Payroll and Benefits Specialist

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California.

📋 Description

• Process bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, and off-cycle payrolls for various nonprofit business partners.

• Oversee multiple payroll calendars, deadlines, and workflows.

• Gather, review, and manage timecards, approvals, hires, terminations, status changes, pay adjustments, bonuses, commissions, reimbursements, and other payroll modifications.

• Reconcile payroll registers, reports, deductions, taxes, accruals, and year-to-date balances prior to transmission and verify final reports.

• Handle manual checks, corrections, severance payments, and final wages.

• Apply the correct tax treatment to wages, benefits, stipends, special payouts, and other forms of compensation.

• Calculate and process wage garnishments and authorized deductions.

• Maintain and reconcile payroll and benefits data, deductions, eligibility records, invoices, enrollment records, and vendor reports.

• Administer time and attendance processes, ensuring seamless data flow between timekeeping, payroll, and HRIS systems.

• Coordinate open enrollment activities, including communications, election tracking, system updates, deduction setup, payroll coordination, and post-enrollment reviews.

• Support relationships with brokers, carriers, and vendors, handling information requests, renewals, reporting, and issue resolution.

• Assist in benefits testing, nondiscrimination or eligibility testing, compliance support, and documentation.

• Investigate discrepancies and resolve payroll-related issues.

• Keep employee payroll records and supporting documentation up to date.

• Prepare year-end payroll reports, including Forms W-2 and W-2c.

• Research payroll tax notices, agency correspondence, and compliance inquiries.

• Aid in payroll, benefits, and workers’ compensation audits.

• Create and maintain payroll import files, reports, checklists, procedures, and process documentation.

• Generate regular and ad hoc payroll, labor, benefits, and operational reports.

• Support payroll and benefits implementations, system conversions, testing, and process improvement initiatives.

• Serve as the primary contact for payroll and benefits for assigned business partners.

• Explain payroll calculations, earnings, deductions, tax treatment, benefit deductions, enrollment impacts, and compliance obligations.

• Collaborate with HR, Benefits, Accounting, Operations, brokers, carriers, vendors, and software providers.

• Maintain confidentiality and demonstrate sound judgment when handling payroll, employee, and organizational information.

• Monitor compliance with California payroll and benefits regulations, escalate complex issues, and communicate relevant changes.

• Track project action items, provide status updates, ensure accurate timekeeping, and participate in staff meetings.

⛳️ Requirements

• An associate degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Human Resources, Payroll Administration, or a related field is required; equivalent directly related experience may be accepted.

• A minimum of 4 years of payroll processing experience, including at least 2 years focusing on California payroll.

• Experience managing payroll for multiple entities, clients, or groups simultaneously.

• Strong understanding of California wage-and-hour, payroll, final pay, wage statement, sick leave, deduction, and recordkeeping regulations.

• Preferred experience in supporting benefits administration functions such as open enrollment, deduction updates, reconciliations, and compliance-related testing.

• Solid knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, garnishments, taxable wages, benefit deductions, and payroll processing procedures.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly and professionally explain payroll and benefits information.

• Strong skills in time management, organization, prioritization, and meeting deadlines.

• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to maintaining accuracy.

• Proficient analytical, reconciliation, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities.

• Capacity to work independently, manage competing priorities, adapt to change, and know when to seek assistance or escalate issues.

• Proven dependability, responsiveness, discretion, and dedication to outstanding client service.

• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and a quick ability to learn new systems.

• Experience with payroll, HRIS, and benefits administration platforms such as ADP, BambooHR, Gusto, isolved, Paychex, Paylocity, Rippling, and similar systems is preferred.

• Multi-state payroll experience is strongly preferred.

• Experience supporting nonprofit or religious organizations is a plus.

• Consistent work schedule aligned with Pacific Time business hours.

• A dedicated, distraction-free workspace and reliable high-speed internet connection.

• Capability to read, write, communicate effectively, and perform payroll-related mathematical calculations.

• Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds.

🏝️ Benefits

• Fully remote work arrangement.

• Occasional travel may be required.

• Dedicated, distraction-free workspace for confidential conversations and payroll tasks.

• Reliable high-speed internet access, enabling secure work in a remote environment.