Payroll SpeciaIist III

The Payroll Specialist III -is a seniorlevel payroll professional responsible for processing complex, highvolume payrolls with a high degree of accuracy and compliance. This role supports multistate payroll operations within a staffing agency environment, ensuring timely and accurate payment for contractors and internal employees. The Payroll Specialist III serves as a subjectmatter expert, resolves escalated payroll issues, supports audits and compliance efforts, and partners closely with Payroll Leadership, HR, Finance, and Client Services.

Primary Responsibilities

Process weekly, biweekly, and/or special payrolls for a large population of W2 and/or 1099 contractors and internal employees across multiple states
• Review and validate time entry, pay rates, commissions, bonuses, adjustments, and retroactive payments
• Manage complex payroll transactions including offcycle payments, corrections, stop payments, reversals, and reissues
• Administer wage garnishments, tax levies, child support orders, and other courtordered deductions
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, wage and hour laws, and staffingspecific pay requirements
• Partner with Tax, HR, and Finance teams to research and resolve payroll discrepancies and compliance issues
• Serve as an escalation point for complex payroll inquiries from employees, contractors, internal stakeholders, and clients
• Support payroll audits (internal and external) by preparing documentation and responding to audit requests
• Assist with onboarding and termination payroll activities, including final pay calculations and compliance requirements
• Review payroll reports for accuracy, identify trends or issues, and recommend process improvements
• Maintain confidentiality and data integrity of payroll and employee information
• Provide guidance and informal mentoring to Payroll Specialist I and II team members as needed
• Participate in payroll system enhancements, testing, and implementation of new processes or tools

Qualifications & Experience Requirements

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5+ years of progressive payroll experience, preferably within a staffing agency or highvolume payroll environment
• Demonstrated experience processing multistate payroll with a strong understanding of payroll compliance requirements
• Handson experience with payroll systems (e.g., ADP, UKG, Workday, Paychex, or similar platforms)
• Strong working knowledge of wage garnishments, tax withholdings, and payroll regulations
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (including lookups, reconciliations, and data analysis)
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fastpaced environment
• Strong problemsolving skills and ability to independently resolve complex payroll issues
• Proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion

Preferred Qualifications:

• Workday experience
• Experience supporting payroll for contractors, consultants, or temporary employees
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC)
• Experience partnering with payroll tax teams or supporting payroll tax filings and reconciliations
• Prior involvement in payroll audits or system implementations