Senior Payroll Specialist

High Country Search Group; Commerce City (CO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

8 paid holidays

401(k) with company match

Job summary

High Country Search Group is partnering with a rapidly growing organization in North Denver to add an experienced Senior Payroll Specialist to its team. You will own payroll processing for approximately 1,500 employees across multiple states, using ADP Workforce Now, handling biweekly and weekly cycles, and ensuring compliance with union and prevailing wage requirements.

This on-site role emphasizes independent problem solving, audits, and collaboration with HR and Accounting as the company

Qualifications

• Significant hands-on, independent payroll processing experience.
• Experience processing payroll for 1,000+ employees - Required
• Strong multi-state payroll experience; exposure to a large number of states is highly preferred
• Hands-on prevailing wage payroll experience - Required
• Hands-on union payroll experience - Required
• Advanced knowledge of ADP Workforce Now - Required
• Strong understanding of payroll taxes and year-end processing
• Experience supporting payroll audits and controls
• Experience with 401(k) and benefits integration into payroll is a major plus
• Ability to troubleshoot complex payroll issues independently
• Positive, adaptable, solutions-oriented approach
• Comfortable working in a rapidly growing environment where processes may continue to evolve

Responsibilities

• Own payroll processing for approximately 1,500 employees across numerous states.
• Manage the payroll process from timesheet review and error correction through final submission in ADP Workforce Now.
• Process both biweekly and weekly payroll cycles.
• Handle payroll across complex states including California, New York, New Jersey, and others.
• Manage union and prevailing wage payroll.
• Handle payroll taxes, deductions, garnishments, and related compliance.
• Research and resolve payroll and timesheet discrepancies.
• Support year-end payroll processing, controls, and audits.
• Partner closely with HR, Accounting, and executive leadership.
• Help improve payroll processes and controls as the organization scales.
• Support future payroll/HRIS system initiatives

Skills

Independent payroll processing

Multi-state payroll

Union payroll

Prevailing wage payroll

Payroll taxes & year-end

Audits & controls

Benefits integration into payroll

Troubleshooting payroll issues

Adaptable, solutions-oriented

Tools

ADP Workforce Now

Job description

High Country Search Group is partnering with a rapidly growing organization in North Denver to add an experienced Senior Payroll Specialist to its team.

This is not your typical payroll position. We’re looking for someone who has independently owned high-volume, complex, multi-state payroll and is comfortable taking responsibility for the process from timesheet review and cleanup through final payroll submission.

You do not need previous management experience. The priority is finding someone with the technical payroll background and confidence to own a complex payroll environment.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Own payroll processing for approximately 1,500 employees across numerous states
• Manage the payroll process from timesheet review and error correction through final submission in ADP Workforce Now
• Process both biweekly and weekly payroll cycles
• Handle payroll across complex states including California, New York, New Jersey, and others
• Manage union and prevailing wage payroll
• Handle payroll taxes, deductions, garnishments, and related compliance
• Research and resolve payroll and timesheet discrepancies
• Support year-end payroll processing, controls, and audits
• Partner closely with HR, Accounting, and executive leadership
• Help improve payroll processes and controls as the organization continues to scale
• Support future payroll/HRIS system initiatives

What We’re Looking For:

• Significant hands-on, independent payroll processing experience
• Experience processing payroll for 1,000+ employees - Required
• Strong multi-state payroll experience; exposure to a large number of states is highly preferred
• Hands-on prevailing wage payroll experience - Required
• Hands-on union payroll experience - Required
• Advanced knowledge of ADP Workforce Now - Required
• Strong understanding of payroll taxes and year-end processing
• Experience supporting payroll audits and controls
• Experience with 401(k) and benefits integration into payroll is a major plus
• Ability to troubleshoot complex payroll issues independently
• Positive, adaptable, solutions-oriented approach
• Comfortable working in a rapidly growing environment where processes may continue to evolve
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 8 paid holidays
• 401(k) with company match

Location & Schedule:

• 100% onsite, Monday through Friday
• This position requires someone who can consistently work onsite during normal business hours

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a complex payroll function at an organization experiencing significant growth. If you’ve handled large-scale payroll and enjoy being the person people rely on to solve problems and get payroll across the finish line accurately, I’d love to connect.