Payroll Lead

Bland Landscaping Company; Apex (NC); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

SilkRoad is seeking a Payroll Lead to manage weekly payroll for roughly 1,200 employees across North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. You will own the payroll cycle from input review through reconciliation, and act as the go-to payroll subject-matter expert while partnering with HR, Finance, branch leadership and payroll vendors.

This individual contributor role requires strong controls, strict confidentiality, and the ability to handle audits, tax compliance, and process improvements

Responsibilities

• Process weekly payroll for ~1,200 employees accurately and on time.
• Review and validate time records, PTO, overtime, bonuses, and other earnings.
• Enter and verify new hires, terminations, transfers, pay changes, and direct-deposit updates.
• Collaborate with branch leaders to resolve missing or inaccurate time before deadlines.
• Complete pre- and post-payroll audits and confirm successful funding and payment.
• Process off-cycle payments, final pay, corrections, and voids as needed.
• Administer deductions (benefits, 401(k), garnishments, child support, levy, housing, uniforms).
• Reconcile payroll registers, taxes, and deductions; resolve variances.
• Provide payroll reports and journal-entry support to Finance and Accounting.
• Support audits (internal, external, benefit, workers' comp) as required.
• Ensure compliance with federal and state payroll tax and wage-and-hour rules.
• Coordinate quarterly and year-end processing (W-2s, 1095s, etc.) and respond to notices.
• Serve as the primary payroll contact for employee questions and process changes.
• Maintain data integrity across HR, payroll, and timekeeping systems; protect sensitive information.
• Document procedures and develop backup plans; participate in system upgrades and enhancements.

Job description

Payroll Lead - Role Definition and Performance Metrics

Position Summary

The Payroll Lead is the individual contributor responsible for accurate, timely, and compliant weekly payroll for approximately 1,200 employees across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. This role owns the payroll cycle from input review through reconciliation, serves as the go-to payroll subject-matter expert, and partners closely with Human Resources, Finance, branch leadership, and payroll vendors. The position has no direct reports but carries enterprise-wide accountability and requires sound judgment, strong controls, and strict confidentiality.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Payroll Processing

• Process weekly payroll for approximately 1,200 employees accurately and on time.
• Review and validate time records, PTO, overtime, bonuses, and other earnings before processing.
• Enter and verify new hires, terminations, transfers, pay changes, and direct-deposit updates.
• Work with branch leaders to resolve missing or inaccurate time before payroll deadlines.
• Complete pre- and post-payroll audits and confirm successful funding and payment.
• Process off-cycle payments, final pay, corrections, and voids as needed.

Deductions, Reconciliation & Accounting Support

• Administer benefit, 401(k), garnishment, child support, levy, housing, and uniform deductions.
• Reconcile payroll registers, taxes, and deductions each cycle and resolve variances.
• Reconcile payroll-related vendor invoices and provide coding to Accounts Payable.
• Provide payroll reports and journal-entry support to Finance and Accounting.
• Support internal, external, benefit, and workers' compensation audits.

Tax & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with federal and NC, SC, and FL payroll tax and wage-and-hour requirements.

• Coordinate quarterly and year-end processing, including W-2s, W-2cs, 1095s, and SUTA/FUTA reporting.
• Work with payroll vendors and agencies to resolve tax notices and filing discrepancies.
• Support payroll processing for H-2B workers, including arrivals and departures.
• Stay current on payroll regulations and elevate compliance risks promptly.

Employee Support & Partnership

• Serve as the primary contact for employee payroll questions and resolve issues promptly.
• Partner with HR and Benefits to ensure payroll-impacting changes are accurate and timely.
• Communicate payroll deadlines and process changes clearly to branches and leaders.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Maintain accurate payroll data across HR, payroll, and timekeeping systems.
• Protect confidential employee, compensation, and banking information.
• Document payroll procedures, checklists, and backup plans to ensure continuity.
• Identify root causes of recurring errors and implement practical fixes.
• Serve as payroll subject-matter expert for system upgrades and implementations.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to the Human Resources leader within Centralized Services. *Will temporarily report to Finance for training period
• This role is an individual contributor and does not currently have any direct reports.

Compensation

• Based on experience and qualifications.