Payroll & Benefits Lead - Multi-State, Hybrid/Remote

RFG Advisory; Birmingham (AL); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus pool

Generous PTO

Health insurance

HSA

401(k) plan

Professional development

Surface Pro + home office

Job summary

RFG Advisory is seeking a skilled payroll and benefits lead to own end-to-end payroll for a multi-state workforce, drive the transition to a new provider, and establish the processes that support accurate, timely payroll.

Reporting to the VP of Human Resources, you will maintain systems, ensure ACA, 5500, and 401(k) compliance, and partner with HR, Finance, and external vendors to scale our operations across states.

Qualifications

• 3-6+ years of experience in payroll, benefits administration, or related operations
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-state payroll and compliance requirements
• Experience with ACA, Form 5500, cafeteria plan, and 401(k) compliance filings
• Experience transitioning from an outsourced ASO or PEO model to in-house operations preferred
• Background in a multi-state or professional services environment preferred
• Ownership mindset: sees work through start to finish, not transaction to transaction
• Detail-driven, with a low tolerance for error in high-stakes processes
• Strong follow-through on delegated work; reliable without needing to be asked twice
• Comfortable with a defined transition period (new payroll provider rollout), backed by close support from HR leadership
• Clear, factual communicator who translates complexity into plain language for stakeholders
• Handles sensitive data with discretion and care
• Recent experience with BambooHR is required
• Experience building or maintaining EDI feeds between carriers and HRIS systems
• Proficiency with AI tools (Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot) to improve productivity, documentation, and workflow efficiency

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end payroll processing for a multi-state workforce, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance every cycle.
• Review and validate payroll inputs including compensation changes, bonuses, deductions, and time data.
• Manage payroll taxes, filings, and reconciliations; proactively resolve discrepancies before they compound.
• Maintain audit-ready records and lead quarterly and year-end processes including W-2s and reporting.
• Own benefits administration from the HRIS and carrier side: payroll deductions, eligibility alignment, and vendor coordination.
• Own ACA filing, Form 5500, cafeteria plan reporting, and 401(k) compliance testing and reporting.
• Verify benefit census and payroll deductions following open enrollment.
• Manage workers' compensation filings, audits, and reconciliations.
• Maintain payroll and benefits data within the HRIS, ensuring accuracy and consistency across platforms.
• Build and maintain EDI feeds between carriers and the HRIS.
• Generate and validate reporting that supports Finance, HR, and leadership decisions.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll, tax, and benefits regulations.
• Monitor regulatory changes and implement process adjustments proactively.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks previously absorbed by external vendors.
• Partner closely with HR, Finance, and leadership on payroll accuracy, benefits execution, and reporting.
• Collaborate with external vendors including carriers, brokers, and auditors as needed.
• Provide operational insights that improve efficiency, reduce risk, and support the firm's continued growth.

Skills

Payroll operations

Attention to detail

Cross-functional partner

Multi-state payroll

BambooHR

Data integrity

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Tools

BambooHR

EDI

HRIS

AI tools

Job description

RFG Advisory is seeking a skilled payroll and benefits lead to own end-to-end payroll for a multi-state workforce, drive the transition to a new provider, and establish the processes that support accurate, timely payroll.

Reporting to the VP of Human Resources, you will maintain systems, ensure ACA, 5500, and 401(k) compliance, and partner with HR, Finance, and external vendors to scale our operations across states.