Payroll Systems Analyst I

Foster Farms; Livingston (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 84,000; Full time

Job summary

Foster Farms in California is seeking a payroll analyst to maintain system structures, analyze data, and ensure compliance with wage and hour regulations across multi-state operations. You will support Payroll projects, back up operations, and deliver ad hoc reports.

The role requires 3+ years of payroll experience, strong UKG knowledge, and cross-functional collaboration with Benefits, HCM, Finance, and Operations to standardize processes and drive improvements.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of payroll experience in multi-state operation (UKG preferred).
• Knowledge of Payroll Tax and Wage and Hour regulations.
• Experience in payroll accounting, GL interfacing, and reporting.
• Ability to lead cross-functional projects and document processes.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; attention to detail.
• Willingness to travel.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and test payroll system configurations and upgrades.
• Process high-level payroll and tax activities in compliance with policies.
• Support payroll accounting, balancing, GL validation, and reporting.
• Audit and resolve complex payroll issues across states and regs.
• Lead or participate in payroll system enhancements and projects.
• Collaborate with Benefits, HCM, Finance, and Workforce Management.
• Create workflows, procedures, and training materials.
• Backup payroll functions and ad hoc reporting.

Skills

Analytical skills

Leadership experience

Time management

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BA/BS in Accounting/Business Administration, HR Management, IS (or pursuing)

Tools

UKG Payroll

Excel

Word

SQL (basic)

Job description

Salary range is $70,304-$83,750 per year

Purpose of the position:

Maintain system structure to support the Payroll function. Perform data analysis to develop recommendations to resolve issues and assess improvement opportunities for existing or new payroll practices. Take appropriate measures to mitigate risks of non-compliance. Maintain knowledge of the payroll processing system, changes in regulatory requirements and company policies to ensure compliance with company's wage and hour policies, payroll principles, IRS and multi-state tax regulations.

The position will support Payroll project and initiatives, act to readily back up Payroll operations, when necessary, to include Workforce Management support, ad-hoc reporting requests, partnering to review and validate Payroll tasks, etc.

Essential Job Functions

• Evaluate, design, maintain and test configuration of system structure to support the Payroll function; evaluate and test software upgrades; develop expertise to support Payroll integrations; engage in troubleshooting and resolution as required. Partner with Security Administrator to support Payroll Security Roles.
• Executes high-level, intermediate, and complex payroll and tax activities/controls ensuring that they are performed in a timely manner, with high standards of quality and accuracy, and in compliance with Banking, Regulatory, Tax, and Internal policies and procedures.
• Support payroll accounting processes, including payroll balancing, General Ledger interface validation, account reconciliations, labor allocations, accrual reviews, and payroll-related financial reporting.
• Analyzes, audits, reconciles and resolves complex payroll processing and employee payroll issues to ensure smooth payroll processing. Ensures payroll reporting and payments are compliant with company policy, generally accepted accounting principles, and federal, state and IRS regulations. Researches and interprets federal and state regulatory requirements and resolves tax, withholding, garnishment, and wage/hour issues for payroll processing. Responds to auditing and regulatory inquiries.
• Actively participates in the implementation of business initiatives; handles assigned projects independently or in groups. Participates in the testing and implementation of enhancements to any Payroll and related systems.
• Engage cross-functionally to understand and support Payroll configuration that is consistent with Benefits, HCM, Financial, Workforce Management structure and requirements. Lead cross-functional teams in resolving process concerns and developing new processes. Maintain process documentation, validating policies and procedures against State and Provincial laws.
• Design, document and implement workflows and processes to support business needs; identify opportunities for process improvement, and drive change to increase standardization, automation, and efficiency. Administer and improve programs to ensure that goals are achieved while maintaining workplace compliance, consistency and fairness. Leverages technology to enhance services and contain costs.
• Gathers information and keeps abreast of shifting trends in Payroll process and systems. Creates and generates reports that are useful to the department and supports the company's needs, and that identify and support areas of opportunity and improvement.
• Execute reporting and data analysis to deliver business insights. Respond to ad-hoc data requests from Accounting, HR, Legal, and Operations; research issues and deliver solutions.
• Maintain knowledge of regulatory and contractual requirements and company policies. Respond to regulatory, contractual, or company initiated changes timely and effectively mitigate risks.
• Execute and evaluate company-wide system audits on a routine basis; develop and analyze reconciliations and controls, to ensure compliance with Wage and Hour, Tax, and Financial regulations, and maintain data integrity. Identify areas that need to be monitored or analyzed on a consistent basis. Anticipate and prepare for potential issues and recommend resolutions. Report payroll processing and system issues as appropriate
• Develop and document procedures and training materials; conduct training as needed.
• Backup miscellaneous payroll functions, payroll processing, and ad hoc reporting as needed.

Additional Functions:

• Provide support to the Benefits and Workforce Management functions.
• Work with miscellaneous auditors as needed
• Special projects as needed

Qualifications

• BA/BS Degree in Accounting/Business Administration, HR Management, Information Systems, (or currently pursuing) or equivalent experience
• 3+ years of Payroll experience and solid understanding of UKG strongly preferred
• Must have knowledge of Payroll Tax and Wage and Hour regulatory requirements in a multi-state operation, and knowledge of Payroll Accounting, with preferably two years of experience in or associated with Payroll, Tax, Finance, HR, Financial Systems/controls

• Understanding of General Ledger processes, payroll accounting, account reconciliations, journal entries, accruals, labor allocations, payroll balancing, and payroll-related financial reporting.

• Ability to apply knowledge of business principles and practices to achieve successful outcomes in cross-functional projects and activities
• Prior work experience exhibiting strong leadership; trainer experience preferred.
• Advanced analytical, organizational, creative problem solving and time management skills, including ability to manage multiple priorities concurrently and meet established deadlines
• Demonstrated technical ability to be able to explore/understand/apply attributes of a software. Emerging analytical and technical skills with attention to detail and execution with the ability to learn and adapt to changing technology and support process improvements
• Strong problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; strong customer service values. Must be able to communicate effectively with varying levels of management and team members, both written/verbal and leverage of relationships and strategies
• Able to work independently and work with all levels of management, self-motivated and directed; ability to work under pressure in fast paced, deadline oriented environment.
• Must have a high degree of organization and prioritization skills, be detailed oriented, and have proven history maintaining confidential and protected information.
• Strong System Skills (Payroll/Human Resources/ Workforce Management, Excel, Word,) to include formulas, pivot tables, vlookups, query and intermediate to complex report writing/analytics. Preferred SQL experience and/or interest in learning SQL and other advanced reporting tools.
• Willing to travel

Foster Farms ACTION Guiding Principles

• Accountability: Deliver on commitments.
• Collaboration: Achieve more by working as a team.
• Truth-Seeking: Be open-minded and act with humility.
• Initiative: Be proactive and lead with a growth mindset.
• Ownership: Take responsibility for results.
• Nimble: Operate with speed and agility.

Why Join Foster Farms?

This is a high-impact opportunity to shape the future of the ready-to-eat business at a leading food company, directly supporting our mission, vision, and values. You will play a critical role in delivering safe, high-quality food and great moments for millions of families.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

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