Payroll Specialist
Blackbird Recruiting • Brooklyn, New York • Full Time
Posted on Thu, Jun 4, 2026
Payroll Specialist
Brooklyn, NY
$85,000 - $105,000
Key Responsibilities:
- Manage end-to-end payroll processing for salaried, hourly, and grant-funded employees.
- Ensure payroll is processed accurately and on schedule in compliance with all applicable laws and organizational policies.
- Review and approve payroll registers, tax filings, and wage payments prior to submission.
- Maintain payroll calendars, including pay periods, deadlines, and year-end processing.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws, including wage and hour regulations.
- Oversee payroll tax filings, W-2s, 1099s, and other required reporting.
- Respond to payroll audits and coordinate with external auditors as needed.
- Monitor payroll regulation changes and implement updates accordingly.
- Maintain payroll systems and employee records while ensuring confidentiality and data accuracy.
- Partner with Human Resources to ensure accurate onboarding, offboarding, and employee status changes.
- Reconcile payroll accounts and collaborate with Finance on general ledger postings.
- Support payroll system upgrades, testing, and process improvements.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for payroll-related inquiries.
- Resolve payroll discrepancies, adjustments, and corrections in a timely manner.
- Provide guidance regarding payroll, deductions, benefits, and timekeeping policies.
- Develop and maintain payroll procedures and internal controls.
- Identify opportunities to improve payroll efficiency, accuracy, and compliance.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in a related field required.
- Minimum 3–5 years of payroll administration experience.
- Experience in nonprofit organizations or multi-site environments preferred.
- Experience managing payroll for grant-funded employees or multiple funding sources strongly preferred.
- Strong knowledge of payroll laws, tax regulations, and wage and hour requirements.
- Experience with payroll systems, preferably UKG Ready.
- High level of accuracy, attention to detail, and confidentiality.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across departments.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
- Flexibility to work additional hours during payroll processing cycles and year-end reporting.