Senior Payroll Administration Specialist

Highmark Health Company; Pierre (SD); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Highmark Health is seeking a Senior Payroll Specialist to manage enterprise-wide payroll operations with a focus on accuracy, compliance, and process improvements. The role requires expertise in multi-state payroll, complex calculations, and strong collaboration with HR and finance teams.

The incumbent will lead payroll processing cycles, support HRIS improvements, and provide expert guidance on escalated payroll issues across the organization.

Qualifications

• Senior-level payroll experience with multi-state compliance
• Strong analytical and process-improvement mindset
• Experience with HRIS/payroll systems and audits
• Excellent stakeholder and vendor liaison abilities

Responsibilities

• Execute and reconcile multi-state payroll on a weekly/bi-weekly/monthly cycle with strict regulatory compliance.
• Maintain payroll records, generate reports, and support audits including DOL compliance.
• Perform complex payroll calculations, time-off, leaves, retroactive adjustments, and garnishments.
• Support year-end activities and W-2 processing; ensure accurate tax withholdings and filings.
• Lead documentation, training, and SOP development for payroll processes.
• Provide expert-level payroll support enterprise-wide and liaison with vendors and unions.

Job description

Company :

Highmark Health

Job Description :

JOB SUMMARY

This senior-level position supports the enterprise-wide payroll function, ensuring accurate and timely disbursement for all employees while maintaining the integrity and efficiency of our HR information systems. The incumbent will possess exceptional analytical skills and strategic thinking, developing and implementing process improvements to optimize payroll operations. This role requires a deep understanding of complex payroll regulations, including union and non-union, exempt and non-exempt (including executive level) compensation structures. The Senior Payroll Specialist is a subject matter expert in pay processes and will provide guidance and support to ensure consistent high-quality performance. This role includes managing multiple priorities simultaneously and providing subject matter expert-level support for escalated payroll issues across HR and the employee population.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

I. Core Payroll Processing & Compliance

• Payroll Execution: Process multi-state payroll for a large employee base with numerous FEINs on a weekly/bi-weekly/monthly basis, ensuring accurate and timely disbursement while adhering to all federal, state, and local regulations, including FLSA compliance.
• Record Maintenance & Reporting: Maintain accurate and comprehensive employee payroll records, manage reconciliation of payroll accounts, generate reports for management, and prepare for audits (including Department of Labor compliance).
• Complex Calculations & Adjustments: Calculate and process a variety of payroll adjustments, including those related to time off, leave, compensation, benefits, retro adjustments, and overpayments, accounting for Gross to Net calculations while maintaining within FLSA and IRS regulations.
• Year-End Processing: Manage year-end payroll activities, including entering repayment corrections prior to W2 finalization.
• Garnishments & Off-Cycle Payments: Handle garnishment inquiries and ensure compliance, manage off-cycle payroll processing and settlements.

II. HRIS Management & System Expertise

• Documentation & Training: Develop and maintain documentation, including training materials, SOPs, HRSO FAQs.
• System Implementation & Improvement: Assist with the implementation of new HRIS features and functionalities, generate reports/analysis, identify and implement process improvements to optimize HRIS efficiency.
• Data Management & Validation: Performs EIB (Enterprise Interface Builder) loads and validations; ensuring accuracy and consistency; performs high-level quality control audits.

III. Customer Service & Support

• Employee Inquiry Resolution: Respond to employee inquiries and escalations through the service request system and provide support to stakeholders.
• Vendor & Union Liaison: Serve as the primary liaison for key third-party vendors and union representatives, ensuring effective communication and collaboration.
• Expert Support: Serve as a subject matter expert for HR-related pay issues and provide expert-level support enterprise wide.

IV. Compliance & Policy Adherence

• Regulatory Compliance: Stay current on all applicable payroll laws and regulations, ensuring compliance.
• Policy & Procedure Maintenance: Maintain payroll procedures and documentation, ensuring compliance with internal controls and audit requirements.
• Collections & Claw backs: Administer the contract terms and conditions for employee sign-on, retention, performance, tuition reimbursement, and severance agreements, collaborating with legal counsel as needed. Manage collections operations based on clawback agreements, processing clawbacks in accordance with applicable laws and company policies. This includes performing collections when applicable and engaging with relevant departments to ensure efficient and compliant execution.
• Internal Controls: Conduct various and detailed pay audits to ensure accuracy and compliance with company policy and applicable laws.

V. Banking & Financial Operations

• Banking Management: Manage banking through vendor system (ACH returns & positive pay).
• Wire Transfers & Check Requests: Process AHN and HM wires & check requests for deductions.

VI. Process Improvement & Quality Assurance

• Testing & Validation: Lead the testing and validation of new payroll implementation procedures, ensuring seamless transitions and minimizing disruptions.
• Process Oversight: Oversee and manages the comprehensive payroll checklist, ensuring accuracy and compliance throughout the entire payroll cycle.
• Peer Review & Best Practices: Conduct peer reviews of higher-level and more complex payroll tasks, including off-cycle payments and overpayment corrections, ensuring accuracy and adherence to best practices, company policies, and applicable laws.\