Payroll & Benefits Manager

Position Summary The Payroll & Benefits Manager is responsible for overseeing the full-cycle payroll process and benefits administration for all employees and subcontractors. This role ensures compliance with all federal, state, and contractual requirements, including Davis-Bacon reporting, while maintaining accurate records in Spectrum and Employee Navigator. The Manager supervises the Payroll & Benefits Team and is accountable for the overall accuracy, compliance, and effectiveness of payroll and benefits operations, including resolving complex issues, managing vendor relationships, and driving continuous improvement.

Your Role Oversees weekly payroll for all employees and subcontractors in Spectrum with high accuracy and compliance.

Oversees certified payroll submissions for TxDOT, CoSA, and federally funded contracts in accordance with Davis-Bacon regulations.

Leads, supervises, and develops the Payroll & Benefits Team by establishing priorities, assigning responsibilities, monitoring workload, and supporting employee development.

Maintains expert-level knowledge of payroll law, tax regulations, ACA, COBRA, Davis-Bacon, and benefit compliance practices.

Leads payroll audits, internal reviews, and external agency requests and ensures audit-readiness of all documentation.

Oversees benefits administration and enrollment activities, ensuring accurate eligibility, deductions, reconciliations, employee communications, and vendor coordination.

Manages relationships with payroll and benefits vendors, including UMR, Guardian, Fidelity, EAP, and other partners, and addresses escalated service, file feed, compliance, and operational issues.

Provides escalation and final resolution for complex payroll discrepancies and employee pay or benefit-related issues requiring management judgment, policy interpretation, or elevated corrective action.

Partners with HR and organizational leaders to ensure payroll and benefits processes remain aligned with employee lifecycle events, compensation changes, organizational needs, and company policies.

Oversees year-end payroll activities, required payroll and benefits communications, garnishments, W-2 processing, and related reporting to ensure timely and compliant completion.

Leads the company's Wellness Committee in accordance with benefits best practices and company health initiatives.

Establishes and maintains payroll and benefits procedures, controls, service standards, and performance measures to ensure consistent, accurate, and compliant operations.

Recommends and implements process improvements to increase accuracy, efficiency, compliance, and employee service.

Develops and executes payroll and benefits improvement priorities and system/process initiatives to support organizational needs, regulatory requirements, and the continued growth of the function.

Performs other duties as assigned, contributing to organizational success as business needs evolve.

What you bring

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, HR, or related field preferred.

Minimum 7 years of payroll experience, with progressive responsibility in payroll processing and benefits coordination.

Strong proficiency in Spectrum (or similar ERP) and Employee Navigator.

Advanced Excel skills (formulas, lookups, filters) and reporting experience required.

Bilingual in English and Spanish strongly preferred.

Demonstrated supervisory or team leadership  knowledge of federal and Texas-specific wage laws, ACA, COBRA, Davis-Bacon, and payroll tax rules.

Strong attention to detail, confidentiality, and the ability to meet strict deadlines.

Physical Requirements This position is primarily office-based and requires regular use of a computer, phone, and other standard office equipment. The role involves…