Certified Payroll Compliance Specialist

Aston Carter; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 41,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

Aston Carter is seeking a Certified Payroll Compliance Specialist to manage the government's prevailing wage program for construction projects in Houston. You will interpret Davis-Bacon, SCA, and state wage determinations and oversee audits.

You will work with LCPTracker, EMARS, and payroll systems like Paycom, ADP, or Workday, ensuring accuracy, timely submissions, and regulatory compliance. Strong analytical and communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of certified payroll or prevailing wage compliance experience.
• Advanced knowledge of Davis-Bacon Act requirements, Service Contract Act (SCA), and state prevailing wage laws.
• Expertise in wage determinations, apprentice ratios, and fringe benefit calculations for government-funded construction projects.
• Proven experience conducting payroll audits and responding to agency reviews or Department of Labor investigations.
• Hands-on experience with LCPTracker (required) and familiarity with EMARS (preferred).
• Experience working with payroll systems such as Paycom, ADP, or Workday.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage the certified payroll compliance program for government-funded construction projects.
• Interpret federal, state, and local prevailing wage requirements, including Davis-Bacon, SCA, and state-specific wage determinations.
• Audit certified payrolls before and after submission to ensure accuracy, completeness, and adherence to prevailing wage laws.
• Monitor subcontractor certified payrolls and compliance activities to verify alignment with contract and regulatory requirements.
• Serve as the primary point of contact with government agencies on prevailing wage and certified payroll matters.
• Work within FCC, LCPTracker, and EMARS systems to track, review, and validate certified payroll data and compliance status.
• Identify potential compliance issues early, investigate discrepancies, and implement corrective actions to resolve deficiencies.
• Maintain an audit-ready posture by organizing records, documentation, and reports in accordance with agency and Department of Labor standards.
• Conduct and support payroll audits and respond to agency reviews or Department of Labor investigations with accurate documentation and analysis.
• Interpret contract language and regulations and clearly explain prevailing wage requirements to both field and office personnel.
• Collaborate with payroll teams using systems such as Paycom, ADP, or Workday to ensure certified payroll data aligns with compliance rules.
• Prepare, analyze, and distribute compliance reports using Excel and other reporting tools to provide visibility into prevailing wage adherence.
• Manage multiple projects and deadlines, including high-volume weekly certified payroll submissions, while maintaining quality and accuracy.
• Apply strong analytical, organizational, and detail-oriented skills to evaluate compliance risk and make sound recommendations.
• Support continuous improvement of certified payroll and compliance processes to enhance quality assurance and reduce risk.

Skills

Prevailing wage compliance

Payroll auditing

Regulatory interpretation

Analytical thinking

Excel reporting

Multi-project management

Stakeholder communication

Tools

LCPTracker

EMARS

Paycom

ADP

Workday

FCC

Job description

Job Title: Certified Payroll Compliance SpecialistJob Description

Responsibilities

• Own and manage the certified payroll compliance program for all government-funded construction projects.
• Interpret federal, state, and local prevailing wage requirements, including Davis-Bacon, SCA, and state-specific wage determinations.
• Audit certified payrolls before and after submission to ensure accuracy, completeness, and adherence to prevailing wage laws.
• Monitor subcontractor certified payrolls and compliance activities to verify alignment with contract and regulatory requirements.
• Serve as the primary point of contact with government agencies on prevailing wage and certified payroll matters.
• Work within FCC, LCPTracker, and EMARS systems to track, review, and validate certified payroll data and compliance status.
• Identify potential compliance issues early, investigate discrepancies, and implement corrective actions to resolve deficiencies.
• Maintain an audit-ready posture by organizing records, documentation, and reports in accordance with agency and Department of Labor standards.
• Conduct and support payroll audits and respond to agency reviews or Department of Labor investigations with accurate documentation and analysis.
• Interpret contract language and regulations and clearly explain prevailing wage requirements to both field and office personnel.
• Collaborate with payroll teams using systems such as Paycom, ADP, or Workday to ensure certified payroll data aligns with compliance rules.
• Prepare, analyze, and distribute compliance reports using Excel and other reporting tools to provide visibility into prevailing wage adherence.
• Manage multiple projects and deadlines, including high-volume weekly certified payroll submissions, while maintaining quality and accuracy.
• Apply strong analytical, organizational, and detail-oriented skills to evaluate compliance risk and make sound recommendations.
• Support continuous improvement of certified payroll and compliance processes to enhance quality assurance and reduce risk.

Essential Skills

• At least 5 years of certified payroll or prevailing wage compliance experience.
• Advanced knowledge of Davis-Bacon Act requirements, Service Contract Act (SCA), and state prevailing wage laws.
• Expertise in wage determinations, apprentice ratios, and fringe benefit calculations for government-funded construction projects.
• Proven experience conducting payroll audits and responding to agency reviews or Department of Labor investigations.
• Hands-on experience with LCPTracker (required) and familiarity with EMARS (preferred).
• Experience working with payroll systems such as Paycom, ADP, or Workday.
• Ability to interpret contract language and complex regulations and communicate them clearly to field and office teams.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and detail-oriented skills with sound judgment in assessing compliance risk.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and tight deadlines, including high-volume weekly certified payroll submissions.
• Strong Excel skills and proficiency in creating and interpreting compliance and payroll reports.
• Demonstrated capability in compliance, payroll auditing, contracts review, and quality assurance related to certified payroll.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working within FCC and EMARS platforms for certified payroll and compliance tracking.
• Background in construction industry or government-funded project environments.
• Ability to build effective working relationships with internal teams and subcontractors around compliance expectations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for interacting with agencies and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to adapt to evolving regulations and agency requirements and update processes accordingly.

Work Environment

The Certified Payroll Compliance Specialist works in a professional office environment that focuses on government-funded construction projects and prevailing wage compliance. The role involves frequent use of compliance and payroll systems such as LCPTracker, EMARS, FCC, Paycom, ADP, and Workday, as well as extensive work in Excel for reporting and analysis. The position requires managing high-volume weekly certified payroll submissions and coordinating with multiple internal departments and subcontractors, often under tight deadlines. Work is primarily computer-based, with regular documentation review, data entry, and report generation. Standard business attire is typically expected in this environment.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Houston, TX.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $30.00 - $37.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 27, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Houston,TX.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] ([e-mail]) for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.