Specialist, Time & Attendance Analyst (Hybrid - Rahway, NJ)

MSD•Rahway, NJ

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Time & Attendance (T&A) Analyst is a hands-on role responsible for accurate, timely payroll processing and compliance for the US and Puerto Rico non-exempt employee population. The analyst partners with HRBPs, IT, Legal, Total Rewards, vendor partners, and other business stakeholders, and reports to the HR Operations Associate Director- US/ PR Payroll Support and Global Supplier Manager. The role owns biweekly end-to-end T&A and payroll validation activities, including data gathering, pre-run validation, verification of payroll calculations, coordination of timesheet approvals, and post-run reconciliations. It validates time, payroll, and HRIS data; investigates and resolves discrepancies; leads root-cause analysis and remediation; and manages T&A projects with ADP and business stakeholders. The analyst produces reporting and analytics, develops SOPs and training materials, maintains audit-ready controls and documentation, and uses AI-driven analytics and automation to identify anomalies and improve payroll accuracy, compliance, and operational efficiency. As the primary T&A contact and subject-matter expert, the analyst supports vendor performance monitoring, T&A governance, policy and regulatory changes, and system implementations, upgrades, and enhancements. The role also helps define requirements, conduct testing including UAT, and provide post-deployment support, while communicating complex issues clearly to operational and technical teams. The position is hybrid, with the primary location in Rahway, New Jersey. The listed salary range for the primary location is $79,200 to $124,700. The successful candidate is eligible for an annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable. The company offers a comprehensive benefits package. No relocation, visa sponsorship, or travel is provided or required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, current pursuit of degree completion, or equivalent relevant work experience.
At least 3 years of payroll, time and attendance, or HRIS support experience; hands-on payroll and T&A experience is preferred.
Experience supporting payroll audits, SOX controls, or internal control frameworks.
Experience with payroll and HRIS systems such as ADP/EV6, E-Time, Workday, UKG, or ServiceNow.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and basic formulas.
Working knowledge of payroll and T&A concepts, including wage calculations, overtime rules, and deductions.
Understanding of federal, state, and provincial labor laws and best practices for enabling T&A processes.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain T&A and payroll calculations.
High level of accuracy in data entry, reconciliation, and reporting.
Ability to identify, investigate, and resolve payroll and T&A exceptions and discrepancies.
Ability to meet strict payroll deadlines and prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
Strong attention to detail, accuracy, confidentiality, problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder-management skills.

Nice To Haves

Advanced Excel skills, including macros and Power Query.
Experience with SQL or data analysis tools.
Familiarity with HRIS/payroll integrations and E-Time.
Direct experience implementing or supporting major payroll/T&A system upgrades, integrations, or migrations.
Ability to produce and interpret payroll analytics and ad hoc reports to inform process improvements.
Experience collaborating across HR, Finance, IT, and external vendors.

Responsibilities

Execute end-to-end T&A and payroll validation on a biweekly cycle, including data gathering, pre-run validation, payroll calculation verification, timesheet approval coordination, and post-run reconciliations.
Validate and reconcile time, payroll, and HRIS data; investigate discrepancies and coordinate resolution with HR, managers, employees, and ADP.
Lead root-cause analysis of recurring T&A-related payroll issues and drive remediation to improve data quality and process reliability.
Lead and manage T&A projects with ADP and business stakeholders, ensuring accurate configurations, rules, and workflows.
Produce standard and ad hoc T&A reports and analytics for HR, Finance, and business stakeholders.
Develop standardized Payroll Guiding Principles into SOPs and comprehensive training materials for cross-functional stakeholders.
Maintain controls, documentation, reconciliations, and audit readiness for SOX and internal audit and compliance requirements.
Use AI-driven analytics and automation tools to monitor T&A transactions, detect anomalies, support root-cause analysis, and improve accuracy, compliance, and operational efficiency.
Serve as the primary contact and subject-matter expert for T&A processes, integrating with payroll functions and finance and business stakeholders.
Monitor vendor performance for T&A systems and services, escalating data integration and SLA compliance issues.
Support HRBP stakeholders in improving T&A process governance and cross-functional collaboration.
Align stakeholders on T&A-related policy, union/CBA, and regulatory changes to support system enhancements and process improvements.
Participate in T&A system implementations, upgrades, and enhancements; assist with requirements, testing including UAT, and post-deployment support.
Manage expectations, provide timely updates, and escalate risks or unresolved issues as needed.
Translate complex T&A-related payroll issues into clear language for operational and technical teams.
Apply knowledge of T&A regulatory requirements and compliance initiatives to help ensure processes align with policy and requirements.