Job Description
Job DescriptionWe are looking for a Payroll Administrator to support complex payroll operations and ensure accurate reconciliation, reporting, and year-end processing for a multi-entity environment in California. This Long-term Contract position is ideal for a payroll specialist who can navigate tax reporting, W-2 validation, deduction oversight, and filing support with precision. The role also works closely with payroll teams to improve consistency, provide guidance, and strengthen reconciliation practices across participating districts.
Responsibilities:
• Lead quarterly and annual payroll balancing activities, confirming tax reporting accuracy across federal, state, Medicare, and applicable local jurisdictions.
• Analyze gross-to-net payroll results and research inconsistencies across earnings, taxes, and deduction records to resolve variances promptly.
• Examine year-end payroll adjustments to ensure corrections are applied to the appropriate reporting periods and align with organizational standards.
• Review W-2 data in detail, including taxable wages, pre-tax and post-tax deductions, benefits, and imputed income, and coordinate issue resolution before forms are finalized.
• Prepare and validate payroll data used for state and federal submissions, addressing file errors and supporting timely acceptance of required filings.
• Partner with district payroll contacts during quarterly reviews and year-end close activities, offering guidance on adjustment entries and reconciliation procedures.
• Create and deliver training materials, process walkthroughs, and supporting documentation to help payroll users follow accurate and consistent practices.
• Monitor deduction configurations for retirement and tax-advantaged plans, including 403(b) and 457 arrangements, and assist with correction efforts and limit reviews.
• Verify overtime calculations against applicable labor agreements and internal payroll rules to ensure employees are paid correctly.
• Support expansion efforts involving additional districts by developing repeatable workflows, scalable documentation, and operational guidance for ongoing payroll administration.• At least 5 years of experience managing payroll processing and reconciliation in a multi-entity, district, or similarly complex environment.
• Strong background in quarter-end and year-end payroll balancing, including W-2 review and payroll tax compliance.
• Knowledge of payroll deductions, retirement plan administration, and tax-sheltered benefit structures such as 403(b) and 457 plans.
• Experience preparing, validating, or transferring payroll information for state and federal reporting submissions.
• Proficiency with full-cycle payroll operations, including multi-state payroll administration for employee populations ranging from approximately 101 to 500 employees.
• Hands-on experience using ADP Workforce Now and other payroll systems to review, reconcile, and maintain payroll data.
• Excellent analytical, documentation, and troubleshooting skills with the ability to explain processes clearly to payroll stakeholders.
• Ability to train end users and collaborate effectively with distributed payroll teams to support accurate and timely payroll operations.