Payroll Administrator

Harter Secrest & Emery LLP; City of Rochester (NY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Legal/Professional services firm

Job summary

Harter Secrest & Emery LLP in Rochester, NY, is seeking a Payroll Administrator to join the Finance and HR groups. You will manage multi-state payroll processing, ensure compliance with payroll regulations, and support attorneys and staff with timely, accurate payroll.

Responsibilities include benefits deductions, tax reporting, HRIS data maintenance, and producing payroll analytics for management. Five to seven years' payroll experience in a professional services setting is preferred; salary

Qualifications

• BS in Finance, Accounting, or related discipline with 5–7 years payroll experience, or equivalent.
• Experience administering payroll in multiple states and jurisdictions, including tax setup and compliance reporting.
• Proficiency with Excel (advanced formulas and pivot tables) and HRIS systems; familiarity with ADP desirable.

Responsibilities

• Administer multi-state payroll processing and employee setup, incl. tax withholding and compliance.
• Process voluntary deductions, benefits and rate changes for complex payrolls.
• Serve as primary liaison with payroll vendors and internal partners.
• Review attendance records and ensure data accuracy; address discrepancies.
• Maintain payroll systems and address tax notices; support HRIS management.
• Prepare workforce reports and analytics (headcount, overtime, ACA).
• Collaborate with HR to ensure accurate records and payroll data for new hires, terminations, leave, and accruals.
• Assist auditors with payroll and benefit plan calculations.

Skills

Payroll processing

Multistate payroll

Excel

HRIS

Data analysis

Attention to detail

Communication

Compliance knowledge

Time management

Education

BS in Finance or Accounting

Tools

ADP

Job description

Salary Range: $65,000.00 To $80,000.00 Annually

Payroll Administrator

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY – ROCHESTER, NY

Harter Secrest & Emery is a full-service law firm founded in 1894, with offices in Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, Corning, and New York City. With over 125 lawyers, we offer the depth and breadth of legal talent and experience necessary to achieve exceptional results for our local, regional, and national clients.

Harter Secrest & Emery LLP is seeking a Payroll Administrator to join the Finance and Human Resources groups. The Payroll Administrator will work closely with the Finance and Human Resources teams to ensure accurate and timely payroll processing, compliance with payroll and benefit regulations, and exceptional support to attorneys and staff across the firm.

Job Responsibilities :

• Administer multi-state payroll processing and employee setup, including state and local tax withholding, unemployment insurance reporting, work location assignments, and compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations. Research and apply jurisdiction-specific payroll requirements for remote workers.
• Enter, analyze, and accurately process voluntary deductions, benefit and rate changes, and other time sensitive data for complex biweekly, semi-monthly, and monthly payrolls
• Act as primary contact with payrol vendors and liaison with internal partners to ensure proper payroll configuration and ongoing compliance.
• Review employee time and attendance records for accuracy and follow up with employees and supervisors as needed.
• Maintain and update the firm’s payroll systems; review and address payroll tax notices; work closely with the human resources staff on related HRIS management
• Manage detailed reporting of retirement plan deferrals to ensure accurate funding; compile and provide information to the firm’s retirement plan provider to support annual compliance testing.
• Produce and maintain monthly, quarterly, and annual workforce reports and analytics, including headcount, overtime, and ACA compliance reporting, for management review and strategic planning.
• Prepare reports and contribution data related to employee benefits, including health insurance and leave-of-absence programs; pull reports from disability providers to ensure accurate and timely recording of benefit payments.
• Collaborate with human resources team members to ensure accurate employee and payroll system records, including reviewing new hire, termination, leave, PTO accruals and disability documentation.
• Assist external auditors with issues relating to payroll and benefit plan calculations and worker’s compensation.

Education/Experience Requirements :

• BS in Finance, Accounting, or other related discipline and five (5) to seven (7) years of progressively responsible work with assignments such as payroll management and processing, employee benefits and pension plan administration, and report generation and development, OR an equivalent combination of education, experience, and/or professional certifications sufficient to indicate the ability to perform the duties of the position. Experience in a legal or professional service organization is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience administering payroll in multiple states and jurisdictions, including employee tax setup, state registrations, withholding requirements, and compliance reporting.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and exercise discretion when handling sensitive payroll, compensation, and employee information.
• Thorough knowledge of accepted payroll and financial management principles and practices.
• Strong knowledge of state and federal human resources laws, standards, and practices as they pertain to payroll and benefits processes.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, utilizing advanced formulas and pivot tables on a recurring basis. Good working knowledge in all other Microsoft Office applications (Word, Outlook)
• Proficiency with payroll and financial management software applications; familiarity with ADP is desirable.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills; good organizational and problem-solving skills; proactive; ability to respond to multiple priorities and meet varying deadlines.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; strong attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills; ability to work effectively with firm partners, employees and third-party vendors; ability to work collaboratively as part of the finance and human resources teams.
• FLSA Classification: Non-Exempt
• Salary dependent on relevant experience. Expected annual salary range: $65,000-$80,000