Benefits and Payroll Specialist
Autry Museum Of The American West • Los Angeles, California • Part Time
Posted on Thu, May 21, 2026
POSITION SUMMARY
We are seeking an experienced Benefits & Payroll Specialist to serve as the subject matter expert in the Human Resources Department. With a minimum of five (5) years of experience, this position will oversee the full lifecycle of payroll processing and benefits administration and will ensure accuracy, compliance, and a seamless employee experience, acting as the primary point of contact for all compensation and benefits inquiries.
This role is a part-time position, reporting to the Human Resources Director, with a required 2-3 days onsite per week, varying on business needs and payroll processing schedules.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Payroll Administration (End-to-End)
- Full-Cycle Processing: Process semi-monthly payroll for 150+ employees, ensuring accurate calculation of wages, tax withholdings, and deductions.
- Data Integrity: Review time and attendance data, verifying hours worked, overtime, and time-off balances prior to processing and conduct regular payroll audits to ensure accuracy and resolve any discrepancies immediately.
- Tax & Compliance: Assist in the quarterly and year-end payroll tax filing requirements (W-2s) and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local tax laws (FLSA, wage & hour laws).
Benefits Management
- Plan Administration: Administer all employee benefit programs in HRIS system, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Supplemental Insurance plans and 403(b) retirement plans.
- Open Enrollment: Assist in the annual Open Enrollment process, including system configuration and data transmission (EDI feeds) to vendors.
- Leave of Absence: Assist in the documentation and tracking of all leave requests, including FMLA, ADA, STD/LTD, and other leaves.
- Reconciliations: Monthly reconciliation of benefit invoices against payroll deductions to ensure financial accuracy.
HR Functions & Reporting
- Onboarding & Offboarding: Manage the payroll and benefits responsibilities of new hire enrollments and termination processing (COBRA, final pay).
- HRIS Management: Maintain the HRIS/Payroll system, ensuring data accuracy and generating custom reports for Finance and HR
- Employee Support: Assist in complex employee questions regarding pay stubs, tax changes, and benefit plan coverage.
OTHER FUNCTIONS
- Special Projects as assigned by the CFO/COO and Director of Human Resources as needed. The Autry reserves the right to add or change duties at any time
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education & Experience:
- Experience: Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in combined payroll and benefits administration.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
- Certifications: CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) or CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist) highly desirable. PHR or SHRM-CP certification preferred.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Strong technical expertise with HRIS and Payroll software (e.g., ADP Workforce Now, Paycom, or Workday).
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables).
- Strong working knowledge of federal and state regulations, including ERISA, ACA, FLSA, FMLA, and COBRA.
- Exceptional attention to detail, high level of confidentiality, and the ability to explain complex tax/benefit concepts to employees clearly.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Standard office environment with long periods of computer-related work. Requires physical mobility and strength for lifting, carrying, bending, and setting up for staff events. Extended work hours as needed.