Payroll and Benefit Specialist

Description

About Us: Empire Marketing Strategies has been a leader in delivering exceptional in-store execution for over 40 years, enhancing the customer experience in grocery retail. Operating in all 18 Kroger divisions across the U.S., we partner with some of the world's top brands to optimize their presence in over 2,500 store locations. Our team thrives on tackling diverse challenges in the fast-paced retail industry. We value dedication, talent, and a passion for excellence.

Why Join Us?

• Flexible, M-F Work Schedule, 9 Holidays off
• Earn a competitive salary plus 80% employer-covered benefits
• Full-Time Associates: Eligible for medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, disability coverage, a retirement program, mental health support, paid time off, and 9 paid holidays annually.
• Part-Time Associates: Eligible for our retirement program and access to mental health support resources
• A dynamic work environment where you’ll make a real impact.

Job Summary:

The Payroll and Benefit Specialist owns the end-to-end payroll process and the recurring audit of payroll-related benefit billing for Empire Marketing Strategies. This exempt role is responsible for planning, administering, auditing, reconciling, and improving payroll and benefit billing processes for a high-volume, multi-state employee population. Reporting to the Director of Human Resources, the Payroll and Benefit Specialist exercises discretion and independent judgment in evaluating payroll data, resolving complex pay and deduction discrepancies, interpreting payroll and benefit billing requirements, recommending process improvements, coordinating with payroll providers, benefit vendors, tax agencies, retirement plan administrators, Finance, HR, managers, and employees, and ensuring payroll and benefit billing activities are accurate, timely, compliant, confidential, and well documented.

Essential Functions:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions:

• Own, administer, and continuously improve the end-to-end payroll process, including payroll governance, controls, processing, auditing, reconciliation, reporting, and compliance support.
• Exercise independent judgment to research, evaluate, and resolve significant payroll, tax, garnishment, year-end, deduction, benefit billing, and 401(k) payroll contribution issues.
• Lead recurring benefit deduction and carrier billing audits, partner with internal and external stakeholders, and recommend corrective actions to strengthen payroll accuracy, compliance, vendor billing integrity, and financial controls.

Core Functions:

• Payroll Ownership, Administration and Compliance
• Own and manage the full payroll cycle, including regular and off-cycle payrolls, payroll calendars, payroll inputs, time and attendance review, payroll changes, earnings, deductions, direct deposits, garnishments, special payments, manual adjustments, paid leave, holidays, and other payroll-related items.
• Independently audit payroll inputs prior to processing, evaluate exceptions, determine appropriate corrective action, and ensure accuracy of hours, rates of pay, paid time off, benefit deductions, tax withholdings, retroactive adjustments, bonuses, commissions, reimbursements, address changes, and other employee data.
• Evaluate, finalize, and approve employee changes in the HRIS as appropriate for each pay period and partner with HR and Benefits to ensure new hires, terminations, status changes, compensation changes, benefit elections, and leave updates are reflected accurately in payroll and benefits systems.
• Run, review, validate, reconcile, and approve payroll reports each pay cycle, including gross-to-net calculations, deduction registers, tax reports, payroll funding, general ledger files, exception reports, and other reports needed to confirm payroll accuracy and support business operations.
• Support multi-state and local payroll tax processes, including withholding setup, tax account maintenance, agency notices, unemployment rates, registrations, tax audits, reconciliations, and coordination with payroll tax providers and government agencies.
• Process and monitor wage garnishments, child support orders, levies, and other legally required payroll deductions in partnership with the payroll provider and in accordance with applicable requirements.
• Assist with quarter-end and year-end payroll activities, including W-2 review and distribution, taxable fringe benefits, earnings and deduction reconciliations, tax balancing, and required reporting.
• Develop, maintain, interpret, and improve payroll procedures, calendars, checklists, audit controls, reporting processes, and documentation while protecting sensitive employee, payroll, and benefits information with strict confidentiality.

• Post-Payroll Reporting and Accounting Support
• Complete weekly and recurring payroll reporting for leadership review, including Regular Roll-Up Hours, Division YTD Earnings, Supervisor Time Detail, and other required payroll reports.
• Create ad hoc payroll reporting as needed to support HR, Benefits, Accounting, Finance, leadership, audits, and business operations.
• Partner with Accounting and Finance to support payroll funding, account reconciliations, journal entry support, accruals, variance research, and financial statement accuracy related to payroll data.
• Assist with internal and external audits by preparing payroll reports, supporting documentation, reconciliations, and responses to audit requests.

• Benefit Billing Audit, Deduction Reconciliation and 401(k) Payroll Support
• Own the recurring audit of benefit billing and payroll deduction data, reconciling HRIS, payroll, enrollment, carrier billing, employer contribution, and employee deduction information to support accurate payroll deductions, vendor billing, and financial reporting.
• Analyze payroll benefit deductions against benefit elections and carrier billing, identify material discrepancies, determine root causes, recommend corrective action, and coordinate resolution of arrears, retroactive adjustments, refunds, missed deductions, and coverage-related payroll impacts.
• Serve as the primary payroll liaison for benefit billing audit issues, partnering with HR, Benefits, Accounting, Finance, employees, benefit vendors, brokers, and payroll providers to research and resolve payroll-related benefit deduction, billing, enrollment, and coverage discrepancies.
• Prepare audit documentation, reconciliation summaries, variance explanations, and recommended adjustments for Finance, HR leadership, benefit vendors, and payroll providers related to benefit billing and payroll deduction accuracy.
• Administer post-payroll 401(k) processes, including employee and employer contribution reporting, loan repayment reporting, contribution uploads, payroll deduction reconciliation, retirement plan record reconciliation, and forfeiture coordination as directed by plan rules.
• Partner with retirement plan vendors and internal stakeholders to research and resolve payroll-related 401(k) contribution discrepancies, missed deductions, refunds, corrections, and forfeiture questions.

• Employee Support, Vendor Coordination, Process Improvement and Independent Judgment
• Serve as the payroll and benefit billing subject matter resource and primary point of contact for complex payroll, deduction, billing, vendor, agency, employee, manager, and internal partner inquiries, responding in a timely, professional, confidential, and solution-oriented manner.
• Research and resolve questions related to pay, deductions, taxes, direct deposit, garnishments, paid time off, benefit deductions, 401(k) deductions, year-end forms, and other payroll matters.
• Manage supervisor follow-up and accountability regarding time entry, hours, wages payable, payroll clarification, and employee data updates needed for each pay period.
• Evaluate existing payroll and benefit billing practices, identify control gaps or efficiency opportunities, recommend policy or process changes, and lead approved improvements that increase payroll accuracy, strengthen internal controls, reduce manual work, improve documentation, and enhance the employee payroll experience.
• Perform other payroll, HR, benefits, accounting, and compliance-related duties as assigned.

Requirements

Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred. Equivalent relevant experience considered.
• Minimum of 3 years of payroll processing experience required, including multi-state payroll, payroll tax processing, payroll deductions, reconciliations, garnishments, and year-end payroll activities.
• Experience supporting high-volume payroll preferred, including employee populations of 1,000+ associates.
• Experience using Paylocity for payroll processing and HRIS administration strongly preferred.
• Experience reconciling payroll-related benefit deductions, benefit invoices, and 401(k) contribution files preferred.
• Working knowledge of payroll compliance, including federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements, wage and hour requirements, benefit deductions, garnishments, and year-end reporting preferred.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) preferred.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Advanced Microsoft Office skills
• Strong attention to detail and ability to accurately manage high-volume payroll and employee data under deadlines.
• Strong analytical, math, reconciliation, problem-solving, and follow-up skills.
• Ability to research, document, and resolve payroll, deduction, tax, garnishment, benefit deduction, and 401(k) discrepancies using sound judgment.
• Excellent organizational, time management with the ability to meet strict payroll, vendor, and reporting deadlines.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and customer service skills.
• Ability to operate independently, demonstrate strong personal drive for results, and collaborate effectively with internal teams, vendors, managers, and employees.
• Ability to handle confidential payroll, financial, benefits-related, and employee information with discretion, professionalism, and integrity.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.

Tools and Equipment:

• Regular use of standard office equipment, including computer, phone, payroll system, HRIS, benefits systems, and Microsoft Excel.
• Regular operation of a personal motor vehicle, to and from work sites, as needed.

Work Environment:

• Duties are typically performed in an indoor, office environment.
• Noise levels – typically low to moderate.