Payroll Specialist

**Temp to hire**

We are seeking a detail-oriented and highly organized Payroll Specialist to manage and support payroll processing for employees within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. This position is responsible for ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, maintaining employee payroll records, reviewing time and attendance data, and resolving payroll-related questions.

The ideal candidate has experience processing payroll in a manufacturing, distribution, warehouse, or other hourly workforce environment and understands the complexities associated with multiple shifts, overtime, shift differentials, attendance, and varying work schedules.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Processing

• Process weekly, biweekly, or other scheduled payrolls accurately and on time.

• Review and verify employee timecards, hours worked, overtime, shift differentials, bonuses, deductions, and other payroll inputs.

• Ensure payroll data is complete and accurate prior to payroll submission.

• Process new hires, terminations, transfers, pay-rate changes, promotions, and other employee changes.

• Calculate and process adjustments, retroactive pay, corrections, and off-cycle payments as needed.

• Maintain accurate and confidential payroll records.

Time & Attendance

• Monitor and review timekeeping records for hourly production, warehouse, sanitation, maintenance, and administrative employees.

• Identify missing punches, incorrect hours, attendance discrepancies, and other timekeeping issues.

• Work closely with supervisors and managers to resolve timecard issues before payroll deadlines.

• Ensure overtime and shift premiums are properly recorded and paid.

• Assist with administration of attendance policies and timekeeping procedures.

Payroll Compliance

• Maintain compliance with applicable federal, state, and local payroll and wage-and-hour requirements.

• Ensure accurate calculation of regular and overtime wages.

• Assist with payroll tax filings, reporting, garnishments, and other statutory requirements.

• Maintain required payroll documentation and records.

• Support internal and external payroll audits as needed.

• Protect the confidentiality and security of employee compensation and personal information.

Employee Support

• Serve as a primary point of contact for employee payroll questions.

• Research and resolve payroll discrepancies in a timely and professional manner.

• Explain pay statements, deductions, overtime calculations, timekeeping requirements, and other payroll-related matters.

• Partner with Human Resources, Accounting, and department supervisors to resolve employee issues.

Reporting & Administration

• Prepare payroll reports and related management reports.

• Reconcile payroll information and identify discrepancies.

• Assist with year-end payroll activities, including W-2 preparation and reconciliation.

• Maintain accurate employee payroll and tax records.

• Assist with benefits deductions, employee deductions, and other payroll-related transactions.

• Support process improvements designed to increase payroll accuracy and efficiency.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of payroll experience preferred.

• Experience supporting payroll for an hourly workforce strongly preferred.

• Manufacturing, food production, warehouse, distribution, or other high-volume payroll experience is a plus.

• Working knowledge of payroll practices, wage and hour requirements, overtime, and timekeeping.

• Experience with payroll and/or HRIS systems.

• Strong Excel and Microsoft Office skills.

• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to meet firm payroll deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience processing payroll for employees across multiple shifts.

• Experience with a manufacturing timekeeping system.

• Experience with shift differentials, overtime, bonuses, and attendance programs.

• Experience with payroll tax and wage-and-hour compliance.

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) is a plus.

• Bilingual English/Spanish skills are a plus.

Work Environment

This position supports a fast-paced food manufacturing operation and will interact regularly with employees, supervisors, Human Resources, Accounting, and plant management.

The successful candidate should be comfortable working in an environment with a large hourly workforce, multiple shifts, changing production schedules, and strict payroll deadlines. Occasional interaction with employees on the production floor may be required.

Skills & Attributes

• Exceptional attention to detail

• Strong organizational and time-management skills

• Highly accurate and dependable

• Strong numerical and analytical skills

• Professional and approachable

• Excellent problem-solving skills

• Able to handle confidential information

• Comfortable working under tight deadlines

• Strong customer-service mindset

• Team-oriented and collaborative

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