Payroll Expert

Bonipak Produce•Santa Maria, CA

About The Position

The Payroll Expert (Senior) processes payroll and maintains the employee database, ensuring employees are properly compensated. The role compiles salary, hours-worked, and piecework information; calculates wages; verifies payroll accuracy; and makes necessary adjustments. It independently handles the full range of responsibilities within the function and requires deep knowledge typically gained through higher education and experience. The Payroll Department processes and distributes payroll accurately and on time for multiple entities. It coordinates with external payroll vendors and internal partners, including Human Resources, Legal, and Accounting, and manages recurring payroll reports and earnings data while supporting compliance with federal, state, and local requirements. The position also handles employee payroll questions and discrepancies, maintains confidentiality, prepares payroll reports, and updates payroll platforms when policies change. The role includes processing final paychecks and other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Must be able to read and write in Spanish.
Demonstrated payroll knowledge, including processing payroll and maintaining employee records.
Ability to calculate wages, overtime premiums, and rest and recovery time.
Ability to work with payroll and time-tracking software and CSV import files.
Ability to manage high-volume weekly payroll and verify payroll data accurately.
Knowledge of H-2A federal program payroll requirements.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and communicate effectively with employees, management, and outside agencies.
Demonstrated problem-solving, teamwork, interpersonal, oral communication, adaptability, planning, organization, accuracy, and dependability.
Ability to follow company policies and procedures and support company goals and values.
Consistent attendance and punctuality; willingness to commit to long hours when necessary to reach goals.

Responsibilities

Collect and verify timesheet information for employees and harvest crews.
Calculate pay based on hours worked, including sick and vacation time.
Compile payroll data, including hours worked and piecework, to calculate gross wages for group or individual harvests.
Calculate and explain rest and recovery time and overtime premiums.
Upload and verify CSV import files from time-tracking software into payroll software.
Process high-volume weekly payroll.
Enter data for new employee enrollment.
Process and update employee direct deposits and federal and state withholding elections.
Process employee changes submitted by Human Resources, including pay rates, job titles, status, and hours.
Verify pay amounts, hours worked, benefits, and deductions.
Record and post payroll registers.
Verify check counts against timecard counts, obtain signatures, package checks, and distribute them to employees and crew supervisors.
Resolve payroll discrepancies and respond to employee payroll questions.
Process payroll operations according to company policies and procedures.
Apply knowledge of H-2A federal program payroll requirements, including guaranteed rates, hour tracking, and corresponding domestic worker status.
Communicate with department management, staff members, and outside agencies.
Prepare and submit payroll reports to supervisors or management.
Maintain confidentiality of employee information and protect payroll operations.
Implement payroll policy updates by updating payroll platforms.
Investigate new programs and identify opportunities to increase efficiency.
Maintain knowledge of company health insurance and 401(k) programs.
Attend leadership and developmental courses.
Process final paychecks.
Perform other duties as assigned.