Payroll and Rewards Analyst

Holmes Murphy; West Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Holmes Murphy in West Des Moines, IA, seeks a Payroll and Rewards Analyst to support payroll administration, benefits, and total rewards analytics on the Talent and Culture team. The role emphasizes accuracy, data analysis, and regulatory compliance in a dynamic culture.

Responsibilities include payroll processing, vendor coordination, 401(k) reconciliation, and audits, with CPP a plus. A college degree is preferred; 1–3 years' payroll experience recommended.

Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma required; college degree preferred in business, HR, finance, or accounting.
• 1–3 years' payroll administrator/analyst experience; Workday experience preferred.
• Knowledge of payroll laws/regulations; CPP a plus.

Responsibilities

• Administer and process company payroll and off-cycle payments.
• Support annual processes with payroll vendors.
• Prepare and verify accuracy of payroll/tax forms and filings.
• Handle payroll queries and discrepancies; provide resolutions.
• Handle benefit billing and reconciliation processes.
• Support 401k administration and contribution reconciliation.
• Support total rewards analytics and reporting requests.
• Support total rewards audits, including payroll, compensation structure, and benefit enrollments.

Skills

Payroll

Workday

Excel

Data analysis

Attention to detail

Communication

Education

High School Diploma

College degree preferred

Tools

Workday

Payroll systems

Job description

Job Description: We are looking to add a Payroll and Rewards Analyst to join our Talent and Culture team in West Des Moines, Iowa. Offering a forward-thinking, innovative, and vibrant company culture, along with the opportunity to share your unique potential, there really is no place like Holmes! Support accurate and timely administration of payroll and related processes, including tax filings, reconciliations, compliance, and employee inquiries. Provides operational and analytical support across total rewards, including benefits, retirement plans, systems administration, analytics, reporting, and audits.

Responsibilities:

• Administer and process company payroll and off-cycle payments.
• Support annual processes with payroll vendors.
• Prepare and verify accuracy of payroll/tax forms and filings.
• Handle payroll queries/discrepancies and provide resolutions in a timely manner.
• Handle all benefit billing and reconciliation processes.
• Support 401k administrative processes and contribution reconciliation.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Support HR initiatives, including total rewards analytics and reporting requests.
• Support HR and Finance team on total rewards analysis and inquiries.
• Support total rewards audits, including payroll, compensation structure, and benefit enrollments.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll, wage and hour laws and best practices.
• Provide support of total rewards system administration including configuration, integration design, security administration, testing, and reporting.
• Occasionally facilitate new employee orientation related to benefits and serve as a backup.
• Perform special projects and other duties as requested.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy, with the ability to identify discrepancies and apply analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize competing responsibilities and meet critical deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate with employees, leadership, and external vendors and auditors.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other payroll-related systems and data analysis tools.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise discretion, and appropriately handle sensitive employee and payroll information.
• Ability to adapt to changing regulations, technology, systems, and organizational needs.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, interpret written and verbal instructions, and resolve problems involving multiple variables.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development through relevant education, training, and professional designations, as appropriate.
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with HMA’s Client Privacy Policy, HIPAA regulations, and applicable E&O procedures and policies.
• Ability to occasionally exert up to 10 pounds of force to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.

Qualifications:

• Education: High School Diploma required; College Degree Preferred in Business, Human Resources, Finance, or Accounting.
• Knowledge of applicable payroll laws and regulations.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) a plus.
• Experience: 1 – 3 years’ experience as a payroll administrator/analyst or in a similar role. Workday experience preferred.
• Human Capital Knowledge, Principles & Practice: Invests in the development of human capital knowledge including changing and emerging trends and applies relevant principles and practices throughout daily responsibilities.
• Relationship Management: Actively fosters relationships by seeking to understand appropriate parties, prioritizing problem solving, and collaborating to deliver unique and impactful solutions.
• Critical Thinking & Execution: Ability to analyze, interpret, and evaluate information from multiple sources and make connections between logical ideas and the bigger picture to objectively and rationally craft and execute innovative solutions to intricate challenges.

Here’s a little bit about us:

In addition to being great at what you do, we place a high emphasis on building a best-in-class culture. We do this through empowering employees to build trust through honest and caring actions, ensuring clear and constructive communication, establishing meaningful client relationships that support their unique potential, and contributing to the organization’s success by effectively influencing and uplifting team members.

Benefits:

• Paid Parental Leave and supportive New Parent Benefits — We know being a working parent is hard, and we want to support our employees in this journey!
• Company paid continuing Education & Tuition Reimbursement — We support those who want to develop and grow.
• 401k Profit Sharing — Each year, Holmes Murphy makes a lump sum contribution to every full-time employee’s 401k. This means, even if you’re not in a position to set money aside for the future at any point in time, Holmes Murphy will do it on your behalf! We are forward-thinking and want to be sure your future is cared for.
• Generous time off practices in addition to paid holidays — Yes, we actually encourage employees to use their time off, and they do. After all, you can’t be at your best for our clients if you’re not at your best for yourself first.
• Supportive of community efforts with paid Volunteer time off and employee matching gifts to charities that are important to you — Through our Holmes Murphy Foundation, we offer several vehicles where you can make an impact and care for those around you.
• Inclusion & Belonging Programs — Holmes Murphy is committed to celebrating every employee’s unique potential. Through inclusion and belonging initiatives, titled Uniquely United, not only do we offer employees a paid Diversity Day time-off option, but we also have a Uniquely United Committee, Employee Resource Groups, and development programs to advance our culture of belonging. We encourage employees to engage in ways that are meaningful to them to enhance their overall experience!
• Consistent merit increase and promotion opportunities — Employees are reviewed annually for merit increases and promotion opportunities because we believe growth is important — not only with your financial wellbeing, but also your career wellbeing.
• Discretionary bonus opportunity — Yes, there is an annual opportunity to make more money. Who doesn’t love that?!

At this time, we are not considering candidates who require any type of immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes candidates whose current work authorization is temporary or set to expire and who would require employer participation in any renewal, extension, or new authorization process to continue employment.

Holmes Murphy & Associates is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

There’s No Place Like Holmes! You'll love what you do and who you do it with when you join Holmes Murphy! Not only can you create connections, experience the energy, and seize the opportunities we have, but you can also: Grow Your Career – An abundance of opportunity awaits! Our independence gives our growing and dynamic organization the freedom to create an environment where talent mobility thrives — whether that means career progression, expanding your skill set, or transferring to another Holmes Murphy office. Learn... On Us – We believe in building the best experts in the industry, supported through a variety of benefits like continuing education and tuition reimbursement. Share in Our Success – Our privately held structure allows us to share our collective success in ways that matter. One of the many ways is through our 401(k)-profit share, which is distributed to all employees regardless of their own contributions! Take Time to Recharge – We offer generous time off, including a Health Matters Day, Celebrate Day (for your birthday!), Diversity Day, Volunteer Time Off, and paid parental leave. And yes, we encourage you to take time away!