Payroll Specialist

About the role

The Payroll Lead at West Yost is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the payroll process, ensuring compliance, accuracy, and timely execution of payroll operations. This role performs the day-to-day payroll functions, prepares payroll documentation, and works closely with HR, Finance, and external vendors to manage payroll systems and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Payroll Review & Processing:
  • Review and approve employee data changes in payroll system.
  • Enter and/or review employee updates entered in Deltek (Accounting System).
  • Process bi-weekly and weekly payrolls for review, as needed.
  • Perform the first-level review of bi-weekly and weekly payrolls.
  • Prepare payroll recap reports highlighting payroll changes and anomalies.
  • Collaborate with payroll team for corrections and coordinate final reviews as needed.
  • Respond to employee payroll questions and requests.
• Tax and Compliance:
  • Process employee tax withholding updates within the payroll system.
  • Absorb quarterly payroll tax filings prepared by the payroll provider.
  • Absorb state payroll reporting and correspondence.
  • Maintain employee payroll records and supporting documentation.
  • Ensure payroll records are complete and audit-ready.
• Prevailing Wage Oversight:
  • Maintain Prevailing Wage (PW) rate schedules for WY Inspectors.
  • Process weekly uploads for WY Inspectors to the DIR (Department of Industrial Relations).
  • Track prevailing wage requirements for subcontractors on active projects.
  • Review certified payroll reports for completeness prior to management review.
• Accounting Interface:
  • Assist and/or review payroll journal entries in Deltek.
  • Maintain payroll reconciliations and supporting documentation.
  • Absorb payroll-related reporting requests.
• Reporting & Audits:
  • Absorb preparation of quarterly census reports.
  • Absorb the annual Workers’ Compensation audit.
  • Absorb payroll year-end processing and reconciliation.
  • Coordinate with HR to schedule any additional year-end payroll runs.
  • Maintain payroll files and documentation for audits.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 3 years of related experience.
• Experience in Certified Payroll and CA Prevailing Wage processes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Flexibility and ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and collaborate with teammates in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-motivated, well-organized and detail-oriented.
• Proficiency with payroll software.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, health saving accounts (with West Yost contribution), paid vacation, paid sick leave and holidays, two employee assistance programs, travel assistance program, 401(k) profit sharing with employer match, leaves of absence with additional supplemental paid time off, parental leave, life and AD&D insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance, and even pet insurance.
• On-going education through our 529 college savings plan/student loan repayment program, tuition reimbursement, paid professional memberships, paid training, and Leadership Academy programs.
• Recognition for contributions at West Yost through milestone anniversary benefits, peer to peer recognition programs, the potential for employee stock ownership, annual monetary and paid time off bonuses, performance-based bonus eligibility, merit increase eligibility, and employee referral bonuses.
• Wellness reimbursement.

Pay & Schedule

Pay Rate Range: $42hr- $45hr. Based on our Sacramento, CA office location. (West Yost uses geographic salary differentials that would apply for candidates in other regions). Status: Full-time, Non-Exempt. Location(s): Sacramento, CA ( https://www.westyost.com/locations/ ). This is a Hybrid role with 3 days in the office and 2 days remote.

Schedule

This position may require travel to other offices and/or client offices.