
• Administer wage garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, and other court-ordered payroll deductions.
• Manage state withholding notices, unemployment (SUI) rate notices, and payroll-related agency correspondence.
• Care for year-end payroll activities, including W-2 administration and payroll reconciliation support.
• Support 1099 administration for subcontractors and independent contractors.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations — and speak up early when a proposed shortcut would put us out of compliance.
• Care for workers’ compensation audits and maintain accurate payroll classifications.
• Manage Certificates of Insurance (COIs) for subcontractors and vendors, ensuring required coverage remains current.
• Support insurance audits by preparing payroll and compliance documentation.
• Maintain organized payroll and compliance records to support audits and regulatory reporting.
• Turn undocumented, tribal-knowledge processes into written procedures that survive turnover and scale with growth.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll accuracy, documentation, compliance, and operational efficiency.
• Develop and maintain payroll procedures and internal controls.
• Partner with Human Resources, Finance, Operations, and leadership to solve problems, improve processes, and maintain compliance.

Requirements

• 3–5+ years of payroll administration experience required.
• Experience processing complex, multi-state payroll with variable compensation structures, including commissions, bonuses, and incentive pay.
• Experience in a high-growth, fast-changing environment where processes were still being built — not solely in a large, mature company with established systems.
• Demonstrated ability to make sound decisions with incomplete information and document the reasoning behind them.
• Experience reviewing contracts, invoices, and supporting documentation is highly preferred.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify discrepancies and independently research solutions.
• Advanced attention to detail and exceptional organizational skills.
• Strong Excel proficiency, including working with large datasets and formulas.
• Experience with Paylocity or a comparable payroll/HRIS platform preferred.
• Experience supporting audits, regulatory compliance, and payroll reporting.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with discretion.