Payroll and Benefits Specialist

Tarr LLC; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Tarr LLC is seeking an experienced Full Cycle Payroll & HRIS Administrator in Portland, Oregon. The role oversees time & attendance, payroll processing, and benefits administration, interfacing with payroll providers, and ensuring compliance with wage and hour laws.

Primary responsibilities include maintaining HRIS data, preparing journal entries, and generating payroll-related reports. Strong analysis, communication, and teamwork with the HR Director are essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with payroll and benefits administration experience.
• 3–6 years of payroll and benefits experience with automated third party HRIS/payroll systems.
• Thorough understanding of federal, state, and local payroll, tax, and wage/hour laws.
• Detail oriented with strong organizational and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Administers time & attendance, payroll processing, and benefit deductions.
• Maintains HRIS records and employee files to support compliance and reporting.
• Prepares payroll journals and reconciliations for GL and benefit liabilities.
• Answers employee questions on system access, deductions, and tax withholdings.
• Coordinates with third-party providers for payroll, benefits, and compliance reporting.

Skills

Payroll processing

HRIS administration

Time & attendance

Benefits administration

Compliance knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, or human resources

Tools

HRIS system

MS Excel

I-9 / E-Verify

Job description

Responsible for administration of the organization’s full-cycle Payroll, company provided and voluntary benefits, and federal, state, and local tax requirements, and related compliance functions. Primary administrator for HRIS platform and related modules. Role includes time & attendance oversight, payroll processing, interface and maintenance with payroll providers and benefit plan third parties, accounting journal entries and reconciliations, ensuring all duties are performed in time sensitive and accurate manner, in accordance with Company Policies and Federal DOL/IRS / Local wage and hour employment laws. Interfaces with employees, answering questions regarding system access, payroll payments, benefit deductions, tax and other statutory withholding, pay stub/W2 earnings. Apply consistent methods in handling payroll, tax, and benefit matters in compliance with EE handbook, wage and hour employment laws, and company policies. Assists Director of Human Resources with tactical HR responsibilities.

Full Cycle Payroll and HRIS Administrator:

• System Administrator for the Time & Attendance, Payroll, Retirement Services and general HRIS System.
• Processes Bi-weekly payroll – review timecards, ensure all data files and schedules are complete, balanced, and well documented for transmission to Third Party Processor.
• Create payroll related journal entries for posting into accounting system.
• Prepare reconciliations for G/L payroll related accounts for payroll accruals, taxes and benefit liabilities, identifying any reconciling items for resolution each payroll.
• Submit payroll deductions and remittances timely.
• Calculate sales and management commissions/bonuses with review by Sales Management and/or finance.
• Setup, maintain, and reconcile company provided Paid Time Off Accruals, Vacation and Sick against expected balances on a routine basis.
• Prepares timely termination payments and supporting schedules in compliance with specific state wage and hour employment laws and presents for review by manager and finance.
• Maintains all records and documentation related to Full Cycle Payroll in organized and searchable manner, maintaining employee files and company files for compliance, including tax reporting and payments.
• Prepares census government or agency required reports and surveys for appropriate payroll and employment tax & withholding reporting requirements.

Benefits Administration:

• Administers health and welfare plans with providers, including enrollments, qualifying events, and terminations.
• Record and track self-insured plans premium and claim payments. Maintain clear reconciliation for accurate tracking and work with finance for estimating liabilities and rebates.
• Prepares employee census data for renewals and program evaluations.
• Provide employees with information and answers questions on cost and timing of payroll deductions for different levels of coverage on company provided, voluntary insurance offerings, and statutory required state/local programs.
• Implements employees’ selections and/or changes in system and with providers at times of eligibility, annually or from qualifying event to meet deadlines and notification windows.
• Communicates required Employer mandated compliance materials for Employee rights, notices and access options under Federal health care act.
• Confirms and verifies maintenance of employee personal data as changes are made, to support annual 5500 preparation and mandatory compliance reporting to Plan Administrator, Record Keeper, Fiduciary Services, or Plan participants.
• Work with Director of Human Resources to on coordination with 401K Financial Advisor for scheduling employee education and awareness on annual basis.
• Maintains records on enrollment, participation and funding in Flexible Spending Account (FSA) program.
• Participates together with Director of Human Resources in annual open enrollment during fourth quarter each year.
• Reviews payments to providers for insurance, other voluntary coverages, employee associated costs, verifying participation and rates.
• Administrative contact with third party providers for payroll, benefit, and system administration services. Fosters effective relationships with third-party service providers.
• Annual renewal of Worker’s Compensation program, preparing routine Worker's Compensation premium payments and worker classification assignments based on job function. Responsible for annual premium audits by providers.
• Records short term disability benefit payments by third party provider in Payroll system. Verifying dates align with recorded time and attendance records.

Human Resources Administration

• Maintain employee personnel files and HRIS records.
• Coordinate new hire paperwork, I-9 administration, E-Verify (if applicable), onboarding documentation, and HRIS setup.
• Administer employee status changes, promotions, transfers, compensation changes, and terminations in HRIS.
• Assists employees or terminated employees with simple HR/Payroll/Benefits related inquiries, or directs them to the Director of Human Resources
• Track and maintain organizational charts and employee rosters.
• Assist with recruitment administration including job posting, applicant tracking, interview scheduling, background checks, references, and offer letter preparation.
• Coordinate onboarding activities and new hire orientation logistics.
• Administer leave tracking for FMLA, OFLA, state leave programs, ADA accommodations, and other leave programs while partnering with Director of Human Resources on complex cases.
• Maintain salary range databases and compensation records.
• Prepare HR metrics, workforce reports, turnover analysis, headcount reports, and labor statistics.
• Coordinate employee recognition program administration and employee events logistics.
• Maintain job description files and update administrative changes as directed.
• Participates with Director of Human Resources to recommend and issue interim updates to policies and procedures in the Employee Handbook.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business, accounting, or human resources with specific training or certifications for payroll skills together with wage and hour employment law; or other equivalent work experience in full cycle payroll and benefits administration.
• Minimum Three - Six years work experience performing payroll and benefits functions with automated third party HRIS / payroll systems.
• Knowledge and/ or experience in manufacturing and distribution industry preferred.
• Must have thorough understanding of federal, state, local payroll, tax, and wage and hour employment laws and their applicability.
• Accounting knowledge is sufficient to prepare journal entries and payroll account reconciliations to identify discrepancies, given templates and instructions.
• Detail oriented, high degree of accuracy, and ability to work within tight timelines, prioritizing workload to ensure deadlines are met.
• Excellent organizational and documentation skills and the ability to multi-task.
• Experience administering employee benefits and 401(k) plans and interfacing with multiple systems verifying all are coordinated and in balance.
• Ability to exercise tact and discretion in dealing with sensitive and confidential information.
• Strong verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience using critical thinking and root cause methods and focus on process improvement.
• Minimum of Intermediate level computer skills particularly in the use of MS Office, specifically Word and Excel. Ability to create formulas demonstrating proficiency in vlookups, pivot tables, and sumifs.