Payroll and Benefits Specialist

Summary of Responsibilities:

Responsible for managing and processing multiple payrolls with accuracy and timeliness while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Collaborates closely with HR management and internal departments to support payroll functions, employment law compliance, and benefits administration. Maintains confidentiality, prepares detailed reports for management and audits, ensures data integrity in HR systems, and supports system upgrades and testing. Provides employee guidance on payroll matters, verifies benefit eligibility, and offers backup support for HR Generalist duties, contributing to a compliant and efficient HR operation.

Essential Functions/Duties:

• Prepares and finalizes weekly and bi-weekly payrolls for the assigned entities of the company.
• Responds to payroll inquiries and requests within established guidelines. Provides guidance and educates employees as needed to resolve pay or time discrepancies and ensure payroll is accurately processed.
• Develop a close working relationship with internal partners such as the Finance team, IT, etc. To quickly resolve issues and handle special requests.
• Ensures the privacy, security, and confidentiality of employees and potential employee information received and distributed via written or verbal communication.
• Uses UltiPro payroll processing system to produce accurate and timely payroll.
• Ensures compliance of current applicable local, state and federal wage and hour and payroll laws and regulations.
• Prepares weekly, monthly, quarterly, and year-end reports (gross payroll, hours worked, PTO and IPA accruals based on lifetime hours and/or years of service, tax deductions, benefit deductions, etc.) for management, and ensures accuracy of data.
• Prepares reports as required by auditors for the annual audit of financial records and the 403(b)-retirement plan.
• Prepares the annual census file and other documentation that may be required for the IRS Form 5500 on The Highlands 403(b) Pension Plan.

• Facilitates management and employee understanding of payroll procedures.

• Maintains human resource management system records and compiles reports from the database. Ensures data integrity, testing of system changes, report writing and analyzing data flows for process improvement opportunities within the HRMS. Supports upgrades, patches, testing and other technical projects as assigned.
• Reviews and approves employee eligibility for benefit plans, may review benefits with employee and processes enrollment, cancellation, or changes. Separation of duties with HR Generalist.
• Maintains and distributes list of new and cancelled employees under each benefit plan and verifies benefit billing accuracy and processes for payment.  
• This individual will also provide back-up support for HR Generalist (vacation coverage, ).
• Participate in and complete all required ongoing training, including monthly online and in-person training, annual skills competencies education, and role-specific certifications, to ensure continued competence and adherence to organizational and regulatory standards.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Comfortable and agile working with technology; Proficient in MS Office and other applications
• Ability to function in a fast-paced environment, with competing priorities and deadlines
• Strong analytical, assessment, and problem-solving capabilities
• Demonstrated relationship building and influencing skills with experience providing complex and confidential support in a high-profile environment
• Demonstrated interpersonal communication and presentation skills, verbal and written

Core Values:

1. AMBASSADOR: Represents The Highlands at Wyomissing® in a positive light with integrity. Takes pride in our community.
2. COMMITMENT: Dedicated, adaptable, tolerant, dependable, focused, and passionate. Often does more than is required. Reports to work as scheduled and timely.
3. COMPASSIONATE: Is empathetic, mindful, and kind.
4. INNOVATIVE: Is curious. Identifies new methods and efficiencies.
5. RESULTS-DRIVEN: Has a strong sense of urgency about solving problems and completing work. Exerts unusual effort over time to achieve a goal. Maintains commitment to goals in the face of obstacles and frustrations.
6. TEAM ORIENTED: Works cooperatively and effectively with others to achieve common goals.

The Highlands’ Traditions (Customer Service Expectations):

1. SAFETY: Practices safe behaviors to ensure the safety of all.
2. KINDNESS: Projects a positive image and energy. Courteous and respectful to all. Goes above and beyond to exceed customer expectations.
3. SHOW: Takes pride in self-appearance. Stays in “character” and performs the “role in the show.” Ensures work area is show-ready.
4. EFFICIENCY: Performs role with consistency and efficiency. Uses time and resources wisely.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

• This is a full-time, Non-exempt position in a health care facility that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a Standard days and hours of work are Monday through Friday with a flexible schedule around the standard operating hours of 8:00am-5:00pm.
• This position requires the ability to work during nonstandard hours when the need arises, including evenings and weekends to assist with employee meetings and events scheduled around 3 operating work shifts. Work during inclement weather will be required. 

Travel:

• Limited local travel is expected for this position as needed. 

Education and Experience Requirements:

• High school Diploma or GED (required)
• Associate degree and 5-7 years of HR experience, a bachelors' degree and 3-5 years of HR generalist experience, or any similar combination of education and experience.
• 3-5 years' of HRIS experience (Required)
• Experience in health, human services, or community services field (Preferred)
• Maintains current knowledge of applicable local, state and federal wage and hour and payroll laws and regulations. Strong follow-up skills and ability to work with little or no supervision, exhibiting strong proactive and efficient work ethic (Required)

• PHR or SHRM-CP, or ability to obtain certification within 12 months (Required)
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) (Preferred)

Work Authorization/Security Clearances:

• Medical Screening
• Criminal History Clearance
• FBI Fingerprint Clearance (Only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 2 years)
• Immigration and naturalization (I-9) Clearance

Physical Requirements and Physical Demands:

• Must be able to communicate (speak and hear) clearly in person and over
• Must be able to accurately document pertinent information in writing or by
• Visual acuity adequate to perform job duties, including reading information from printed sources and computer screens.
• The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms and requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies up to 20 pounds.

Safety Hazards and Physical Environment:

• General office working
• May be exposed to blood borne
• May be exposed to communicable
• May be exposed to rare occasions during which it is necessary to interact with a resident exhibiting aggressive behavior.