Payroll Analyst

Build the future, spark innovation and align your career with purpose.

McKinstry is innovating the waste and climate harm out of the built environment and creating lasting impact. Together, we’re building a thriving planet.

Buildings are a leading contributor to the climate crisis, generating nearly 40% of total global energy-related carbon emissions. We’re making a lasting impact on our industry and within our communities by addressing the climate, affordability and equity crises through:

• renewables and energy services
• engineering and design
• construction and facility services

To get where we’re going, we need big thinkers, problem solvers and collaborative mindsets. Does that sound like you?

We are adding two newly created Payroll Analyst roles to our team in Seattle, WA. These positions were created as part of McKinstry’s strategic transformation to UKG — a major platform investment that is reshaping how we run payroll. We are revitalizing the department around new technology, new capabilities, and new skill sets, and we need sharp analytical minds to help us build it right from day one.

This is a hands‑on role at the intersection of payroll expertise and operational analytics — where deep subject matter knowledge, data integrity, and continuous process improvement all come together. You will bring both technical precision and genuine payroll fluency to a fast‑moving construction environment. If you are detail‑driven, payroll‑savvy, and ready to grow alongside a platform transformation, this role was built for you.

Serve as a frontline resource for complex employee payroll questions — escalations involving garnishments, wage and hour regulations, multi‑state tax rules, and CBA‑driven pay situations. You bring the payroll knowledge to explain not just what the system calculated, but why, and what the right answer is.

Review gross‑to‑net calculations, deduction totals, and exception reports during weekly processing, then reconcile against prior periods and validate headcount changes after finalization. Prepare weekly summary reports for Payroll leadership and support off‑cycle adjustments and retroactive pay calculations as needed.

Run daily cross‑system validation checks across integrated payroll and HR applications, resolving dropped, duplicated, or misaligned records before each cycle.

Document, review, and improve payroll SOPs — identifying manual steps that can be streamlined or automated. Partner with Senior Analysts to redesign workflows as systems evolve or compliance requirements shift.

Contribute to year‑end close including W‑2 preparation, taxable wage reconciliation, payroll register balancing across all jurisdictions, and quarterly 941 reconciliations.

We are a people‑first organization that treats payroll as a critical professional discipline, not a back‑office afterthought. We promote from within and invest heavily in our people — including dedicated support and funding for FPC and CPP certification. If you are precise by nature, process‑driven by habit, and ready to grow inside a team that actually respects the craft of payroll, let’s talk.

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 2–6 years of payroll analyst experience; construction industry experience is a strong plus
• Strong knowledge of payroll compliance, garnishment administration, wage and hour law, multi‑state and state‑specific tax rules, and CBA‑driven pay calculations
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and Microsoft 365 proficiency is required
• Experience building payroll checklists, activity logs, and structured process documentation; ability to write and optimize SOPs
• Familiarity with union payroll and fringe benefit reporting is preferred
• Experience with or willingness to learn AI‑assisted tools and automation for payroll data workflows
• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) preferred or required within 12…