Payroll & HR Operations Lead

The Learning Experience•Franklin, TN

2d•$50,000 - $55,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Payroll & HR Operations Lead is a critical member of the Human Resources team, responsible for managing end-to-end payroll processing, employee lifecycle administration, and HR system integrity across multiple locations. This role ensures payroll accuracy, regulatory compliance with applicable state and federal employment laws, and serves as the primary point of contact for centers, leadership, and employees on all payroll and HR operational matters. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, highly organized, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, multi-site environment. They possess a deep understanding of payroll processes, employment regulations, and HR best practices, and can exercise sound judgment while maintaining strict confidentiality.

Requirements

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Accounting, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
Minimum of 2–4 years of hands-on payroll processing and HR administration experience, preferably in a multi-site or multi-state environment.
Familiarity with E-Verify employment eligibility processes and applicable federal and state employment regulations.
Strong working knowledge of payroll principles, practices, and regulatory requirements, including multi-state final-pay laws, garnishment processing, and payroll deduction compliance (CCPA, IRS, state agencies).
Exceptional attention to detail with a demonstrated ability to identify and resolve discrepancies quickly and accurately.
Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Clear and professional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively interact with employees, center staff, and leadership at all levels.
High degree of discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive and confidential employee information.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) and document management systems such as BOX.
Self-starter with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience with Paylocity is strongly preferred; familiarity with other HRIS/payroll platforms will be considered.

Responsibilities

Communicate payroll schedules to all centers, including upcoming pay periods, check dates, and submission deadlines, ensuring timely compliance across all locations.
Distribute payroll adjustment sheets to centers, following up to confirm completion and return by the established deadline.
Review and verify employee timecards for accuracy, ensuring all hours worked, overtime, and adjustments are properly recorded prior to processing.
Close timecards in the payroll system in preparation for each payroll run.
Process regular and off-cycle payrolls (e.g., bonuses, commissions, and corrections) through Paylocity in accordance with established timelines.
Download and review payroll journals for accuracy, identifying and resolving discrepancies before final submission.
Provide payroll cash requirement reports to the owner or appropriate leadership for review and approval prior to final payroll submission.
Receive, review, and process all incoming garnishment orders, including wage garnishments, child support withholding orders, tax levies, and creditor garnishments, ensuring timely and accurate setup in Paylocity.
Enter and maintain all employee payroll deductions in Paylocity, including voluntary deductions (health insurance, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k)/retirement contributions, FSA/HSA) and involuntary deductions (garnishments, levies, and liens).
Verify that garnishment and deduction amounts are calculated correctly and comply with applicable federal and state withholding limits, including Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA) caps.
Communicate with employees regarding active garnishment orders as required, maintaining professionalism and confidentiality throughout the process.
Coordinate with Paylocity support to resolve any garnishment setup issues, remittance questions, or discrepancies with issuing agencies or courts.
Audit deduction totals each pay period to confirm accuracy and ensure no deductions were missed, duplicated, or incorrectly calculated prior to final payroll submission.
Maintain organized records of all garnishment orders, correspondence, and deduction changes for compliance and audit purposes.
Notify centers of closures resulting from recognized holidays or adverse weather conditions in a timely manner.
Provide clear instructions to centers for entering applicable holiday or weather pay hours on employee timecards for affected workdays.
Audit submitted timecards to confirm that holiday and weather pay entries are accurate, complete, and consistent with company policy.
Initiate the onboarding process by sending system invitations to new hires through Paylocity upon receipt of a signed offer letter.
Maintain organized employee records by saving offer letters and onboarding documentation to designated folders in BOX.
Confirm employee start dates with the respective centers and follow up on any pending or incomplete onboarding invitations.
Create and configure new employee profiles in the HR and payroll system, including the assignment of applicable time-off plans and payroll settings.
Complete and document E-Verify employment eligibility verification for all new hires in accordance with federal requirements.
Track start confirmation communications and maintain documentation for compliance and audit purposes.
Process employee terminations in the HR and payroll system promptly upon notification from centers or management, ensuring accurate effective dates and status changes.
Ensure compliance with applicable state final-pay laws, including calculating and adding unused vacation balances to final timecards where required.
Determine the appropriate method for delivering final pay — regular payroll cycle, off-cycle payroll, or manual check — based on state-specific requirements and company policy.
Maintain complete and organized documentation of all termination notifications and related communications for compliance and audit readiness.
Prepare and distribute onboarding and termination non-compliance reports to owners and regional or area managers on a regular basis.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date employee records in Paylocity, including updates to deductions, reimbursements, employment status changes, and other profile modifications based on communications from centers and leadership.
Perform routine data audits and system cleanup, including identifying active or on-leave employees not receiving pay and removing or resolving stale onboarding invitations for candidates who did not join.
Route garnishment orders, tax levy notices, and other payroll-related legal documentation to Paylocity support for timely resolution and compliance.
Set up and configure new center locations in the payroll system and provision iPad kiosks used for employee time clock functionality.
Generate and distribute scheduled daily or weekly employee hours reports to relevant stakeholders.
Produce and send daily missed-punch reports to centers to ensure timekeeping accuracy and support supervisors in correcting discrepancies.
Coordinate employee recognition activities, including arranging flowers or other appropriate gestures for administrative staff birthdays and work anniversaries.
Respond to ad hoc requests from leadership related to payroll reporting, bonus or commission payment processing, and employee record updates in a timely and accurate manner.
Perform any other duties as assigned