Payroll & Benefits Administrator

Job Description

Job Description

Payroll & Benefits Administrator

Job Description

The Payroll & Benefits Administrator is responsible for accurately and timely processing multi-state payroll, administering employee benefits programs, and maintaining complete and compliant employee records. This role serves as a primary point of contact for employees on payroll, benefits, leave administration, and HR-related questions while upholding strict confidentiality and professionalism. The position plays a key role in ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and in supporting a growing organization with consistent, reliable payroll and benefits operations.

Responsibilities

• Process multi-state payroll on a weekly basis, including locations such as Virginia, Maryland, Florida, and Puerto Rico, in accordance with company policies and applicable laws.
• Review and audit employee timecards, pay rates, deductions, and payroll changes prior to each payroll run to ensure accuracy.
• Maintain complete and accurate payroll records and employee earnings histories within the HRIS and related systems.
• Process new hire, termination, promotion, transfer, and compensation changes in a timely and accurate manner.
• Administer garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, and wage assignments in compliance with legal requirements.
• Reconcile payroll reports and general ledger entries to ensure accurate financial reporting.
• Coordinate payroll tax filings and support quarterly and annual payroll reporting requirements.
• Process bonus payments, commissions, and special payroll runs as needed.
• Assist with year-end processing, including preparation and distribution of W-2 forms.
• Administer health, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, and voluntary benefit programs.
• Manage employee benefit enrollments, qualifying life events, and terminations in benefit systems.
• Conduct benefit orientations for new hires and support ongoing benefit education for employees.
• Support annual open enrollment, including system updates, data accuracy, and employee communications.
• Serve as a liaison between employees and benefit providers to resolve coverage, claims, and billing issues.
• Reconcile monthly benefit invoices and ensure accurate payroll deductions for all benefit plans.
• Assist with 401(k) plan administration, including eligibility tracking, employee enrollment, and compliance requirements.
• Monitor employee benefit eligibility and waiting periods to ensure timely and accurate enrollment.
• Maintain employee personnel files and HRIS records in an accurate and organized manner.
• Prepare employment verification letters and respond to verification requests in a timely fashion.
• Assist with onboarding and offboarding processes, ensuring that payroll and benefits actions are completed accurately.
• Support leave administration, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, workers’ compensation, and other leave programs.
• Maintain compliance with labor laws, company policies, and reporting requirements related to payroll, benefits, and HR records.
• Assist with employee communications, policy acknowledgments, and training administration as needed.
• Generate HR and payroll reports for management, using HRIS and Excel to provide accurate and timely data.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of employee payroll, benefit, and personnel information at all times.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment regulations, including those related to payroll and benefits.
• Assist with audits, benefit plan testing, payroll audits, and other regulatory reporting activities.
• Maintain accurate records in accordance with company retention policies and legal requirements.
• Stay current on payroll, tax, and benefits regulations and recommend process improvements to enhance accuracy and efficiency.
• Use Excel, including prebuilt VLOOKUPs and pivot tables, to separate and analyze data by salary, hourly, and other categories, and to manage tracking spreadsheets.
• Provide professional, employee-facing support by responding to payroll and benefits questions and resolving issues promptly and courteously.

Essential Skills

• 3–5+ years of payroll processing experience utilizing an HRIS, including exposure to benefits and HR functions.
• Demonstrated experience processing multi-state payroll on a regular basis, including weekly payroll cycles.
• Proficiency with HRIS systems for payroll and employee data management.
• Ability to review and audit payroll data, including timecards, pay rates, deductions, and changes, with strong attention to detail.
• Experience using Excel to manage and analyze payroll data, including use of prebuilt VLOOKUPs and tracking spreadsheets.
• Strong professional communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively in an employee-facing role and explain payroll and benefits information clearly.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive employee information.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment, payroll, and benefits regulations.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines, especially around weekly payroll cycles.
• Experience reconciling payroll reports and general ledger entries.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience using Paychex for payroll processing, particularly for multi-state payroll, including Puerto Rico.
• Familiarity with Puerto Rico payroll requirements and practices.
• Ability to create and use pivot tables in Excel for reporting and analysis.
• Associates' or bachelor’s degree in human resources, accounting, business, or a related field.
• Familiarity with SHRM resources or standards.
• Experience supporting 401(k) plan administration, including eligibility tracking and employee enrollment.
• Experience administering health, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, and voluntary benefits.
• Background supporting leave administration, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, workers’ compensation, and other leave programs.
• Experience assisting with audits, benefit plan testing, and regulatory reporting.

Work Environment

This is a full-time, fully onsite role with a standard schedule of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Onsite presence is especially important on Tuesdays, which are designated payroll days, to ensure timely and accurate processing and to address any payroll or benefits questions that arise. Occasional additional hours may be required during payroll days or when benefits questions and special situations occur; historically, this has been minimal over the course of a year.

This is a Permanent position based out of Virginia Beach, VA.

The pay range for this position is $55000.00 - $75000.00/yr.

-Free Vision, dental, and life insurance -80% of health care insurance covered -$900 contribution to HSA -4% 401k match

This is a fully onsite position in Virginia Beach,VA.

This position is anticipated to close on Jun 30, 2026.

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.