Payroll & HR Operations Analyst

About the role

This role sits at the intersection of HR and Finance, and it is deliberately broad. You will own payroll and benefits administration end to end, serve as the day-to-day bridge between the People team and our Accounting and FP&A partners, and take on hands-on HR administrative work as the company grows. Roughly half the job is payroll. The other half is everything that surrounds it — reconciling and tying out payroll data for the monthly close, accruals and headcount reporting, vendor invoicing, audit support, benefits administration, and pitching in wherever the HR calendar demands it. Your work will land in the general ledger, in the budget, and in every employee’s paycheck, so accuracy and ownership are important. This role reports to the Sr. Compensation & Benefits Manager and is required to be onsite at our Durham office 3 days a week.

What You Will Do

Payroll Ownership (approximately 45% of the role)

• Own end-to-end processing of bi-weekly payroll, including off-cycle runs, bonuses, and final pay — accurately and on schedule, every cycle
• Build, document, and continually improve a payroll audit checklist; own the pre-submission review that catches errors before they reach an employee
• Manage all employee data changes: new hires, terminations, salary adjustments, tax withholdings, garnishments, and benefit deductions
• Maintain multi-state payroll tax registrations and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations as we expand into new jurisdictions
• Serve as the first point of contact for employee payroll questions, resolving discrepancies quickly and communicating clearly and professionally
• Partner with our payroll platform vendor on system configuration, reporting, upgrades, and issue resolution

Finance & Accounting Partnership (approximately 30% of the role)

• Own the payroll close package: reconcile the payroll register to funding, benefit invoices, and prior-period activity, and deliver Accounting complete, tied-out data to book
• Meet every month-end close deadline and research and resolve any variance Accounting raises against the general ledger
• Partner with FP&A on headcount reporting, compensation forecasting, accrual reporting, and annual planning
• Support financial statement, 401(k), and workers’ compensation audits, along with regulatory filings including W-2s, ACA reporting, and Form 5500
• Manage HR-related invoicing and vendor payments; monitor the HR budget and proactively flag variances

HR Operations & Administration (approximately 25% of the role)

• Administer benefits enrollments, changes, and terminations; audit carrier files and reconcile monthly benefit invoices
• Administer the 401(k) plan, including employee contributions, employer match, and census reporting
• Run annual open enrollment alongside the Compensation & Benefits Manager, from communications through execution
• Administer leave of absence and PTO tracking in compliance with federal and state leave laws
• Maintain employee records and HRIS data integrity; produce ad hoc reports on request
• Contribute to the broader HR calendar — onboarding logistics, compliance postings, employee questions, annual compensation cycle support, and whatever else the team needs during peak periods

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, human resources, or related field
• 3+ years of combined professional experience across any mix of payroll, accounting, or HR operations
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll regulations
• Attention to detail
• Experience with Paylocity (preferred, not required)
• Analytical, problem solving and organizational skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Proficiency in Excel
• Clear and concise verbal and written communication skills