About the role
Job Description
The Payroll Specialist performs accurate and timely payroll processing and related controls while maintaining approved vendor master data, in accordance with established review and approval requirements. The role validates payroll inputs and outputs, resolves routine discrepancies, supports reconciliations and compliance activities, and protects confidential employee and payment information. The position partners with Human Resources, Accounting, Tax, employees, and external providers and escalates non-routine or sensitive matters to the Manager, Payroll & Accounts Payable.
WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING:
PAYROLL PROCESSING & VALIDATION
* Process scheduled and off-cycle payrolls, including earnings, deductions, garnishments, taxes, commissions, bonuses, and approved adjustments, to deliver accurate and timely employee pay.
* Review time records, approved payroll inputs, and HR-provided changes for completeness and payroll impact; coordinate corrections with the appropriate owner without assuming responsibility for employee-owned data.
* Validate payroll registers, variances, exceptions, tax jurisdictions, and payments; confirm approved changes were processed accurately and document review evidence.
PAYROLL CONTROLS, FUNDING & ISSUE RESOLUTION
* Prepare payroll funding, reports, checklists, and supporting records for manager review and final approval while maintaining segregation of duties.
* Research payroll errors and returned or outstanding payments, document approved corrections, and confirm resolution in the appropriate payroll cycle.
* Respond to routine payroll questions with clear, confidential communication and escalate sensitive, complex, or policy-based matters.
VENDOR MASTER DATA & PAYMENT PROTECTION
* Create, update, and inactivate vendor records from approved requests; validate tax documentation, TIN information, sanctions screening, duplicate risks, addresses, payment terms, and required approvals.
* Independently verify banking and remittance changes through approved sources and resolve documentation or control gaps before processing.
RECONCILIATION, COMPLIANCE & YEAR-END SUPPORT
* Support Accounting with payroll funding and payment reconciliations, period-end records, variance explanations, audit evidence, and general-ledger research.
* Support payroll compliance and year-end reporting through data reviews, exception research, corrections, and coordination with HR, Accounting, Tax, auditors, UKG, and other providers.
PROCESS IMPROVEMENT & TEAM SUPPORT
* Maintain current process and control documentation and use approved automation, reporting, and AI-enabled productivity tools responsibly to improve accuracy, research, and administrative efficiency while validating outputs and protecting confidential information.
Qualifications
YOU'VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES IF YOU HAVE:
* 2+ years of payroll processing or payroll administration experience that includes hands-on responsibility for payroll inputs, calculations, register review, corrections, and records.
* Experience working with payroll controls, confidential employee data, recurring deadlines, reconciliations, or audit-ready documentation.
* Experience researching payroll discrepancies and coordinating resolution with Human Resources, Accounting, employees, or external providers.
* Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, Human Resources, or related field.
* Knowledge of end-to-end payroll processing, including earnings, deductions, taxes, garnishments, timekeeping, off-cycle payments, and year-end activity.
* Knowledge of payroll controls, confidentiality requirements, documentation standards, approval routing, and segregation of duties.
* Skill in reviewing payroll registers, variances, exceptions, funding reports, reconciliations, and supporting records for accuracy and completeness.
* Ability to research discrepancies, identify root causes, document corrections, and communicate resolution clearly to employees and business partners.
* Ability to validate vendor master-data requests, tax documentation, sanctions screening, duplicate risks, and banking or remittance changes using approved verification methods.
* Proficiency with payroll and timekeeping systems, spreadsheets, and enterprise systems used for payroll, vendor records, reporting, and audit support.
* Ability to use approved automation and AI-enabled productivity tools responsibly while validating outputs and protecting confidential information.
IT WOULD ALSO BE GREAT IF YOU HAD:
* Multi-state payroll and timekeeping experience, including payroll taxes, wage and hour requirements, garnishments, incentive compensation, funding, and year-end activities.
* Experience with UKG or a comparable payroll/timekeeping platform and with an ERP or procure-to-pay platform such as Intacct, NetSuite, SAP, or Coupa.
* Experience creating and maintaining vendor records and validating tax, sanctions, duplicate, approval, and payment-detail requirements.
* Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP).
Additional Information
IN OFFICE REQUIREMENT:
Relias values collaboration and wants to ensure that our team members have opportunities to work with their teams regularly for professional development opportunities. Our flexible hybrid work environment requires that you live in the state of North Carolina, within a commutable distance to our office (~1-hour commute). You would be expected to work in our Morrisville, NC Headquarters (close to the Raleigh/Durham airport) approximately 30 days/quarter.
Relias is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug-Free workplace. Relias welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities and is happy to make reasonable accommodations in all aspects of the selection process. If you are an individual with a disability and require reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the job application process, please visit our career page for instructions.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
Disclosure requirements pertaining to the collection of your personal data:
Responsible for processing the information provided in your application is the company specified in the job advertisement, with its registered office as indicated. The company processes your data for the purpose of establishing an employment relationship on the basis of Art. 6 (1) b GDPR / Section 26 (1) sentence 1 BDSG.
The retention period for your data is determined by the statutory time limits applicable in the respective country, beginning upon completion of the recruitment process. You can find these here.
You can contact the company’s Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned postal address.
Further information on data protection and your rights can be found here.
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