Payroll Benefits Manager

CarsonLynch Professional Search; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

CarsonLynch Professional Search in Cincinnati, OH is seeking an experienced Payroll & Benefits Manager to own payroll operations and benefits administration for the organization. This role partners with leadership to ensure compliance, improve processes, and enhance the employee experience.

The position manages end-to-end payroll for exempt and non-exempt staff, administers medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and retirement plans, and leads annual open enrollment with external vendors.

Qualifications

• 5-10+ years of progressive payroll and/or benefits administration experience.
• Strong understanding of payroll regulations, compliance requirements, and best practices.
• Experience administering employee benefits programs and working with brokers, carriers, and retirement plan providers.
• Experience supporting or leading 401(k) audits, compliance testing, and retirement plan administration.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
• Discretion handling sensitive information.

Responsibilities

• Process weekly and biweekly payroll accurately and on time.
• Administer payroll adjustments, including garnishments, deductions, reimbursements, and other payroll-related transactions.
• Serve as the primary resource for payroll inquiries and issue resolution.
• Administer employee benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and retirement plans.
• Lead annual open enrollment and benefits renewal processes while coordinating with external vendors and employees.
• Evaluate and benchmark benefit offerings, providing recommendations on plan design, cost management, and employee experience improvements.
• Manage relationships with benefit providers, brokers, and third-party administrators.
• Oversee 401(k) administration, including audit support, compliance testing, and reporting requirements.
• Support year-end payroll activities, including W-2 processing and fringe benefit reporting.
• Prepare payroll and benefits reports for leadership and maintain accurate records.
• Assist with monthly close activities, including journal entries, reconciliations, and related accounting support.
• Stay current on regulatory changes and industry best practices related to payroll, benefits, and total rewards.
• Participate in special projects and continuous process improvement initiatives.

Skills

Payroll management

Benefits administration

Regulatory compliance

Data analytics

Communication skills

Tools

ADP

Microsoft Excel

Job description

A growing organization is seeking an experienced Payroll & Benefits Manager to take ownership of payroll operations and employee benefits administration. This individual contributor role offers the opportunity to oversee critical payroll and benefits processes while partnering closely with leadership to enhance the employee experience, ensure compliance, and drive process improvements.

The Payroll & Benefits Manager will manage end-to-end payroll processing for exempt and non-exempt employees while leading the administration, evaluation, and optimization of employee benefit programs. This role serves as the organization's primary payroll and benefits subject matter expert and key point of contact for employees and leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Process weekly and biweekly payroll accurately and on time.


• Administer payroll adjustments, including garnishments, deductions, reimbursements, and other payroll-related transactions.


• Serve as the primary resource for payroll inquiries and issue resolution.


• Administer employee benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and retirement plans.


• Lead annual open enrollment and benefits renewal processes while coordinating with external vendors and employees.


• Evaluate and benchmark benefit offerings, providing recommendations on plan design, cost management, and employee experience improvements.


• Manage relationships with benefit providers, brokers, and third-party administrators.


• Oversee 401(k) administration, including audit support, compliance testing, and reporting requirements.


• Support year-end payroll activities, including W-2 processing and fringe benefit reporting.


• Prepare payroll and benefits reports for leadership and maintain accurate records.


• Assist with monthly close activities, including journal entries, reconciliations, and related accounting support.


• Stay current on regulatory changes and industry best practices related to payroll, benefits, and total rewards.


• Participate in special projects and continuous process improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• 5-10+ years of progressive payroll and/or benefits administration experience.


• Strong understanding of payroll regulations, compliance requirements, and best practices.


• Experience administering employee benefits programs and working with brokers, carriers, and retirement plan providers.


• Experience supporting or leading 401(k) audits, compliance testing, and retirement plan administration.


• Experience with ADP or a comparable payroll platform is strongly preferred.


• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.


• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently while maintaining a high level of accuracy.


• Excellent communication and customer service skills.


• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.


• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.