Payroll Specialist

Starr Insurance•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for accurate and compliant administration of U.S. payroll operations for approximately 2,000 employees across multiple legal entities and jurisdictions. This role is a subject matter expert in payroll processing, tax compliance, reporting, system administration, and employee support, ensuring adherence to applicable regulatory requirements. The role also supports payroll audits, payroll-system improvements, year-end activities, invoice processing, and unemployment claims administration.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
At least 2 years of end-to-end U.S. payroll administration experience, including multi-state and multi-entity payroll processing.
Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, labor laws, and compliance requirements.
Experience managing complex payroll processes across multiple jurisdictions and legal entities.
Proficiency in Workday Payroll and related Workday modules, including HCM, Benefits, Absence, and Time Tracking.
Experience with ADP SmartCompliance, including tax, wage payment, and garnishment services.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including data analysis, reconciliation, and reporting.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving capabilities, with exceptional attention to detail.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive employee and payroll information.

Nice To Haves

Accounting or payroll accounting experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Process semi-monthly payroll for all U.S. legal entities, including regular and off-cycle payrolls, accurately, compliantly, and on time.
Administer payroll transactions, including new hires, terminations, compensation changes, bonuses, severance, direct deposit, tax elections, garnishments, and time and labor processing.
Manage garnishment administration in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
Monitor and respond to payroll inquiries, researching and resolving payroll- and tax-related issues for current and former employees.
Provide professional written and verbal support to employees on payroll matters.
Prepare, validate, and distribute recurring monthly, quarterly, and annual payroll reports.
Develop and deliver ad hoc payroll, tax, and workforce reports.
Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies while following established controls, policies, and procedures.
Maintain current documentation and knowledge of U.S. payroll processes, tax requirements, and compliance obligations.
Ensure employees are paid accurately and in compliance with applicable wage and labor laws.
Support setup, maintenance, and reconciliation of federal, state, and local payroll tax accounts.
Reconcile payroll tax reporting after each payroll cycle to ensure employee and employer tax liabilities are accurately recorded in Workday.
Support quarterly and year-end payroll activities, including audit preparation, W-2 processing, regulatory reporting, and benefit limit validations.
Provide backup support for unemployment claims administration and related inquiries.
Process payroll-related invoices through Workday Financials and maintain appropriate documentation and approvals.
Support internal and external audits concerning payroll, benefits, and payroll tax compliance.
Assist with employment tax audits by gathering documentation and responding to auditor requests.
Support year-end processing to enable timely tax-year close and accurate distribution of employee tax documents.
Participate in payroll system implementations, upgrades, enhancements, and testing, including validating calculations, integrations, and reporting.
Perform general payroll administration, including answering employee inquiries, maintaining records, and ensuring appropriate document retention and storage.