Payroll & HR Operations Specialist

ClassWallet; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

ClassWallet seeks a Payroll & HR Operations Specialist to own HRIS administration and payroll operations, currently managed through a PEO. You will help design a self-powered payroll stack in 2027–2028, with hands-on transition work and system integration.

The role requires 3–5+ years in payroll/HR ops, expertise in ADP/Rippling/Workday/Gusto, and strong Excel skills. You will support compliance and data governance across locations.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of payroll and HR operations experience.
• Experience transitioning from a PEO to in-house payroll.
• Strong Excel skills including vlookups and pivot tables.
• Knowledge of multi-state payroll and related tax rules.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end payroll via our PEO partner for multiple locations.
• Administer HRIS, maintain records, audit data integrity and configs.
• Serve as first point of contact for payroll, timekeeping and tax withholdings.
• Develop SOPs to improve onboarding, offboarding and timekeeping workflows.
• Lead the PEO exit and stand-alone payroll buildout for 2027–2028.

Skills

Payroll operations

HRIS management

Excel expertise

Project management

Tools

ADP

Rippling

Workday

Gusto

Job description

ClassWallet, a leading financial technology company in the United States serving agencies delegated responsibility to manage public funds, is seeking to hire a Payroll & HR Operations Specialist to join our team.

Agencies use ClassWallet to get public funds to the right people, and ensure the funds are used for the right purpose. ClassWallet's suite of products and services empowers agency administrators to dramatically increase efficiency of funds distribution and spend compliance, reduce programmatic costs, maximize the full potential impact of the program, and satisfy the needs and expectations of policymakers, constituents and public reporting. ClassWallet has processed over $6.7 billion to date and serves public agencies across 39 states. In its 11+ years in operation, ClassWallet has completed over 12M transactions, funded 1.1M recipients, processed over 5M applications, and now serves 300+ state and local agency clients, supported by a team of 280+ full-time staff.

The Company has developed an industry-defining digital wallet solution which has gained rapid traction among state and local agencies and school districts across America. ClassWallet ranks as the 61st fastest growing software company on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies and the 21st fastest growing financial technology company on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 in 2023.

While the Company delivers immense business value, the social impact of ClassWallet is a fabric that runs through its mission and corporate culture. As a result of ClassWallet’s innovation, public programs run with exponentially more efficiency and the impact and breadth of the programs for the individuals they serve is dramatically higher. This mission complements the Company's mission-based culture with focus on gratitude and work-life balance.

About the Role

We are seeking a detail-oriented, forward-thinking Payroll & HR Operations Specialist to join our HR team. In this role, you will be the cornerstone of our day-to-day HRIS administration and payroll operations, currently managed through a Professional Employer Organization (PEO).

The Next Big Challenge: We are planning a strategic exit from our PEO on January 1, 2028. Throughout 2027, you will play a pivotal hands-on role in designing, building, and implementing our standalone, self-powered payroll and HR technology stack. The ideal candidate brings strong experience in both PEO environments and full-cycle in-house payroll implementations.

Responsibilities

Current Operations (PEO & HRIS Management)

• Payroll Administration: Manage end-to-end payroll processes via our PEO partner, ensuring prompt, accurate, and compliant execution across all locations.
• HRIS Data Governance: Serve as the primary admin for our HRIS system. Maintain employee records, handle data entry, audit data integrity, and ensure system configuration meets organizational needs.
• Employee Support: Act as the primary point of contact for employee inquiries regarding payroll, timekeeping, tax withholdings, and basic HR operations.
• Compliance & Reporting: Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations and labor laws. Generate standard and custom HR metrics, payroll summaries, and operational reports.
• Process Optimization: Identify bottlenecks in onboarding, offboarding, and timekeeping workflows; design and implement SOPs to reduce manual data entry and errors.

PEO Exit & Payroll Buildout (2027 Key Initiative)

• Implementation Lead: Partner with HR leadership to lead the transition off our PEO and build out a self-powered in-house payroll model by January 1, 2028.
• System Selection & Integration: Evaluate, select, and assist in implementing new internal payroll and benefit platform solutions.
• Process & SOP Design: Establish workflows, SOPs, controls, and tax/registration setups for independent payroll execution across all applicable jurisdictions.
• Change Management: Ensure a seamless transition for employees, training managers and staff on new timekeeping and self-service systems.

• Experience: 3–5+ years of experience in payroll and HR operations.
• PEO-to-In-House Transition: Proven, hands-on experience successfully transitioning an organization off a PEO onto an independent, self-powered payroll system.
• Technical Mastery: Advanced proficiency with HRIS/Payroll platforms (e.g., ADP, Rippling, Workday, Gusto) and strong Excel skills (vlookups, pivot tables, data audits).
• Multi-State Payroll: Deep understanding of federal, multi-state, and local tax, wage, and labor regulations.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Excellent analytical and project management skills with high attention to detail.
• Communication: Ability to explain complex payroll/benefits topics to employees with empathy and clarity.
• Ownership: Proactive and consistent execution of work completed with detail oriented quality and speed.

ClassWallet is a positive, family-oriented team environment. Our focus is on encouragement, positive reinforcement, and gratitude. We work hard and are highly motivated to win but with a healthy perspective on life.

We offer an excellent salary and benefits commensurate with experience.

ClassWallet.com is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status.