Payroll Specialist II

About the role

The Payroll Specialist II is a mid-level Individual Contributor responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payroll for assigned pay groups within Jackson Healthcare’s multi-company Workday environment. Reporting to the Sr. Manager, Payroll Operations, this role applies a solid working knowledge of payroll principles, federal and state tax regulations, and Workday Payroll to ensure all employees are paid correctly and in compliance with applicable laws.

Responsibilities

• Payroll Processing & Administration – 50%

  Process, balance, audit, and complete payroll for assigned pay groups with accuracy and timeliness in the Workday payroll system.
  Prepare and import time files, deduction files, and other employee payroll data; validate imports for accuracy prior to payroll confirmation.
  Review and analyze payroll audit reports, investigate and resolve discrepancies, and ensure corrective actions are documented.
  Process off-cycle payments, manual checks, voids, reversals, and retroactive adjustments as needed.
  Support year-end payroll activities including W-2 preparation, reconciliation, and distribution in coordination with the payroll team.
  Ensure payroll transactions are processed in accordance with established procedures, deadlines, and internal controls.

• Compliance & Audit – 25%

  Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, FLSA, and garnishment laws across multi-state operations.
  Research and resolve payroll tax issues at both the employee and company level; escalate complex compliance matters to the Sr. Manager, Payroll Operations.
  Support Tax Analyst with tax correspondence and reconciliation of payroll tax filings and deposits.
  Maintain strict confidentiality of all payroll and financial information in accordance with company policy and applicable regulations.
  Support internal and external audit requests by providing accurate payroll records and documentation.

• Collaboration & Employee Communication – 15%

  Collaborate effectively with HR, Benefits, Finance, Treasury, and IT teams to ensure accurate and complete payroll data.
  Communicate empathetically and professionally with employees to resolve payroll inquiries, explain pay calculations, and address concerns in a timely manner.
  Partner with HR and Benefits teams to ensure pre- and post-tax benefit deductions, garnishments, and other payroll-affecting transactions are reflected accurately.
  Serve as a resource to business partners on Workday payroll processes, timekeeping, and self-service functionality.

• Documentation & Continuous Improvement – 10%

  Document payroll processes, maintain up-to-date procedural guides, and identify opportunities to improve accuracy and efficiency.
  Follow established procedures while proactively recommending process improvements that reduce manual effort and risk of error.
  Participate in HCMS and Payroll team meetings, stay current on Workday Payroll feature updates, and contribute to testing during Workday bi-annual release cycles.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and experience considered.
• Experience: 3+ years of payroll processing experience, preferably in a multi-state environment. Working knowledge of payroll principles, federal and state tax laws, garnishments, and pre- and post-tax benefit deductions. Experience with end-to-end payroll processing including input, audit, balancing, and regulatory reporting reconciliations. Experience with Workday Payroll or another enterprise payroll system (e.g., ADP, Ceridian).
• Skills: Proficiency in payroll processing; ability to navigate payroll worklets, run audit reports, and troubleshoot pay calculation discrepancies. Working knowledge of federal and state payroll tax regulations, FLSA requirements, and garnishment processing rules. Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data validation); proficient in Outlook, Word, and Teams. Analytical skills: ability to reconcile payroll data, investigate discrepancies, and identify root causes. Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy and confidentiality. Exceptional customer service orientation; ability to communicate empathetically and effectively with employees at all levels regarding sensitive pay matters. Excellent organizational and time management skills; ability to manage competing deadlines in a high-volume, fast-paced payroll environment. Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to explain complex payroll calculations in clear, non-technical language. Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a cross-functional team environment. Adaptability: ability to embrace change and shift focus when unexpected work arises.

Supervisory / Budgetary / External Communication Responsibility

This is an Individual Contributor role with no direct reports. May communicate with third-party vendors, tax agencies, or garnishment processing services in the normal course of payroll operations.