Payroll and People Operations Administrator

Coughlan Companies, dba Capstone; North Mankato (MN); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Health insurance

HSA

Life insurance

Paid time off

Parental leave

Flexible schedule

FSA

Employee assistance program

Employee discount

Professional development assistance

Referral program

Retirement plan

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Capstone, part of Coughlan Companies dba Capstone, seeks a Payroll and People Operations Administrator to manage bi-weekly payroll, benefits, and HR compliance in a hybrid MN-based role from Mankato or Eden Prairie offices.

The position covers payroll processing, benefits enrollments, time-off programs, and HR data updates across systems, with travel and open enrollment responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field (bachelor’s degree preferred).
• 5+ years of experience in payroll, human resources operations, benefits administration, or a related HR role.
• Experience administering payroll through Paylocity or a comparable HRIS/payroll system.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws, including wage and hour regulations, FMLA, ADA, COBRA, ACA, HIPAA, and related compliance requirements.
• Experience administering employee benefits and leave of absence programs.
• Exceptional attention to detail with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Strong customer service and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and use sound judgment with sensitive employee information.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel, and HRIS/payroll systems.
• CPP, SHRM-CP, PHR, or related certification is a plus.
• Multi-state payroll and benefits experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Analyze, prepare, and input accurate bi-weekly payroll in Paylocity HRIS, with a strong focus on attention to detail.
• Review payroll data for completeness and accuracy.
• Process new hires, terminations, pay changes, bonuses, commissions, retroactive adjustments, garnishments, and deductions.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour laws.
• Reconcile payroll reports and resolve payroll discrepancies.
• Prepare payroll-related reports for Finance and leadership.
• Support year-end payroll processing, including W-2 preparation and reconciliation.
• Compile payroll data including garnishments, salary adjustments, paid time off, earned sick and safe leave, insurance, YMCA, United Way, and 401(k) deductions.
• Manage compensation data and updates in Payscale.
• Administer employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, FSA, HSA, 401(k), and other benefits.
• Coordinate new hire enrollments, qualifying life events, and benefit terminations.
• Lead the annual Open Enrollment process, including coordination, scheduling, and employee training.
• Act as the primary contact for employee benefit questions and partner with benefit brokers and vendors to resolve issues.
• Process monthly benefit billing reconciliations.
• Administer leave programs including FMLA, state paid leaves, ADA accommodations, parental leave, military leave, workers' compensation, and other leave programs.
• Coordinate leave documentation and communication with employees, managers, and third-party administrators; track leave balances and ensure timely return-to-work processes.
• Maintain accurate electronic employee personnel files and manage employment documentation.
• Ensure compliance with HIPAA, FMLA, ACA, COBRA, EEO, ADA, and other applicable employment laws.
• Coordinate payroll, benefit, and HR audits; assist with HR policy administration, compliance reporting, and government filings.
• Support onboarding and offboarding, employment verification requests, HRIS record maintenance, and updates to organizational charts and job title/supervisor changes across systems.
• Coordinate employee communications related to payroll and benefits, provide general administrative support to the People Operations team, and keep the EVP of People & Operations informed of significant issues with swift corrective action as needed.

Skills

Payroll experience

HR operations

Benefits administration

FMLA/ADA/ACA compliance

Paylocity

MS Excel / MS Office

HRIS/payroll systems

Multi-state payroll

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Education

Associate degree in HR, Accounting, Business Admin

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Paylocity HRIS

Payscale

Microsoft Office

Excel

HRIS/payroll systems

Job description

Capstone, part of Coughlan Companies dba Capstone, is hiring a Payroll and People Operations Administrator to keep payroll and people operations running accurately and on time. This hybrid role supports employees and managers by managing bi-weekly payroll, benefits administration, leave of absence programs, and key HR compliance obligations. The position is based out of the Mankato or Eden Prairie, MN office, with a blended schedule that includes in-office time each week.

Location: North Mankato, MN (hybrid). Office base: Mankato or Eden Prairie, MN.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze, prepare, and input accurate bi-weekly payroll in Paylocity HRIS, with a strong focus on attention to detail.
• Review payroll data for completeness and accuracy.
• Process new hires, terminations, pay changes, bonuses, commissions, retroactive adjustments, garnishments, and deductions.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour laws.
• Reconcile payroll reports and resolve payroll discrepancies.
• Prepare payroll-related reports for Finance and leadership.
• Support year-end payroll processing, including W-2 preparation and reconciliation.
• Compile payroll data including garnishments, salary adjustments, paid time off, earned sick and safe leave, insurance, YMCA, United Way, and 401(k) deductions.
• Manage compensation data and updates in Payscale.
• Administer employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, FSA, HSA, 401(k), and other benefits.
• Coordinate new hire enrollments, qualifying life events, and benefit terminations.
• Lead the annual Open Enrollment process, including coordination, scheduling, and employee training.
• Act as the primary contact for employee benefit questions and partner with benefit brokers and vendors to resolve issues.
• Process monthly benefit billing reconciliations.
• Administer leave programs including FMLA, state paid leaves, ADA accommodations, parental leave, military leave, workers' compensation, and other leave programs.
• Coordinate leave documentation and communication with employees, managers, and third-party administrators; track leave balances and ensure timely return-to-work processes.
• Maintain accurate electronic employee personnel files and manage employment documentation.
• Ensure compliance with HIPAA, FMLA, ACA, COBRA, EEO, ADA, and other applicable employment laws.
• Coordinate payroll, benefit, and HR audits; assist with HR policy administration, compliance reporting, and government filings.
• Support onboarding and offboarding, employment verification requests, HRIS record maintenance, and updates to organizational charts and job title/supervisor changes across systems.
• Coordinate employee communications related to payroll and benefits, provide general administrative support to the People Operations team, and keep the EVP of People & Operations informed of significant issues with swift corrective action as needed.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field (bachelor’s degree preferred).
• 5+ years of experience in payroll, human resources operations, benefits administration, or a related HR role.
• Experience administering payroll through Paylocity or a comparable HRIS/payroll system.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws, including wage and hour regulations, FMLA, ADA, COBRA, ACA, HIPAA, and related compliance requirements.
• Experience administering employee benefits and leave of absence programs.
• Exceptional attention to detail with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Strong customer service and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and use sound judgment with sensitive employee information.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel, and HRIS/payroll systems.
• CPP, SHRM-CP, PHR, or related certification is a plus.
• Multi-state payroll and benefits experience is preferred.

Technologies

• Paylocity HRIS, Paylocity
• Payscale
• Microsoft Office, Excel
• HRIS and payroll systems

Work Schedule, Hybrid Setup, and Travel

• Hybrid role based out of either the Mankato or Eden Prairie, MN office.
• In-office expectation: minimum 3 days per week; flexibility to work remotely up to 2 days per week.
• Travel requirement: approximately 5-10% travel between Minnesota work locations.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary: $60,000.00-$75,000.00 per year
• 401(k) and 401(k) matching
• Dental and vision insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account (HSA)
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement

Diversity & Inclusion

• Capstone embraces diversity, inclusion, equal opportunity, and belonging for employees and applicants.
• Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer.
• For assistance or a reasonable accommodation during the application or recruiting process, contact [e-mail].

Employment Authorization

• Capstone cannot sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.