Payroll & Benefits Specialist
Reports To: Human Resources Manager
Location: Edwardsville, IL
Pay: $25.00-$32.00 per hour
The Payroll & Benefits Specialist is responsible for accurate, timely payroll processing and day-to-day administration of employee benefits. This role maintains payroll, timekeeping, benefits, and employee data; supports employees and managers with payroll- and benefits-related questions; and helps ensure compliance with applicable wage, tax, leave, and benefit-plan requirements.
The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, organized, discreet, and comfortable managing multiple deadlines in a confidential HR environment.
Essential Responsibilities
Payroll Administration
• Collect, review, enter, and process payroll information, including employee hours, time-off balances, new-hire data, deductions, and required withholdings.
• Review timekeeping records for completeness and accuracy; follow up with managers regarding missing, late, or inaccurate time submissions.
• Process payroll adjustments, corrections, direct-deposit updates, stop payments, payment reversals, and other payroll-related transactions as needed.
• Calculate and process deductions, repayments, garnishments, child-support orders, benefit premiums, payroll advances, overpayments, and other authorized payroll adjustments.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and support compliance with federal, state, and local payroll requirements.
• Prepare and distribute annual W-2 forms and other required payroll-related documents for active and former employees.
• Reconcile payroll-related general ledger accounts and assist with payroll reporting, audits, and year-end activities.
• Maintain accurate employee payroll, timekeeping, and personnel records within the HRIS and payroll system.
Benefits Administration
• Support the administration of employee benefit programs, which may include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement plans, flexible spending accounts, paid time off, leaves of absence, and voluntary benefits.
• Assist employees with benefit enrollments, life-event changes, payroll deductions, plan questions, and issue resolution.
• Coordinate benefit-related payroll deductions and work with benefit vendors, insurance carriers, and internal stakeholders as needed.
• Support annual open enrollment by helping manage employee communications, enrollment materials, timelines, and follow-up activities.
• Maintain current and accurate benefits materials, including plan documents, summary plan descriptions, employee communications, and related resources.
• Assist with leave-of-absence tracking and related payroll and benefits coordination.
Reporting, Compliance, and Employee Support
• Generate routine and ad hoc HRIS, payroll, benefits, and management reports.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of employee records, payroll information, benefit elections, and sensitive organizational information.
• Respond to employee and manager questions in a professional, timely, and service-oriented manner.
• Identify process improvements that enhance accuracy, compliance, employee experience, and payroll/benefits efficiency.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
• High school diploma or GED required.
• At least three years of payroll-processing experience.
• Working knowledge of payroll practices, wage deductions, tax withholdings, timekeeping, and payroll recordkeeping.
• Experience supporting employee benefits administration, including enrollments, deductions, and employee questions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Experience using payroll, HRIS, timekeeping, or benefits administration systems.
• Strong attention to detail, organization, follow-through, and ability to meet recurring deadlines.
• Ability to handle sensitive employee and financial information with a high level of discretion and confidentiality.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with employees, managers, vendors, and HR leadership.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with ADP Workforce Now and/or ADP Comprehensive Services.
• Experience in a financial-services, banking, credit union, healthcare, manufacturing, or other regulated environment.
• Experience with payroll general ledger reconciliations and payroll reporting.
• Familiarity with benefit-plan administration, retirement-plan deductions, leaves of absence, and garnishment processing.
• Associate degree or additional coursework in human resources, accounting, payroll, or a related field.
• FPC, CPP, SHRM, or related payroll/HR certification is a plus.
