HR Payroll and Benefits Specialist

Alera Financial; Elgin (IL); Hybrid; USD 32,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Alera Financial in Elgin, IL is seeking an HR Payroll & Benefits Specialist to manage biweekly payroll, benefits administration, HRIS transactions, and employee records in a hybrid work setting.

The role collaborates with the Vice President of Human Resources and HR Operations Partner to ensure accurate processing, compliance, and timely support for employees across multiple states.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required; associate's or bachelor's degree preferred in HR, business administration, accounting, finance, or related field.
• 1–3 years of general HR and/or payroll experience required.
• Experience with ADP Workforce Now or similar HRIS/payroll system preferred.

Responsibilities

• Process biweekly payroll accurately and within established deadlines.
• Administer benefits enrollments and COBRA administration.
• Maintain HRIS data, employee records, and payroll documentation.
• Prepare year-end payroll activities and related reconciliations.
• Audit payroll inputs, changes, and deductions for accuracy.
• Support onboarding, offboarding, and data audits across HR systems.

Skills

Attention to detail

Payroll processing

ADP proficiency

Multistate payroll

Customer service

Education

High school diploma

Associate or Bachelor's in HR/Business/Accounting/Finance

Tools

ADP Workforce Now

Job description

HR Payroll and Benefits Specialist

Human Resources Regular Full-Time Elgin, IL, US

HR Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Department: Human Resources
Reports To: Vice President, Human Resources
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Full Salary Range:$23.05 - $34.58

Hiring Salary Range: $23.05 – 28.81
Employment Status: Full-Time, Hourly
Location: Elgin, Illinois – Hybrid Available

Position Summary

The HR Payroll & Benefits Specialist is a hands-on, detail-oriented position responsible for supporting the accurate and timely processing of payroll, benefits administration, HRIS transactions, employee records, and recurring Human Resources activities.

This position works closely with the Vice President of Human Resources and HR Operations Partner and serves as an important operational resource within the HR team. The role is primarily responsible for processing, reconciliation, administration, recordkeeping, and employee support while following established procedures and internal controls.

Benefits strategy, plan design, vendor decisions, renewals, and overall program oversight remain under the direction of the Vice President of Human Resources.

Payroll Administration

• Prepare and process biweekly payroll accurately and within established deadlines.
• Review timecards, payroll changes, earnings, deductions, reimbursements, bonuses, garnishments, and other payroll inputs.
• Audit payroll prior to submission and research and resolve discrepancies.
• Process employee compensation and payroll changes within ADP.
• Maintain payroll records, worksheets, calendars, supporting documentation, and audit trails.
• Complete payroll reconciliations and work with Finance to research and resolve discrepancies.
• Process off-cycle and special payments as needed.
• Administer recurring payroll activities, including 401(k) contribution changes, garnishments, levies, and applicable employee reimbursements.
• Assist with year-end payroll activities, W-2 preparation, payroll reporting, and related reconciliations.
• Respond to routine employee and manager payroll questions and elevate complex matters appropriately.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and documentation in accordance with established procedures and record-retention requirements.

Benefits Administration

• Process benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, changes, and terminations accurately and timely.
• Maintain employee benefit elections and eligibility information within ADP and applicable carrier and vendor systems.
• Reconcile benefit enrollments, payroll deductions, carrier records, and benefit invoices and assist with resolving discrepancies.
• Support administration of medical, dental, vision, life, disability, FSA, retirement, commuter, wellness, and other employee benefit programs.
• Support annual open enrollment, including employee data updates, system processing, eligibility review, enrollment tracking, and post-enrollment reconciliation.
• Respond to routine employee benefit questions and coordinate with carriers and vendors to resolve administrative issues.
• Support COBRA administration and benefit termination processes.
• Assist with required benefit notices, documentation, and recordkeeping.
• Provide day-to-day benefits administration while escalating plan, policy, compliance, or vendor issues to the Vice President of Human Resources.

HRIS & Employee Administration

• Process employee changes in ADP, including new hires, terminations, transfers, compensation changes, department changes, manager changes, and other employee updates.
• Maintain accurate employee demographic, employment, payroll, benefit, and organizational data.
• Maintain personnel documentation and electronic employee records.
• Complete routine HR data audits and correct identified discrepancies.
• Process employment verifications and other recurring employee documentation.
• Support I-9 administration, employment eligibility documentation, and required recordkeeping.
• Maintain recurring HR trackers, calendars, reports, and administrative workflows.
• Assist with onboarding and offboarding activities as assigned.

Compliance, Reconciliation & Audit Support

• Maintain payroll, benefit, and employee documentation in an organized and audit-ready manner.
• Prepare records and supporting documentation for internal audits, external audits, benefit-plan reviews, and regulatory examinations.
• Assist with recurring compliance reporting and required notices.
• Monitor payroll and benefit transactions for accuracy and adherence to established internal controls.
• Identify discrepancies or unusual transactions and elevate them promptly.
• Support data validation, cleanup, and reconciliation across ADP and benefit systems.
• Maintain confidentiality of employee, payroll, medical, and benefit information.

Process & Project Support

• Follow documented payroll, benefit, and HR procedures and identify opportunities to improve efficiency or reduce manual processing.
• Assist with testing and implementation of ADP enhancements, carrier feeds, vendor integrations, and other HR system improvements.
• Support ongoing cleanup and validation of employee, payroll, and benefit data.
• Participate in cross-training to ensure appropriate backup coverage for critical payroll and benefits activities.
• Support the HR Operations Partner with system, process, audit, and implementation projects as needed.
• Document recurring processes, procedures, checklists, and administrative workflows.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Education & Experience

• High school diploma required; associate's or bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or a related field preferred.
• 1–3 years of general Human Resources and/or payroll experience required.
• Experience supporting payroll processing, benefits administration, HRIS transactions, or employee records preferred.
• Experience with ADP Workforce Now or a comparable HRIS/payroll system preferred.
• Experience working in a multi-state environment is a plus.
• Financial services, credit union, banking, or other regulated-industry experience is a plus.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong attention to detail with a high degree of accuracy.
• Ability to work effectively with payroll information, benefit elections, deductions, invoices, reconciliations, and employee data.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Ability to meet firm payroll, benefit, and regulatory deadlines.
• Ability to research discrepancies and follow issues through resolution.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word, and other Microsoft 365 applications.
• Ability to learn and work effectively within payroll, HRIS, benefit-carrier, and vendor systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to handle confidential employee, payroll, benefit, and compensation information appropriately.
• Strong customer-service orientation when assisting employees and managers.
• Ability to follow established processes and controls while identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborative approach and willingness to cross-train and provide support across the HR function.

Compliance Knowledge

Working knowledge of, or the ability to develop working knowledge of, employment and benefits requirements applicable to assigned responsibilities, including:

• Federal and state wage-and-hour requirements
• Payroll tax and withholding requirements
• ERISA
• Affordable Care Act (ACA)
• COBRA
• HIPAA
• FMLA and applicable state leave requirements
• I-9 and employment eligibility recordkeeping requirements
• Applicable state and local payroll, leave, and withholding requirements