Payroll Specialist

Land Title•Greenwood Village, CO

37d•$58,000 - $70,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Payroll Specialist is the trusted guardian of our payroll operations, ensuring accurate, compliant compensation for 500+ employees across multiple states. We are seeking an analytical, service-oriented professional to take true ownership of our semi-monthly payroll cycles and serve as the primary bridge to our payroll system provider. In this critical role, you will actively dictate the functional requirements of our payroll software—defining pay rules, setting up complex tax jurisdictions, and mapping data flows. Beyond executing flawless payrolls and managing year-end reporting, you will partner closely with HR and Accounting to navigate multi-state compliance and resolve employee inquiries with a patient, solutions-first mindset. This position offers a fantastic opportunity to drive real operational impact. If you are a meticulous auditor and a compassionate communicator who thrives on delivering flawless execution while identifying continuous process improvements, you will find a highly rewarding home with us. This is an in-office position, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent work experience.
3 or more years of high-volume, multi-state payroll experience.
Experience with payroll software, such as: ADP Workforce Now, Paychex Plex, QuickBooks Payroll, UKG Pro, Workday.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel (formulas, pivot tables, data analysis).
Experience with HRIS and timekeeping systems.
Knowledge of direct deposit, wage garnishments, tax withholding, and benefits deductions.
Knowledge of Federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations.
Knowledge of Wage and hour laws, including overtime rules.
Knowledge of Payroll reporting requirements.
Knowledge of Recordkeeping and confidentiality standards.
Knowledge of Year-end processes such as issuing tax forms.
Proficiency with Google Workspace applications (Mail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Chat, Meet).
The organizational ability to seamlessly manage multiple competing priorities, consistently meet strict payroll deadlines, and maintain the highest level of confidentiality with sensitive data.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, paired with a strong customer-service approach to resolving employee payroll concerns clearly, professionally, and empathetically.
Strong interpersonal skills to interact effectively at all organizational levels, including seamless collaboration with Human Resources and external payroll service providers to deliver unified solutions.
A demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex issues, navigate challenges independently, and confidently lead process improvement initiatives.

Nice To Haves

Associate's or Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or business administration.
American Payroll Association’s: Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP).
5 years of high-volume, multi-state payroll experience in an organization of 500+ employees.
Experience with UKG Pro and WFM.
Experience with system implementations or configurations.

Responsibilities

Execute semi-monthly, multi-state, and off-cycle payrolls for 500+ employees with absolute accuracy, managing all withholdings, benefits deductions, garnishments, and final pay for terminated employees while ensuring strict compliance with federal, state, and local wage laws.
Act as the primary liaison with the payroll system provider, partnering closely with the HRIS Analyst to dictate critical functional requirements (mapping data flows, defining pay rules, setting up tax jurisdictions) and proactively recommend process improvements and automations.
Serve as the trusted subject-matter expert for all payroll inquiries, patiently troubleshooting escalated issues and guiding HR, managers, and employees with clarity and a service-oriented mindset.
Conduct rigorous audits of payroll systems and employee data, seamlessly manage out-of-state tax accounts, maintain strict internal controls, and execute critical year-end activities, including W-2 preparation and reconciliations.
Maintain continuous alignment with the HR department to ensure employee onboarding, adjustments, and terminations are accurately reflected, and prepare and review complex payroll reports for accounting, benefits, and deferred compensation audits.