Payroll Specialist

QQR•Cincinnati, OH

1d•$55,000 - $75,000

About The Position

QQR Freight is seeking an experienced Payroll Specialist to own end-to-end payroll for its family of companies. The role handles weekly driver payroll and settlements for QQR Transport drivers and semimonthly office payroll through Paychex for staff across QQR Freight, including QQR Transport, QQR Logistics, and shared services. Driver compensation includes mileage, loads, stops, detention, layover, accessorials, and per diem, with pay plans varying by driver and operation. Office payroll includes salaried and hourly wages, overtime, PTO, benefits deductions, and brokerage sales commissions and bonuses. The position maintains separate payroll records and reporting for multiple legal entities, pay schedules, and states. It works closely with HR and Recruiting, Operations, Finance, and executive leadership to ensure accurate, timely payroll, clean reconciliations, compliance, and responsive support for employee pay questions. The role also supports payroll tax reporting, audits, month-end close, acquisitions, and process improvements as the company grows. The role is based within QQR Freight’s growing finance function in Cincinnati, Ohio. Candidates must be able to operate a computer, telephone, and related office equipment. Work takes place in an open-concept office with typical office noise and periodic interruptions, and involves sustained sitting, regular verbal communication, and active listening. Employment visa sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

At least 3 years of full-cycle payroll experience, including at least 2 years processing driver payroll or settlements at a trucking or transportation company, with mileage, load-based, detention, and per diem pay.
Hands-on experience running office payroll for salaried, hourly, and commissioned employees, including overtime, PTO, and benefit deductions.
Solid understanding of trucking operations and how load, mileage, and hours data flows from dispatch, TMS, and ELD systems into driver pay.
Working knowledge of wage-and-hour rules for drivers and office staff, including FLSA overtime and the Motor Carrier Act exemption.
Experience with payroll systems such as Paychex, ADP, or similar.
Strong Excel skills, including lookups, pivot tables, and reconciliations.
Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy with high-volume data.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to field pay questions directly from drivers and office staff.
Ability to manage overlapping weekly and semimonthly payroll deadlines.
Ability to operate a computer, telephone, and related office equipment as needed.

Nice To Haves

Multi-state, multi-entity payroll experience, including resident-state withholding for interstate drivers.
Experience calculating sales commissions, ideally margin-based commissions in freight brokerage or logistics.
Hands-on experience with Paychex Flex.
Experience with fuel-card programs and related payroll deductions, such as EFS or Comdata.
Knowledge of wage garnishments and payroll tax reporting, including Ohio municipal income tax.
California payroll experience, including pay rules for drivers paid by the mile or load.
Experience supporting payroll through rapid growth or acquisitions.
Associate or bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
CPP or FPC certification.

Responsibilities

Process weekly driver payroll and settlements across multiple states, including mileage, load and stop pay, detention, layover, accessorials, and per diem.
Apply the correct pay plan for each driver and operation, including solo and team, regional and over-the-road, open deck, and dedicated accounts with contract-specific pay.
Audit trip, timecard, and settlement data; reconcile driver pay against ELD, dispatch/TMS, and load data; and resolve variances before processing.
Process fuel-card advances, related payroll deductions, and other authorized driver deductions, resolving discrepancies promptly.
Respond to driver pay questions by researching discrepancies and providing clear answers and timelines.
Process semimonthly office payroll through Paychex for salaried and hourly staff across each QQR company, including overtime, PTO, and pay changes.
Calculate and process brokerage sales commissions and bonuses using load-level margin and customer payment data and approved compensation plans.
Reconcile benefit and 401(k) deductions and review Paychex invoices against payroll registers.
Coordinate with HR and Recruiting to accurately process new hires, terminations, and status changes, including state final-pay requirements.
Respond to office employees’ questions about pay, commissions, and deductions.
Maintain separate and accurate payroll records, filings, and reporting for each QQR company across weekly and semimonthly schedules.
Apply applicable wage-and-hour rules, including FLSA overtime, exempt and non-exempt classifications, the Motor Carrier Act exemption for drivers, and state requirements.
Support multi-state payroll tax reporting, including resident-state withholding for interstate drivers, and research and resolve tax notices.
Process wage garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, deductions, and refunds under applicable federal and state rules.
Support quarter-end and year-end reporting, including W-2s.
Maintain audit-ready documentation for payroll runs, settlements, commissions, and adjustments in accordance with company policy and internal controls.
Prepare payroll journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations for each company’s month-end close.
Provide Finance with payroll and labor-cost reporting by company, including driver pay per mile.
Support internal and external audits, including insurance and workers’ compensation audits, by providing records, reconciliations, and supporting documentation.
Support payroll integration when fleets or companies join QQR Freight through acquisition.
Identify and implement process improvements to reduce pay errors and speed processing as the companies scale.