Payroll Specialist

JOB DESCRIPTION

Title: Payroll Specialist

Department Code & Name: Finance- 311

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Remote (U.S.-based) with occasional travel for site visits and business-related events   

Job Level & Type: Individual Contributor

Job Summary:

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for supporting multi-entity multi-state payroll operations with a strong focus on time & attendance administration, scheduling, FLSA compliance, overtime calculations, and ensures adherence to wage-and-hour regulations. This role ensures accurate payroll processing, compliance with federal and state labor laws, and timely resolution of payroll-related issues.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Administer and maintain Rippling timekeeping system for timecards and scheduling.
• Audit employee timecards punches and schedules to ensure accurate tracking of worked hours.
• Partner with clubs to assist and support timekeeping and scheduling shifts.
• Ensure compliance with FLSA, federal, state, and local wage-and-hour regulations.
• Validate and audit time data including hours worked, PTO, overtime, premiums, seasonal coach hours, accurate calculation of wages, and blended-rate OT.
• Maintain payroll records for new hires, terminations, pay changes, locations, and tax elections.
• Review payroll audits and preview reports to identify, investigate, and resolve discrepancies prior to payroll submission.
• Validate employee work locations, tax setups, and local tax jurisdiction requirements to ensure proper withholding and compliance.
• Support payroll tax administration, including tax account registrations, filings, reconciliations, and resolution of payroll tax notices.
• Assist with year-end payroll activities including W-2 processing, taxable benefit reporting, corrections, and reconciliations.
• Create adhoc reports in Rippling to support audit and reporting needs.
• Participate in payroll system updates, testing, workflow improvements, and onboarding of newly acquired clubs.
• Maintain and enhance payroll SOPs; recommend process improvements to reduce manual work and standardize practices.
• Provide timely and professional payroll support throughout the organization.
• Maintain confidentiality of payroll and employee information.

Required & Preferred Skills/Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of U.S. payroll regulations including FLSA and multi-state wage-and-hour rules.
• Proficiency with payroll/HCM systems such as Rippling, Paycor, ADP, UKG, Workday.
• Strong knowledge of Rippling T&A and Payroll, including payroll processing, employee time tracking, schedules, and reporting.
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets (lookups, pivot tables, validations).
• Excellent attention to detail, accuracy, and follow-through.
• Ability to troubleshoot Time and Attendance and Payroll issues and identify root causes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to translate payroll concepts for employees.
• Highly organized with the ability to prioritize and meet tight deadlines.

Education and Experience:

• 5+ years of hands-on U.S. multi-state multi-entity payroll experience.
• Experience using Rippling Time & Attendance, Scheduling, and Payroll.
• Experience supporting payroll tax setup, reconciliations, and year-end reporting.
• Experience in sports, entertainment, hospitality, or high-growth/startup environments preferred.

Personal Attributes

• Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities.
• Solutions-oriented and able to identify when to escalate issues or challenges.
• Strong collaborator with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Capable of working independently while effectively partnering with a distributed, remote team.
• Positive, proactive, organized, and creative - brings fresh ideas to problem-solving.
• Highly adaptable and eager to learn in a rapidly evolving environment.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements (Remote):

• Ability to operate a computer and use a keyboard, mouse, and video conferencing tools.
• Ability to clearly communicate via video, phone, and written channels.
• Ability to participate in all meetings with video enabled.
• Dedicated remote workspace with a dual-monitor or multi-monitor setup.
• Occasional travel will be required for site visits and events.