Payroll Specialist II

Sonoco; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 64,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Sonoco in Charlotte, NC, seeks a Payroll Specialist II to manage timely payroll processing for US and Canadian operations across multiple companies and pay cycles, in a hybrid role. The role focuses on improving Workday processes, reducing manual steps, and ensuring SOX-compliant data accuracy.

Strong collaboration with auditors and stakeholders is required. Ideal candidates have a Bachelor's degree and 2–3 years of payroll experience for 2,000+ employees, with proficiency in Excel and MS Teams;

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, accounting, finance, or HR
• 2–3 years payroll processing for 2,000+ employees
• Strong Excel and MS Teams skills
• Experience with payroll compliance and audits SOX

Responsibilities

• Process payroll for US and Canadian operations across multiple companies and pay cycles
• Improve Workday processes by reducing manual steps
• Investigate and resolve payroll issues with balance of employee needs and cost
• Conduct data audits to ensure accuracy and regulatory compliance
• Coordinate with auditors and stakeholders on payroll information

Skills

Payroll processing

Analytical skills

Communication

Attention to detail

SOX compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/finance/HR

Tools

Workday

UKG

MS Office (Excel/Teams)

Job description

From a small family business to a multi-billion-dollar global company, Sonoco has been changing the face of products and packaging since 1899 — all while keeping the heart of “People Build Businesses” alive.

Our talented people are at the core of our growth, constantly reinventing the Sonoco wheel with brilliant solutions every year. Today we are a world leader in global packaging solutions with diversified operations in over 34 countries. We're extremely proud of our portfolio of brands, our achievements in sustainability and industrialization and the groundbreaking work accomplished by our people.

Alongside the Payroll team, the Payroll Specialist 2 will be responsible for performing assigned duties regarding the processing of hourly and salaried payrolls for the Company’s US and Canadian operations.

NOTE: This is a hybrid position, based out of Charlotte, NC. Will not consider remote applicants.

This role is an operations role within our growing Sonoco Services (S2) organization. It is an excellent opportunity to gain experience within a global organization and use the operations knowledge to explore further career growth within Sonoco Services or the broader Sonoco organization.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Responsible for the timely and accurate processing and support of Sonoco’s payrolls. Includes multi-company, multi-state, and multiple pay cycles.
• Participate in improvement projects through optimization of Workday processes specifically focused on eliminating manual operations.
• Assist in Root Cause investigation and corrective/preventative action implementation for repeat and impactful payroll errors.
• Proactive audits to ensure data accuracy and compliance with SOX to identify any control weaknesses. Initiates corrective action for system edit and error messages.
• Oversee distribution of confidential information as needed to PWC, auditors, corporate, etc. as needed.
• Must be able to research federal and state rules and regulations for the U.S. and Canada.
• Must be able to make decisions to resolve pay issues that arise with the operations, balancing the needs of the employees with the cost to Sonoco, while ensuring that Sonoco follows federal, state, and local regulations.
• Handle garnishment documents and manage employee case resolution.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree – preferred majors include business administration, accounting, finance, and human resources
• 2 -3 years of payroll processing experience of 2,000+ employees
• Strong technical aptitude and ability to grasp a general knowledge of multiple disciplines and technologies
• Strong Payroll Auditing Skills
• Strong analytical and people skills
• Experience with Microsoft Office applications (particularly Excel and Teams)
• Ability to effectively organize and structure activities
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral

Preferred Qualifications

• 5-7 years of payroll processing experience of 5,000+ employees
• Workday payroll processing experience
• Experience working in a fast-paced public company environment
• UKG experience

Preferred Certifications

Preferred Certifications: FPC or CPP

Compensation

• Payroll Specialist II: $63,840 - $71,820

*Benefits listed below are for employees located in the U.S. Specific benefits and wellbeing programs may vary depending on your location (within the U.S. or global), or if you are a union employee.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, including FSA and HSA options
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Wellbeing tools and resources to support holistic health, including an Employee Assistance Program with a variety of services
• Paid time off and holidays to recreate, rejuvenate and care for the health of yourself and family
• Variety of company paid and voluntary employee-paid insurance plans including life, personal accident, and disability insurance
• Tuition reimbursement

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.