Payroll & Benefits Lead

C2O Americas•Houston, TX

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Payroll and Benefits Lead is responsible for managing end-to-end payroll operations and administering employee benefit programs, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and excellent employee support.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
Minimum 15 years of progressive payroll experience required.
Demonstrated experience managing full-cycle, in-house payroll processing and payroll tax filings required.
Strong experience with multi-state payroll and tax compliance.
Proven experience preparing and filing federal, state, and local payroll tax returns.
Strong understanding of wage and hour laws and payroll regulations.
Experience reconciling payroll to general ledger accounts.
Familiarity with payroll systems and ERP platforms.
Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
High level of discretion and confidentiality.
Strong organizational and communication skills.
Ability to manage deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Strong sense of accountability and ownership.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Dayforce or Ceridian preferred.
CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage end-to-end payroll processes, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing for all employees.
Maintain and update payroll records, including new hires, terminations, salary changes, and deductions.
Calculate and process payroll adjustments, including bonuses, per diems, overtime, and deductions.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, tax laws, and company policies.
Ensure payroll tax accounts are set up with proper authority and resolve discrepancies with tax authorities as needed
Reconcile payroll discrepancies and respond to employee inquiries regarding payroll matters.
Collaborate with finance and HR teams to ensure accurate financial reporting and budgeting.
Processes IRS garnishments and court orders, including child support garnishments, tax levies, federal bankruptcy orders, and student loan garnishments
Respond to Verifications of Employment and Unemployment Claims
Offboard employees and coordinate payments for Involuntary separations
Administer employee benefit programs, including medical, dental and health insurance, and other employee perks.
Oversee open enrollment processes, including plan analysis, communication, and employee education.
Serve as the primary point of contact for benefit-related inquiries, providing guidance and support to employees when onboarding and offboarding and life events.
Coordinate with benefit providers, brokers, and vendors to ensure effective plan administration.
Conduct regular audits to ensure data accuracy and compliance with benefit plans and regulations.
Stay updated on industry trends and regulatory changes to recommend enhancements and improvements.
Audit and maintain new hires and terminations in payroll system.
Ensure compliance with all payroll and benefits-related regulations, such as ERISA, ACA, and FLSA.
Generate regular reports and metrics related to payroll, benefits utilization, costs, and trends.
Assist with internal and external audits, providing necessary documentation and information.
New hire reporting to proper state officials
Offboarding employees and ensure all documentation is properly filed in employee’s folder and benefits are properly end dated.
Assisting employees with W4, W2, status letters and sending pay remittances.
Maintain and strengthen payroll internal controls and documentation processes.
Identify opportunities for process improvement and increased efficiency within payroll operations.