Payroll Specialist

Job Description Title: Payroll Specialist Location: Portland, OR- Hybrid but is open to remote Duration: 6 months Job Description: • Performs routine assignments in the entry level to a professional job progression. • Typically requires a college or university degree or the equivalent work experience that provides exposure to fundamental theories, principles, and concepts. • Uses existing procedures to solve routine or standard problems. • Receives instruction, guidance, and direction from others. Key Responsibilities • Payroll Process routine and complex calculation transactions and determine which laws, regulations or procedures apply. • Classify, sort and process voluntary and involuntary payroll deductions. Maintain awareness of new laws and emerging industry trends and ensure departmental practices are aligned. Process terminations. • Provide support to employees. Performs regular audits of payroll data to ensure that the accuracy, efficiency, and compliance standards are met. • Vendor Management Provide direction to payroll processing vendor. • Engage with vendor to resolve employee, technical or other issues. • Maintains real time accuracy of the elevated access list with the vendor. • Records Establish and implement appropriate record keeping protocols. • Manage records and file and save documentation in accordance with established processes. • Systems, Analysis and Reporting Collaborate with vendors and other departments to implement system modifications and upgrades. Perform user acceptance testing. • Run routine reports within established time frames. Analyze data, identify potential issues, and recommend and implement solutions. • Complete tax filings and reports. • Consulting Advise employees and management on pay transaction related issues. Respond to routine and complex questions and serve as subject matter expert on team. • Collaborate with other support organizations to ensure pay transactions meet organizational needs. Provide guidance on timekeeping system and payroll processes. • Payroll Prepares, documents, and disburses payroll checks, payroll taxes and employee benefit payments in compliance with applicable laws. • Provides analytical thinking and troubleshooting skills applied to resolving issues related to payroll processing. Recommends and develops operating efficiency improvements. • Monitors and ensures proper documentation of employee pay and prepares reports. • Can you give a high-level overview of your team size, roles, its initiatives/deliverables, and any tool/technologies specific to your team/department/project they will be supporting: The payroll team is comprised of 1 supervisor, and 2 payroll specialists that direct report to the supervisor. This contingent resource that we are asking for would augment the team for a short-term period as we seek to fill an open position and deal with year-end activities. The position will help process payroll. Tools that are used are Workforce Software (Time & Attendance), Workday (our HR system) and ADP EV6 (our payroll processing vendor). • This role will help to resolve exceptions, analysis of pay, adjustments for leaves, terminations, amendments, etc. • What would “a day in the life” of this role look like? Provide team support on daily tasks such as amendments, terminations, complex calculations, and data entry to ensure that the timelines and needs of the business are met. • What interaction level with this role have the team members and hiring manager? This role would have daily interaction with the payroll Supervisor and other team members. There would be routine interactions with the hiring manager on at least a weekly basis. • What would you say is the top priority for the worker over the first few weeks/months?: Assisting in processing payroll bi-weekly and assisting in year-end activities (e.g. bonus testing/processing, wage and tax adjustments, W-2’s, etc.). • What do you foresee being the biggest challenge in this role? Company recently transitioned to ADP EV6 in 2024. There are still bugs/fixes that are being worked through internally and with ADP. As we come out of the transition phase, there is still some ambiguity that the individual would have to be comfortable and manage (e.g. not every task and process had detailed job aids and instructions). • The role would be highly supported by the Payroll Supervisor and Hiring Manger to coach and support. Requirement • Education Requirements (Experience in Lieu of Degree): Requires a bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, or human resources or other related field or equivalent experience. • Experience Typically two or fewer years of payroll experience or related field. • Certification Requirements (Any Preferences): Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or equivalent strongly preferred • How many years of experience are you looking for? Typically, two or more years of payroll experience or related field. • Is utilities experience required? (Y/N) No. Top 3 Must-Haves (Hard and/or Soft Skills): 1. Good communication skills 2. Detail oriented 3. Payroll Experience and Expertise Top 3 Nice-To-Haves (Hard and/or Soft Skills) 1. Positive Attitude 2. Quick learner 3. Willing to work overtime occasionally as needed