Sr Payroll Specialist

Aston Carter•Happy Valley, OR

3d•$35 - $44•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Payroll Specialist coordinates and oversees end-to-end processing for complex, multi-company and multi-state payrolls, including both on-cycle and off-cycle runs. This role guides payroll team members through daily processes, reviews and approves biweekly payroll, and manages specialized pay data such as expatriate compensation, stock equity, imputed income, and special bonus programs. The Senior Payroll Specialist ensures accurate tax calculation and reporting, maintains compliance with wage and benefit regulations, and partners closely with internal stakeholders and vendors to continuously improve payroll operations and resolve escalated issues.

Requirements

4–5+ years of high-volume payroll processing experience, preferably handling at least 1,600 employees and ideally 3,000+ employees, within a total headcount environment of approximately 6,000.
Hands-on experience with ADP Workforce Now; experience with ADP Vantage, ADP Enterprise, or Payforce US is also highly relevant.
Proven ability to process high-volume payroll for a workforce of approximately 6,000 employees, with direct experience managing payroll for at least 3,000 employees.
Demonstrated experience with multi-state payroll, specifically including Oregon (OR) and California (CA).
Strong knowledge of state payroll tax and compliance requirements, with the ability to interpret and apply local and federal payroll tax rules and regulations.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including the ability to create and use Pivot Tables and VLOOKUP functions for payroll analysis and reconciliation.
Experience working with Workday or similar HRIS systems in support of payroll processes.
Ability to create and maintain clear process documentation for payroll procedures and workflows.
Strong initiative and problem-solving skills, with the ability to independently troubleshoot and resolve complex payroll issues.
Sense of urgency and ability to work effectively under tight deadlines in a high-volume environment.
Excellent organizational and time management skills to prioritize tasks and manage multiple responsibilities concurrently.
Personable and professional demeanor with a strong customer service focus when interacting with employees and stakeholders.
High level of attention to detail to ensure accuracy in payroll calculations, tax reporting, and documentation.
Effective communication skills and a collaborative mindset, with the ability to work as a team player within a payroll and cross-functional environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience with UKG Dimensions or similar time and attendance systems.
Additional multi-state payroll experience in New York (NY), New Jersey (NJ), Washington (WA), Oregon (OR), and California (CA).
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or other payroll-related certification.
Experience working in a publicly traded company with associated reporting and compliance requirements.
Experience managing payroll related to stock programs, including restricted stock units (RSUs) and non-qualified stock options.
Familiarity with wage garnishment processing, unemployment claims, and outsourced tax filing services.
Comfort working with auditing procedures and compliance reporting for Retirement Plans and Workers’ Compensation.
Ability to adapt to regulatory and legislative changes and support the implementation of process updates.

Responsibilities

Coordinate and monitor end-to-end activities for on-cycle and off-cycle payroll processing across multiple companies and multiple states, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
Guide payroll team members through payroll processes, serving as a subject matter expert and resource for complex issues.
Review and approve biweekly payroll (including REE/ULG) on Mondays and Tuesdays, verifying regular pay and one-time payments for accuracy and compliance.
Collaborate with internal and external cross-functional partners to execute and reconcile complex pay data inputs, including expatriate compensation, stock equity, payroll accounting, abandoned property, imputed income calculations, gross-ups, and special bonus programs.
Monitor and resolve payroll issues reported by stakeholders or escalated by payroll team members, ensuring timely resolution and clear communication.
Ensure payroll support resources and process documentation remain current, accurate, and effective for the team.
Manage stock equity input and reconciliation for RSUs and non-qualified stock options, ensuring timely tax capture, reporting, and compliance.
Perform routine review and validation of payroll tax calculations to confirm that taxes are accurately calculated, withheld, and reported within required timeframes.
Prepare payroll-related reporting and develop regular auditing procedures to ensure compliance with tax, wage, and benefit reporting regulations.
Oversee periodic reporting for Retirement Plans, Workers’ Compensation, and other required payroll-related reports.
Research and monitor regulatory and legislative updates that impact payroll processes, and partner with leadership, vendors, and stakeholders to implement necessary changes.
Work closely with the Payroll Tax and Compliance Analyst and the broader Payroll team to collaboratively monitor, interpret, and resolve ongoing tax and compliance updates.
Assist the Payroll Lead with vendor oversight and management, ensuring outsourced services such as wage garnishment, unemployment claims, and tax filing meet compliance requirements and service-level agreements.
Monitor vendor support trends and issues and escalate concerns to leadership for guidance and resolution.
Identify process and practice gaps within payroll operations and collaborate with Business Analysts, Technical Support, and other team members to share insights and requirements for improvements or system enhancements.
Provide backup support for payroll coordinators during busy periods, including creating OneNote termination documents, emailing earning statements for terminated employees, responding to Workers’ Compensation wage requests, and managing garnishment uploads and notarization.
Maintain a strong customer service demeanor when interacting with employees, stakeholders, and vendors, ensuring professional and personable communication.
Apply strong organizational and time management skills to handle high-volume payroll workloads and meet strict deadlines.
Demonstrate initiative and problem-solving skills to proactively identify issues and implement effective solutions in payroll processes.