Entry Level Accounting and Payroll Specialist Jobs

Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Payroll Accountant is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of employee payroll while maintaining payroll records and ensuring compliance with applicable company policies and regulations. This position is responsible for multi-state payroll processing and tax reporting, maintaining payroll-related general ledger accounts, preparing journal entries, and supporting payroll-related benefit and PTO tracking. This role collaborates closely with employees, managers, and the Human Resources and Accounting departments to resolve payroll questions, review timekeeping records, and maintain accurate employee compensation information. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to handle confidential information while managing deadlines and multiple priorities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Process weekly, multi-state payroll accurately and timely in accordance with established payroll schedules and company procedures.
• Review employee timecards, hours worked, overtime, PTO, and other pay-related information for accuracy and completeness.
• Follow up with employees and managers to resolve missing, incorrect, or incomplete timekeeping information.
• Maintain and update employee payroll information, pay rate changes, deductions, and direct deposit information.
• Process payroll for both union and non-union employees, ensuring applicable union wage rates, deductions, benefits, and other contractual payroll requirements are accurately applied.
• Process payroll adjustments, reimbursements, garnishments, and other applicable payroll transactions.
• Maintain and reconcile employee PTO accruals, balances, and payouts in accordance with company policies.
• Handle payroll-related benefit transactions, including benefit deductions, changes, and other payroll adjustments associated with employee benefit plans.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and employee information within payroll and HR systems.
• Respond to employee and manager questions regarding paychecks, deductions, timekeeping, and other payroll-related matters.
• Prepare and submit multi-state payroll tax reporting, including applicable federal, state, and local tax filings, quarterly reports, and year-end reporting and W-2 processing.
• Reconcile payroll information and assist with payroll-related reports and audits.
• Maintain and reconcile payroll-related general ledger accounts to ensure accurate financial reporting.
• Prepare and post payroll journal entries, including payroll expenses, taxes, deductions, accruals, and other applicable transactions.
• Collaborate with Human Resources and Accounting to ensure accurate and timely employee information and payroll transactions.
• Maintain confidentiality of employee compensation, personal information, and other sensitive payroll records.
• Stay informed of applicable federal and state payroll regulations and company policies.
• Assist with additional payroll, accounting, and administrative duties as needed.

JOB SPECIFICATION:

Education/Experience:

• Associate degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• 2+ years of payroll processing or payroll administration experience required.
• Experience working with payroll systems and timekeeping software.
• Experience processing multi-state payroll and payroll tax reporting preferred.
• Experience processing payroll for union and non-union employees preferred.
• Experience with general ledger reconciliations and preparing journal entries preferred.
• Experience with PTO accruals, payroll deductions, and payroll-related benefit deductions and PTO tracking preferred.
• Experience processing payroll for multiple locations or a multi-state workforce preferred.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Knowledge of payroll practices, wage and hour requirements, and applicable federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations.
• Understanding of union payroll requirements, including applicable wage rates, deductions, and reporting.
• Strong organizational and time-management abilities with the ability to meet recurring deadlines.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, Outlook, and Word.
• Ability to manage confidential employee and compensation information with discretion.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to identify and resolve payroll discrepancies.
• Knowledge of general ledger accounting, account reconciliations, and journal entries.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating with Human Resources, Accounting, and department managers.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with multi-state payroll, payroll tax reporting, prevailing wage, certified payroll, union payroll, or construction industry payroll preferred.

BENEFITS:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• 401(k) with Company Match
• Tuition Reimbursement

Starting pay ranges from $55,000 to $70,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands; and talk or hear. The employee is also required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop; and kneel. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

EEO/AA Employer/Vets/Disability