Payroll Specialist

Position
:
Payroll Specialist

Type: Full-time

Location: Aberdeen, NC

Travel: 0%

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for managing accurate, timely, and compliant payroll operations for hourly and salaried employees for a growing, multi-location organization. This role owns the full payroll cycle, maintains payroll and employee data, supports audits and reconciliations, and partners closely with HR to ensure payroll, benefits deductions, reporting, and compliance processes are executed with precision. The ideal candidate brings strong payroll expertise, confidentiality, attention to detail, and a continuous-improvement mindset to help standardize processes and support organizational growth.

• Process the full payroll cycle (e.g., weekly/biweekly/semi-monthly) for hourly and salaried employees, including new site locations.

• Manage employee data in the payroll and partner with HR with HRIS systems: new hires, terminations, status changes, transfers, pay rate changes, garnishments, etc.

• Maintain and audit payroll records and reconciliations: general ledger entries, bank reconciliations, benefit deductions, tax with holdings, garnishments, benefit contributions, etc.

• Ensure compliance with federal, state and local payroll tax laws and regulations, wage and hour laws, employee classification rules, unemployment insurance, wage attachments/garnishments, and reporting requirements.

• Assist with quarterly/annual tasks: tax filings/remittances, W-2 processing, 1099s where applicable, year-end payroll close, audits, and regulatory filings.

• Monitor changes in payroll legislation (multi-state as applicable), interpret impacts to the organization, and proactively recommend updates to policies/procedures.

• Partner with HR to develop payroll process improvements, standard operating procedures, and controls to support accuracy, efficiency and scalability.

• Maintain required documentation and reporting for benefits.

• Reconcile monthly benefit invoices and audit benefit deductions to ensure accuracy between payroll and carrier billing.

• Support benefits compliance reporting, including ACA 1094/1095 forms, 5500 filings, nondiscrimination testing, and benefits audits.

• Main point of contact for benefit plan audits to include preparing requested information (employee census, payroll and general ledger reconciliations, etc.) and answering auditors' questions.

• Provide backup to HR team for benefits enrollment and processing changes.

• US Citizen

• Valid U.S. driver’s license

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint)

• Clear and effective verbal and written communication

• High School Diploma or Equivalent

• Minimum 5 years of progressive payroll experience (ideally in a growing/multi-location organization).

• Demonstrated experience with payroll/HRIS systems

• Strong knowledge of payroll tax and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions (states, localities)

• Strong Excel/computer skills

• Proven ability to process large volumes of payroll data accurately and meet strict deadlines

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, organizational and time-management skills with ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities

• High level of attention to detail and confidentiality in handling sensitive employee/payroll/benefits data

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to explain complex payroll and benefits concepts to employees

• Understanding of general ledger payroll accounting

• Change-management mindset: able to guide process improvements, standardize payroll and benefits administration across regions, and support growth.

• Experience establishing payroll…