Payroll Specialist

Position: Payroll Specialist (Exempt)

About PURIS

PURIS operates across North America as the largest independent trenchless rehabilitation provider with approximately 1,300 employees dedicated to building lasting infrastructure through smart, sustainable resource management. The PURIS Family of Companies provides trenchless renewal solutions in the water, wastewater, and stormwater markets. Our environmentally friendly solutions work within existing infrastructure to save time, minimize environmental impact, and reduce community disruption. With an unrivaled toolbox of technologies, PURIS has the RIGHT solution for each project.

Position Summary

The Payroll Specialist maintains end‑to‑end ownership of assigned payroll cycles, including timecard review, payroll processing, certified payroll compliance, and issue resolution. The role requires strong attention to detail, a thorough understanding of statutory and prevailing wage requirements, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced construction environment while serving as a key payroll resource for the business.

Essential Job Accountabilities

• Reviews employee timecards daily for accuracy, completeness, and proper job, rate, and cost coding
• Uploads payroll data into ADP and verifies accurate and timely payroll processing
• Reviews pre‑register payroll reports and performs operational payroll checks to ensure accurate processing of all pay components, including retroactive pay, reimbursements (e.g., boots), per diem, and related adjustments:

• Confirms retroactive pay and per diem are calculated and applied correctly
• Verifies all reported hours are complete, accurate, and approved
• Ensures prevailing wage rates pull correctly and align with applicable determinations
• Confirms fringe reductions are applied accurately and consistently
• Validates onsite cost codes align with appropriate job classifications and projects

• Ensures payroll results reconcile with internal controls, audit requirements, and compliance standards
• Distributes live paychecks to employees, as required
• Prepares and maintains payroll documentation and payroll‑related reports
• Serves as the primary point of contact for employee payroll discrepancies and inquiries
• Acts as the main payroll contact for the local business unit
• Extracts Certified Payroll Reports (CPRs) from PDF files and maintains organized, accurate filing systems
• Validates CPRs for accuracy, prevailing wage compliance, and completeness prior to distribution
• Distributes CPRs to Project Managers, General Contractors, Owners, and other required stakeholders
• Maintains ongoing CPR validation and distribution throughout each payroll cycle
• Ensures subcontractor CPRs are collected and provided to General Contractors and Owners, as required
• Provides prevailing wage affidavits for project closeout, as required
• Updates and maintains graduated pay scales for new hires and rate changes across applicable systems, including Insight and IPC Services, for the local business unit
• Maintains and references the Payroll Tracker to document payroll inquiries, issues, and follow‑up actions
• Provides payroll hours for safety reporting requirements
• Supplies workforce demographic data to the Estimating Department for bidding purposes
• Pulls wage and hour data for workers’ compensation and unemployment requests
• Meets with new hires and existing employees to provide clarification on pay rates, pay stubs, and payroll‑related questions
• Provides current and former employees with access to payroll records, including timecards, pay stubs, and tax documents
• Provides local business support to Regional Vice Presidents, Area Directors, Operations Finance Managers, and Administrative Managers, as needed
• Performs other duties, projects, and special assignments as directed by the Operations Finance Manager

Qualifications

• Associate degree in Business Administration, Accounting, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience 
• Minimum of three (3) years of hands‑on payroll processing experience 
• Demonstrated experience with multi‑state payroll taxation 
• Experience with year‑end payroll processing and reconciliation 
• Prior experience supporting certified payroll or prevailing wage environments strongly preferred 
• Proficiency with ADP payroll systems, timekeeping platforms, and the ability to work effectively across multiple payroll and reporting systems 
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including payroll tracking, analysis, and reconciliation 
• High level of attention to detail with a strong commitment to payroll accuracy, compliance, and data integrity 
• Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information with discretion 
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving capabilities 
• Ability to adapt quickly in a deadline‑driven environment while managing multiple priorities and strict payroll schedules 
• Effective written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills with a customer‑focused approach when supporting internal business partners

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid vacation and company holidays
• 401(k) savings plan with company match
• Company‑paid life insurance
• Career advancement opportunities within the PURIS Family of Companies

Equal Opportunity Employer / Veterans / Disabled