Entry Level Senior Payroll Specialist Jobs
New grad senior payroll specialist jobs attract recent graduates and entry level candidates with zero to two years of experience, where a strong internship background or hands-on coursework in payroll processing can matter more than a long resume. Most openings mix on-site and remote settings across Insurance, Renewable Energy, and Electronics & Hardware, with employers like INSIGHT, Coinbase, and Raytheon hiring at this level now.
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Showing 4 of 10+ Entry Level Senior Payroll Specialist jobs
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Pay Range: $20-$22 per hour. Full-Time 35hrs per week.
SUMMARY OF DUTIES
The Employee Benefits & Payroll Specialist serves as a primary point of contact for employees regarding benefits, payroll, and leave questions. This role provides hands-on administration of leave, benefits, payroll support, and workers' compensation, while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and internal policies. The position requires strong customer service, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
Employee Support & Service
- Serve as the primary contact for employee inquiries related to benefits, payroll, and leave.
- Manage shared inboxes and ticket queues, triaging and resolving requests promptly.
- Support the HR hotline and emergency extension as needed.
- Send new hire welcome emails and onboarding communications.
- Host or co-host benefits, wellness, and employee engagement fairs.
- Coordinate leave explanation meetings with employees and supervisors.
Leave Administration Processing
- Process FMLA, DBL, PFL, Military Leave, NYS Prenatal Leave, and Workers’ Compensation claims.
- Send eligibility notifications and approve intermittent leave requests in E3.
- Review intermittent leave claims for discrepancies and track PTO usage or benefit arrears.
- Maintain leave-of-absence (LOA) spreadsheets and update return-to-work dates.
- Submit LOA trackers to Payroll and IT and follow up on required documentation.
- Update monthly leave-of-status reports for leadership and payroll.
Workers’ Compensation Processing
- Process and monitor work-related injury claims.
- Complete incident reports (first aid, record-only, and WC claims).
- Provide documentation to carriers and maintain claim records.
- Report on active and historical Workers’ Compensation claims.
Benefits Administration
- Process benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, and terminations.
- Update employee elections in carrier portals (e.g., Principal).
- Manage open enrollment elections and tuition reimbursement requests.
- Conduct basic eligibility and deduction audits and support carrier documentation requests.
Payroll Support
- Review timecards for completeness and accuracy.
- Process salary deferral and deduction changes.
- Provide supporting data for payroll processing and audits.
Other
- Travel within Western New York as needed to attend meetings, give presentations, participate in benefit enrollment fairs, or support department-specific events.
- Completes all trainings required by the agency.
- Performs all other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
- High School Diploma or GED required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field preferred.
- 2+ years of experience in HR, payroll, benefits, or leave administration.
- Hands-on experience processing payroll, benefits, and leave requests.
- Proficiency with HRIS/payroll systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
- Knowledge of payroll, benefits, leave administration, and workers’ compensation processes.
- Familiarity with HRIS/payroll systems (E3/DATIS preferred) and carrier portals.
- Strong customer service, communication, and organizational skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities with accuracy and attention to detail.
- Knowledge of federal and state leave laws (FMLA, NYS PFL/DBL, Military Leave) and compliance requirements.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive employee information (PHI/PII).
Some things you can look forward to:
- Welcoming, team environment, that inspires you to thrive and be your BestSelf!
- Rewarding work experience!
- Generous paid time off
- Flexible schedule
- Multiple and diverse health insurance options
- Many other unique lifestyle & personal insurance options
- Career growth and advancement opportunities
- We look forward to telling you more!
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Pay Range: $20-$22 per hour. Full-Time 35hrs per week.
SUMMARY OF DUTIES
The Employee Benefits & Payroll Specialist serves as a primary point of contact for employees regarding benefits, payroll, and leave questions. This role provides hands-on administration of leave, benefits, payroll support, and workers' compensation, while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and internal policies. The position requires strong customer service, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
Employee Support & Service
- Serve as the primary contact for employee inquiries related to benefits, payroll, and leave.
- Manage shared inboxes and ticket queues, triaging and resolving requests promptly.
- Support the HR hotline and emergency extension as needed.
- Send new hire welcome emails and onboarding communications.
- Host or co-host benefits, wellness, and employee engagement fairs.
- Coordinate leave explanation meetings with employees and supervisors.
Leave Administration Processing
- Process FMLA, DBL, PFL, Military Leave, NYS Prenatal Leave, and Workers’ Compensation claims.
- Send eligibility notifications and approve intermittent leave requests in E3.
- Review intermittent leave claims for discrepancies and track PTO usage or benefit arrears.
- Maintain leave-of-absence (LOA) spreadsheets and update return-to-work dates.
- Submit LOA trackers to Payroll and IT and follow up on required documentation.
- Update monthly leave-of-status reports for leadership and payroll.
Workers’ Compensation Processing
- Process and monitor work-related injury claims.
- Complete incident reports (first aid, record-only, and WC claims).
- Provide documentation to carriers and maintain claim records.
- Report on active and historical Workers’ Compensation claims.
Benefits Administration
- Process benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, and terminations.
- Update employee elections in carrier portals (e.g., Principal).
- Manage open enrollment elections and tuition reimbursement requests.
- Conduct basic eligibility and deduction audits and support carrier documentation requests.
Payroll Support
- Review timecards for completeness and accuracy.
- Process salary deferral and deduction changes.
- Provide supporting data for payroll processing and audits.
Other
- Travel within Western New York as needed to attend meetings, give presentations, participate in benefit enrollment fairs, or support department-specific events.
- Completes all trainings required by the agency.
- Performs all other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
- High School Diploma or GED required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field preferred.
- 2+ years of experience in HR, payroll, benefits, or leave administration.
- Hands-on experience processing payroll, benefits, and leave requests.
- Proficiency with HRIS/payroll systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
- Knowledge of payroll, benefits, leave administration, and workers’ compensation processes.
- Familiarity with HRIS/payroll systems (E3/DATIS preferred) and carrier portals.
- Strong customer service, communication, and organizational skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities with accuracy and attention to detail.
- Knowledge of federal and state leave laws (FMLA, NYS PFL/DBL, Military Leave) and compliance requirements.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive employee information (PHI/PII).
Some things you can look forward to:
- Welcoming, team environment, that inspires you to thrive and be your BestSelf!
- Rewarding work experience!
- Generous paid time off
- Flexible schedule
- Multiple and diverse health insurance options
- Many other unique lifestyle & personal insurance options
- Career growth and advancement opportunities
- We look forward to telling you more!
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Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Insurance
- Renewable Energy
- Electronics & Hardware
- Transportation & Logistics
- Healthcare & Medical Services
Entry Level Senior Payroll Specialist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an entry level senior payroll specialist job?
Employers hiring at this level look for candidates who have completed coursework in accounting, finance, or human resources, along with any hands-on payroll experience from internships, co-ops, or part-time roles. Familiarity with payroll software such as ADP, Paychex, or Workday gives candidates a clear edge. A demonstrated attention to detail and comfort with tax compliance basics can strengthen an application even without years of full-time experience.
Which companies hire entry level senior payroll specialists?
Companies hiring entry level senior payroll specialists right now include INSIGHT, Coinbase, and Raytheon, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. At this level, hiring tends to come from larger organizations with dedicated payroll departments, staffing firms, and mid-size companies expanding their HR functions and willing to develop junior talent.
Are there remote entry level senior payroll specialist jobs?
Yes, though on-site roles still make up a meaningful share of openings at this stage. About 33% of entry level senior payroll specialist openings are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, so candidates who need location flexibility have real options. Hybrid arrangements are common, with many employers asking new hires to come in part of the week while they get up to speed.
Are these new grad senior payroll specialist jobs?
Yes, the listings on this page include new grad, recent graduate, and junior roles suited to candidates just entering the field. A new grad friendly posting typically welcomes zero to two years of experience, accepts internships or coursework in place of full-time history, and does not require a professional certification on day one. Look for language like 'entry level,' 'junior,' or 'will train' in the job description as a signal the employer is open to developing early-career candidates.
Which industries hire the most entry level senior payroll specialists?
Entry Level senior payroll specialist roles concentrate in Insurance, Renewable Energy, and Electronics & Hardware, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. These sectors tend to have large, distributed workforces with complex pay schedules, which creates consistent demand for payroll support staff and makes them reliable entry points for candidates building early-career experience in the field.