Payroll Implementation Specialist

Essential Duties

• Lead client discovery sessions to understand payroll, timekeeping, HR, scheduling, compensation, accrual, approval, and workforce-management processes.
• Evaluate current payroll and timekeeping practices, identify risks or inefficiencies, and recommend practical system solutions that support accuracy, efficiency, and compliance.
• Configure payroll and timekeeping system components, including earnings, deductions, pay frequencies, payroll calendars, employee classifications, departments, locations, tax settings, schedules, work rules, approvals, pay codes, and time-entry workflows.
• Support configuration of sick leave, vacation, PTO, and other accrual programs in accordance with client policies and applicable requirements.
• Understand how compensation components affect the regular rate of pay, overtime calculations, wage statements, and payroll accuracy.
• Configure or validate user roles, permissions, approval structures, and access controls.
• Map, import, validate, and reconcile employee, payroll, compensation, deduction, tax, timekeeping, accrual, and historical data from legacy systems.
• Identify and resolve data discrepancies, missing information, configuration exceptions, and other implementation issues before go-live.
• Confirm go-live readiness by validating configuration, data, testing results, client training, open issues, and transition requirements.
• Train client payroll, HR, management, and timekeeping administrators on system functionality, required processes, approval workflows, and implementation decisions.
• Provide hands-on go-live support during initial payroll processing and transition to production.
• Build credibility as a trusted advisor by balancing client business needs with system integrity, payroll accuracy, and compliance considerations.
• Investigate payroll and timekeeping discrepancies to determine whether the root cause is employee data, configuration, process, calculation logic, integration, or user behavior.
• Research system functionality, test potential solutions, and use internal resources when the correct configuration is not immediately apparent.

Required Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in payroll, payroll implementation, payroll administration, payroll operations, HRIS, workforce management, timekeeping, or a closely related field.
• Working knowledge of payroll calculations, timekeeping processes, pay codes, deductions, overtime, accruals, employee classifications, and the relationship between time records and payroll results.
• Experience configuring, administering, supporting, or implementing a payroll, HRIS, workforce-management, or timekeeping platform.
• Understanding of wage-and-hour concepts, including overtime, meal and rest periods, rounding, regular rate of pay, deductions, premiums, timekeeping requirements, and wage statement impacts.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to review data, identify discrepancies, troubleshoot issues, determine root causes, and validate results.
• Ability to work directly with clients, lead requirements discussions, communicate technical concepts clearly, and manage expectations professionally.
• Exceptional attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and commitment to payroll accuracy and implementation quality.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills and ability to learn complex software platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with UKG, ADP, Workday, Dayforce, Paylocity, Paychex, or similar payroll and timekeeping platforms.
• Experience participating in full-cycle payroll, HRIS, workforce management, or timekeeping implementations.
• Knowledge of California wage-and-hour requirements and/or multi-state payroll and timekeeping requirements.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP), Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC), PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or similar certification.
• Experience managing multiple client implementations, projects, or workstreams simultaneously.