Payroll Specialist

Tailwind Concessions LLC; Wilmington (NC); On-site; USD 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Tailwind Hospitality Inc. in Wilmington, NC is seeking a Payroll Specialist to manage biweekly payroll for hourly and salaried staff across multiple locations. This role emphasizes accuracy, confidentiality, and regulatory compliance while supporting year-end tasks like W-2 processing.

Strong data skills and hospitality payroll experience are a plus. The successful candidate will contribute to payroll process improvements, maintain precise records, and collaborate with the Payroll Manager to

Qualifications

• 2+ years of payroll, accounting, HR, or administrative experience preferred.
• Experience with multi-state payroll strongly preferred.
• Proficiency with Google Sheets, Excel, ADP, Teamwork or similar tools.
• High attention to detail and ability to manage large volumes of data accurately.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and prioritize deadlines.
• Knowledge of payroll laws, wage compliance, and payroll tax practices preferred.

Responsibilities

• Process biweekly payroll for hourly and salaried employees across multiple locations and states.
• Review timecards, labor reports, payroll adjustments, tips, bonuses, and deductions for accuracy.
• Audit payroll data to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local wage laws.
• Maintain employee payroll records including direct deposit, tax forms, garnishments, and benefit deductions.
• Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies, missed punches, and employee inquiries.
• Maintain payroll spreadsheets, Google Sheets trackers, and reporting documentation.
• Ensure confidentiality and security of employee payroll information.
• Support year-end payroll processing including W-2 preparation and filing.
• Develop and maintain payroll checklists and audit processes.
• Identify opportunities to reduce manual work, improve accuracy, and increase efficiency.
• Assist with creating and updating SOPs for key payroll processes.
• Help standardize payroll processes across locations and states.
• Partner with the Payroll Manager and other departments to improve payroll workflows and system utilization.

Skills

Payroll experience

Multi-state payroll

Hospitality payroll

Google Sheets

Excel

ADP

Teamwork

Attention to detail

Organization

Communication

Independent work

Time management

Payroll compliance

Hospitality environment

Tools

Google Sheets

Excel

ADP

Teamwork

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Payroll Specialist

Full Time Clerical TAILWIND HOSPITALITY INC, Wilmington, NC, US

Salary Range: $50,000.00 To $55,000.00 Annually

About the Company:

At Tailwind Hospitality, we believe the journey should be just as good as the destination. Headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, and operating over 160 locations across 60+ airports and transit stations nationwide, we are a passionate team dedicated to making travel a little brighter, one guest at a time.

Whether it's a traveler relaxing over a leisurely meal before a long flight or a busy passenger needing a friendly smile and a quick grab-and-go coffee, our team is here to make them feel right at home.

Summary

Tailwind Hospitality is a growing, multi-state hospitality organization with operations across multiple locations and states. We

are looking for a Payroll Coordinator to join our team and play a key role in ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll

processing. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys working with numbers, solving problems, auditing

payroll, and improving processes. The ideal candidate will have hands-on payroll experience and be comfortable working in a

fast-paced environment where accuracy and confidentiality are essential.

What Makes This Opportunity Different

This isn't simply a payroll data-entry position. You'll be joining a growing organization where payroll is an important part of the

company's continued development. You'll have the opportunity to contribute to process improvement, compliance, systems

optimization, and standardization. For the right person, this position offers an opportunity to grow with the organization and

take on increasing responsibility within payroll operations

• Payroll Processing and Administration
• Process biweekly payroll for hourly and salaried employees across multiple locations and states
• Review timecards, labor reports, payroll adjustments, tips, bonuses, and deductions for accuracy
• Audit payroll data to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local wage laws
• Maintain employee payroll records including direct deposit, tax forms, garnishments, and benefit deductions
• Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies, missed punches, and employee inquiries
• Maintain payroll spreadsheets, Google Sheets trackers, and reporting documentation
• Ensure confidentiality and security of employee payroll information
• Support year-end payroll processing including W-2 preparation and filing
• Payroll Process Improvement
• Document and maintain payroll procedures and workflows.
• Develop and maintain payroll checklists and audit processes.
• Identify opportunities to reduce manual work, improve accuracy, and increase efficiency.
• Assist with creating and updating SOPs for key payroll processes
• Help standardize payroll processes across locations and states.
• Partner with the Payroll Manager and other departments to improve payroll workflows and system utilization.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of payroll, accounting, HR, or administrative experience preferred
• Experience with multi-state payroll strongly preferred
• Hospitality, restaurant, airport, or retail payroll experience is a plus
• Strong proficiency in Google Sheets, Excel, ADP, TEAMWORK or similar preferred
• High attention to detail and ability to manage large volumes of data accurately
• Strong organizational and communication skills
• Ability to work independently and prioritize deadlines
• Knowledge of payroll laws, wage compliance, and payroll tax practices preferred
• Fast-paced hospitality support environment

This is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors. We provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you require any accommodations during the application process, please contact our HR department.