Payroll Specialist

Plastipak • Plymouth, MI

1d

About The Position

Plastipak Packaging, Inc. is seeking a Payroll Specialist to process payroll accurately and on time for more than 4,000 employees across multiple states and locations in North America. The role maintains payroll records, reconciles payroll activity, supports tax and deduction processing, prepares reports, and helps improve payroll systems and processes while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local requirements.

The Payroll Specialist processes weekly and biweekly payroll using SAP and Workday; maintains employee payroll data; calculates and validates taxes, deductions, and garnishments; audits and reconciles accounts and balances; and investigates discrepancies. The role also prepares regular and ad hoc reports, monitors regulatory changes, supports Workday payroll and HRIS initiatives, serves as a payroll systems subject matter expert, and collaborates with internal business partners and site Talent Management.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree in accounting, finance, or business required.
• At least 3 years of payroll processing experience required.
• Workday payroll experience required, including experience supporting payroll in a multi-state organization.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, filings, and garnishment processing.
• Skilled in Microsoft Excel, including VLOOKUP, PivotTables, formulas, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Proficiency with Outlook.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to handle confidential data with discretion and professionalism.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or a related business field.
• Certified Payroll Professional certification.
• Five years of payroll processing experience.
• Experience setting up, auditing, or troubleshooting payroll tax items within payroll or HRIS systems.
• Experience with SAP Payroll, UKG, Workday, and ADP SmartCompliance.

Responsibilities

• Process weekly and biweekly payroll for more than 4,000 employees across multiple states using SAP and Workday.
• Collect, calculate, audit, and enter employee payroll data, including exemptions, benefit and savings deductions, job changes, and department or division transfers.
• Calculate and validate employee and employer payroll tax liabilities, voluntary deductions, garnishments, and related filings.
• Maintain, audit, and reconcile payroll accounts, general ledger and journal activity, paid time off accruals, deductions, and related balances.
• Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies through root-cause analysis.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, and ad hoc reports covering earnings, taxes, deductions, leave, disability, nontaxable wages, audits, compliance, reconciliations, and business needs.
• Monitor changes in federal, state, and local payroll requirements, maintain compliant practices, and advise management when action is needed.
• Support Workday payroll and HRIS initiatives, including configuration, testing, data validation, implementation support, troubleshooting, and process documentation.
• Serve as a payroll systems subject matter expert and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
• Collaborate with internal business partners and site Talent Management.

Benefits

• Wellness programs.
• Health insurance coverage, including medical, dental, and vision.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Life insurance.
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance.
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• Accidental insurance.
• Critical illness insurance.
• Hospital indemnity insurance.
• 401(k) plan with company matching contribution and profit-sharing feature.
• Paid time off: 80 hours within the first year, with subsequent increases.
• Paid company holidays.
• Dependent care flexible spending account.
• Caregiving via Care.com.
• Pet insurance.
• Tuition assistance program.
• Sons and Daughters Scholarship Program.
• Travel assistance.
• Employee discount programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree