Payroll & Operation Specialist

Payroll & Operations Specialist

Department:
Finance

Reports To:

Controller (Finance)

Dotted Line:
Vice President, Human Resources

FLSA Status:
Exempt or Non-Exempt (based on role scope)

Key Partnerships:
Human Resources, Accounting, External Payroll Vendors

Location:

Blythewood, South Carolina (Columbia South Carolina area)

The Payroll & Operations Specialist is a Finance-based role responsible for the accurate execution of payroll, financial reconciliation, and compliance with regulatory and accounting requirements. This role maintains a strong dotted-line relationship to Human Resources to ensure alignment of employee data, payroll-impacting transactions, and employee experience, while upholding financial controls and reporting integrity.

• End-to-end ownership of payroll processing, including all earnings types (standard, variable)
• Validate all payroll-impacting transactions in partnership with HR
• Maintain compliance with wage and hour laws, payroll regulations, and internal policies
• Perform tasks related to funding, accruals, and reconciliations
• Prepare payroll journal entries and support close activities
• Reconcile payroll accounts and resolve discrepancies
• Oversee payroll taxes, garnishments, and deductions
• Coordinate 401(k) funding and reconciliation

• Prepare payroll accruals and support financial close timelines
• Ensure strong internal controls aligned with compliance requirements
• Support internal and external audits
• Maintain data integrity across systems
• Provide reporting for forecasting and workforce planning

• Maintain accurate employee data across HRIS and payroll systems
• Partner with HR to align data and transactions
• Support lifecycle transactions (hire, change, LOA, termination)
• Support onboarding and offboarding from payroll perspective
• Manage system access provisioning and removal
• Maintain SOP documentation

• Serve as primary contact for payroll inquiries
• Act as liaison between Finance, HR, and vendors
• Identify process improvements
• Support cross-functional initiatives

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Finance, Accounting, or related field
• 3-5 years payroll experience
• Experience with ADP
• Knowledge of multi-state payroll and compliance
• Experience with reconciliations and audits
• Proficiency in payroll systems and Excel
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail

• Experience in SOX environment
• Advanced Excel skills
• Fidelity PSW experience
• Experience in multi-entity organizations

• Financial accuracy and controls mindset
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Analytical and problem-solving ability
• Clear communication
• Continuous improvement