Payroll Specialist

We are looking for a Payroll Specialist to join a chemicals manufacturing organization in Phoenix, Arizona in a contract-to-permanent capacity. This position is ideal for a detail-oriented payroll specialist who can manage complex, high-volume payroll operations while maintaining strict compliance with wage, tax, and reporting requirements. The role will work closely with HR and accounting partners to support payroll accuracy, compensation administration, audits, and employee inquiries in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities:

• Administer end-to-end payroll processing on a bi-weekly schedule, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time across multiple states.

• Examine timesheets, earnings, deductions, garnishments, benefit withholdings, and tax entries to confirm each payroll cycle is complete and compliant.

• Coordinate payroll disbursements and support period-end close activities by preparing reports, reconciling payroll data, and helping resolve variances with accounting.

• Monitor federal, state, and local payroll regulations, apply legislative updates, and recommend policy or process adjustments to maintain compliance.

• Perform recurring payroll audits, investigate discrepancies, and partner with internal stakeholders to correct issues before final submission.

• Maintain secure and accurate payroll, compensation, and employee records in accordance with legal retention requirements and confidentiality standards.

• Support compensation-related administration by helping maintain pay data, wage structures, benefit elections, leave balances, and other employee information in HR systems.

• Provide payroll system guidance to internal users, respond to employee verification and payroll-related questions, and deliver training when needed.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Human Resources, or a related discipline, along with 5–7 years of payroll experience.

• Demonstrated success managing full-cycle, high-volume, multi-state payroll, preferably for employee populations exceeding 500.

• Strong knowledge of payroll operations, wage and hour compliance, payroll taxation, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations.

• Experience using payroll and HRIS platforms such as ADP Workforce Now, UKG Pro, SAP, or similar systems.

• Working knowledge of payroll reconciliations, reporting, audits, and coordination with accounting and HR teams.

• Advanced Excel and general computer proficiency, with strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.

• Payroll certification is preferred, along with a high level of discretion and attention to detail when handling confidential information.

Compensation

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