Payroll Specialist

La Salsa Verde Taqueria is searching for a highly organized and detailed oriented Payroll & Benefits Administration Specialist to join our growing team. This critical role will report directly to the director of HR and will oversee all aspects of payroll and benefits administration across multiple entities and locations.

As our organization continues to evolve, we’re looking for someone who is not only a skilled payroll professional but also someone excited to help build structure and processes in an environment that is still developing its HR infrastructure. Our ideal candidate will be a proactive self-starter who is comfortable wearing multiple hats, managing sensitive data, and partnering across departments to drive operational excellence.

Payroll Administration:
· Process accurate and timely weekly payroll for multiple locations and varying employee groups, including new hires, terminations, off-cycle payments and adjustments.
· Manage garnishments, child support orders, bonuses, and special payroll deductions.
· Reconcile payroll to our accounting department and validate payroll reports.
· Maintain and update payroll records, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws.
· Audit time and attendance data; resolve discrepancies in coordination with department leaders.
· Administer final paycheck in compliance with applicable labor laws.
· Prepare payroll-related summaries and reports in a timely manner.
· Responsible for year-end close and processing of system updates for new calendar year, ensure all W-2 accuracy, and accrual balances.

Benefits Administration:

· Coordinate benefits enrollments, life event changes, and terminations in our health plan.
· Serve as the liaison between employees and benefit providers to resolve coverage and service issues.
· Support open enrollment, including communication, system updates, and employee assistance.
· Maintain benefit records and documentation in accordance with compliance standards.

Cross-Functional Support:

· Collaborate with HR and department leaders to ensure seamless data entry and updates across payroll and benefit systems.
· Support recruitment and onboarding by processing new hire paperwork and assisting with background checks, job positing, and orientation.
· Participate in developing and refining policies, procedures, and internal controls for payroll and HR operations.
· Support workers’ compensation reporting and commercial insurance coordination as needed.
· Contribute to various employee programs, including rewards initiatives and employee relations support.

Qualifications:
· Minimum of 2 years of current experience in payroll and benefit administration.
· Proficient in payroll systems and intermediate to advanced Excel skills.
· Strong understanding of accounting principles.
· Exceptional attention to details, time management, organizational skills and analytical thinking skills.
· Excellent verbal and written communication skills in both English and Spanish; ability to communicate with employees at all levels. *Required*
· High degree of discretion and ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
· Collaborative, professional, and approachable demeanor with a team-first mindset.
· Payroll certification strongly preferred.