Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Opal Autism Centers; Raleigh (NC); Remote; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the healthcare sector is seeking a Payroll and Benefits Specialist to manage payroll administration and employee benefits. This remote role requires strong attention to detail, proficiency in payroll systems, and excellent communication skills. Join a collaborative HR team committed to supporting employees and ensuring accurate payroll processes.

Qualifications

• 5 years of demonstrated accuracy in payroll administration.
• Knowledge of State and Federal payroll taxes.
• Proficiency with MS Office and strong systems orientation.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for accurate processing of payroll.
• Administer employee benefits plans.
• Manage employee records and data.

Skills

Customer Service

Attention to Detail

Organizational Skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

BambooHR

MS Office

Outlook

Teams

Job description

Payroll and Benefits Specialist

Location: North Carolina- Remote

Reports To: Chief People Officer

Department: People & Culture

FLSA Job Classification: Exempt


Position Summary:

The Payroll and Benefits Specialist plays a key role in ensuring the accurate and timely administration of payroll and employee benefits across the organization. This position is responsible for maintaining the integrity of all personnel records, employee data and serves as the primary point of contact for employee pay and benefits inquiries.

The ideal candidate will bring in-depth knowledge of payroll processes and benefits administration, exceptional attention to detail, and a proactive, service-oriented approach to supporting employees. This is a remote, work-from-home position that offers the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to a collaborative and people-focused HR team.

Essential Job Functions:

40% Payroll Administration - responsible for accurate processing of employee payroll

• Primary owner of payroll/HRIS data and responsible for maintaining data integrity
• Sets-up and maintains tax accounts for all states the Organization operates in and timely responds to and updates information for all tax related matters.
• Maintains accuracy of payroll information by collecting, calculating, and entering data.
• Updates payroll records by processing employee changes, inputting bonus payments, updating insurance coverage, HAS/FSA and other employee deductions, job title and department/division transfers.
• Ensure managers complete time sheets timely and accurately.
• Resolves payroll discrepancies by collecting and analyzing information.
• Provides payroll information by answering questions and requests internally and externally (wage and employment verifications).
• Maintains payroll operations by following policies and procedures and making necessary improvements to ensure efficient systems and processes
• Calculations, inputs and documents changes made in each payroll in electronic filing system.
• Processing bi-weekly payrolls for three accounts.
• Processing and communication of all wage garnishments.
• Exports data from CRM system for upload into Payroll system for hourly/billable employees
• Corrects and updates employee data in CRM as needed and deactivates users.
• Works collaboratively with to resolve any payroll issues.
• Maintains employee confidence and protects payroll operations by keeping confidential information.
• Contributes to team effort by preparing reporting, analysis and metrics as needed.

25% Benefit Administration - responsible for administering employee benefits plans

• Ensure new hire benefit enrollments are completed, and they are appropriately enrolled with all carriers. Audits billing with Carriers for accuracy
• Ensure all exiting employees receive exiting employee information and benefits are terminated timely
• Communicates Retirement plan information to new employees, make contribution enrollments/changes and administers the plan in accordance with the plan adoption agreement.
• Prepares data input for 401(k) compliance testing and audit. Responsible for sending out employee notices and annual reports, fund changes, etc.
• Answers benefit and retirement plan questions for employees.
• HAS/FSA account funding administration.
• Manage annual open enrollment and audit of all enrollments including set-up in Payroll system.
• Timely and accurately processing all ACA reporting.
• Maintaining Benefits page on company Intranet and posting information to promote benefit understanding, utilization and overall employee health.
• Coordinating Bi-annual employee benefit survey, analyzing results and making recommendations.
• Participates in Plan reviews with Chief People Officer.

25% Employee Data Management - responsible for setting up and maintaining all employee records

• Responsible for maintaining electronic employee files and adhering to employee record organization and retention practices
• Prepares and submits annual EEO report and other personnel data reporting as needed
• Responsible for ensuring all authorizations are received and retained in employee records (handbook update authorizations, policy updates, etc).
• Participates in Salary and Benefit surveys as needed.
• Updates Compensation benchmarking data as needed and processes pay changes in accordance with Pay Administration program.
• Process all employee offboarding tasks.
• Prepares and maintains payroll data input for annual Workers Comp Audit
• Runs employee reporting and analysis as needed
• Posts monthly Birthdays/Anniversaries for Intranet

10% Leave Administration & Workers Compensation - responsible for coordinating with outsourced leave administrator and workers compensation administration in accordance with company policies, and all federal/state regulations.

• Point of contact internally between external Leave Administrator and employees to administer employee leave (e.g. FMLA, WC, PL, ADA)
• Tracking time off and ensuring coordination of paid time off benefits in payroll system
• Calculating payroll deductions/insurance premiums owed and coordinating the collection of payments with employees.
• Proactively working with the employee and manager to support employee leave and ensure open line of communication
• Support reintegration by making sure all documentation and releases to return to work are received, filed.
• Submitting work related injuries and illnesses to WC carriers.
• Providing employees with claim contact information and answering general questions.
• Preparing WC reporting for audit and renewals and ensuring WC codes stay up-to date in payroll system.

Expectations:

• Schedule Availability: Must be available to work Monday through Friday, between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Evening, weekend or holiday work on occasion during high growth, payroll weeks, or large system implementations.

• Professionalism: Model Opal's standards for conduct, communication, and presentation in all interactions.

• Confidentiality: Adhere to confidentiality of employee data and professional confidentiality standards.

• Culture & Collaboration: Contribute to a supportive team environment by engaging constructively in feedback and discussion.

• Communication: Demonstrates professional, respectful verbal and nonverbal communication in all interactions with clients, families, and staff.

• Problem Solving: Takes initiative, uses available resources, and collaborates effectively to find solutions. Is part of the solution, not the problem.

• Team Focus: Puts the good of the team and our employees before personal convenience. Helpful, flexible, and dependable with a focus on service and team success.

• Adaptability: Embraces change, adjusts quickly, and remains calm in dynamic situations.

• Coachable: Accepts feedback openly and applies it to improve performance. Seeks growth and asks questions.

• Efficiency & Attention to detail: Works in a manner that is efficient, and looks for ways to make processes and systems better while ensuring a high accuracy and attention to detail.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements:

• Must Reside in North Carolina
  
• Working Hours: This is a full-time, exempt position requiring availability to work 40 or more hours per week, typically between the hours of 8am – 6pm. No regularly scheduled weekend or night work required, however may occasionally be required to work on weekends or evenings.

• Work Environment: The work environment is remote, home-based, and therefore an indoor office-like environment. Work has no exposure to environmental conditions except when required to travel for business (a few times annually)

• Language Skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as employee handbook, benefit plan summaries, adoption agreements, contracts, job descriptions, policies and procedures, tax notices etc. Ability to write routine reports, power points presentations, letters, emails, texts, professional and casual correspondence. Ability to communicate effectively one-on-one and before groups in English.

• Mathematical Skills: Ability to collect data, and analyze data for forecasting, interpreting trends, discrepancies, add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, decimals, and percentages.

• Reasoning Ability: Ability to problem-solve, interpret data and information, logic and apply common sense understanding with little to know instructions in carrying out the responsibilities of payroll and benefits administration

• Physical Requirements: While performing the duties and responsibilities of this job, the employee is regularly required to:

• Operate a laptop computer, phone and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.

• Requires the occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions and occasionally requires walking, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling and lifting; work requires close vision; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating machines and observing general surroundings and activities

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent years of experience.

• 5 years of demonstrated accuracy in payroll administration in an online SAS system, preferably BambooHR

• Knowledge of State and Federal payroll taxes, Unemployment Taxes and Garnishments.

• Exceptional customer service focus combined with exemplary follow-through.

• Proficiency with Outlook, Teams, MS Office Environment with a high system’s orientation

• Proven organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and work well in an environment with competing demands.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with proven ability to take initiative and build strong productive relationships.

• Must be self-directed and work well remotely on a geographically distributed team.

• Knowledge of employment laws

• Experience in ABA Therapy Industry and Central Reach CRM platform required.

• PHR or SHRM certification preferred

Opal Autism Centers is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected status. We value diversity and inclusion in our workplace. By applying for this position, you acknowledge and agree to the above statement.