Senior Payroll & Compliance Specialist

Highmark Health Company; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Highmark Health is seeking a senior-level Payroll Specialist to support the enterprise payroll function, ensuring accurate disbursements and efficient HRIS operations. The role demands exceptional analytical skills, strategic thinking, and expertise in union/non-union, exempt/non-exempt compensation structures.

The position involves guiding escalated payroll issues, managing multiple priorities, and collaborating with HR and employees to maintain high-quality pay processes across the

Responsibilities

• Core Payroll Processing & Compliance: process multi-state payroll weekly/bi-weekly/monthly, ensure accurate disbursement and regulatory compliance (FLSA).
• Record Maintenance & Reporting: maintain payroll records, reconcile accounts, generate management reports, prepare for audits (DOL).
• Complex Calculations & Adjustments: handle time off, leave, retro adjustments, and gross-to-net calculations within IRS regs.
• Year-End Processing: manage year-end activities and W2 finalization preparations.
• Garnishments & Off-Cycle Payments: handle inquiries, ensure compliance, manage off-cycle processing.
• HRIS Management & System Expertise: develop documentation and training, assist with HRIS improvements, validate data and run EIB loads.
• Data Management & Validation: perform EIB loads and high-level QA audits.
• Customer Service & Support: respond to employee inquiries, liaise with vendors/unions, provide expert pay issue support enterprise-wide.
• Compliance & Policy Adherence: stay current on payroll laws, maintain procedures, manage collections/ clawbacks, ensure internal controls.
• Banking & Financial Operations: manage banking via vendor systems, process wires and check requests for deductions.
• Process Improvement & Quality Assurance: lead testing/validation of new procedures, oversee payroll checklist, conduct peer reviews.

Job description

Highmark Health is seeking a senior-level Payroll Specialist to support the enterprise payroll function, ensuring accurate disbursements and efficient HRIS operations. The role demands exceptional analytical skills, strategic thinking, and expertise in union/non-union, exempt/non-exempt compensation structures.

The position involves guiding escalated payroll issues, managing multiple priorities, and collaborating with HR and employees to maintain high-quality pay processes across the