Payroll Specialist (4 - 5 years experience)

The Payroll Specialist at Applied Research Associates (ARA) is a key member of our agile Payroll team. This position offers an excellent opportunity for self-starters and detail-oriented individuals to truly own their role by accurately preparing hourly, salary, and bonus payrolls for over 1,700 employees located in over 40 states. As ARA continues to grow, our Payroll Specialist will be critical to our continued success as they provide high-level customer service to our brilliant employee-owners working to solve problems of national importance.

Interested in becoming an employee-owner and joining our team? Here's what you can expect in your role as a Payroll Specialist:

What you will do as a Payroll Specialist

• Review time sheets for completeness prior to processing; reconcile, coordinate error correction, escalate issues as necessary to ensure timely submission of payroll
• Correct auto adjustment percentages as necessary, process retroactive pay adjustments, vacation payouts for terminated employees
• Post labor distribution and import labor into payroll system; reconciling labor and payroll systems to ensure completeness and accuracy
• Perform data entry and import data as necessary to prepare hourly, salary, and bonus payrolls for multiple companies (including Canada), ensuring timely and accurate payment to employees
• Perform high level review to ensure all authorized and required deductions are calculated
• Provide customer support to employees and management on general payroll issues while collaborating with other relevant departments
• Prepare general ledger entries, reconcile GL accounts, and run various payroll reports
• Process termination and other manual payroll check requests, verifying all wages and deductions required, including processing stop payments on lost paychecks and reissuing checks
• Manage garnishments, child supports, and payroll deductions
• Work with payroll tax company to resolve tax and payment issues
• Process 401K employee contributions and employer match for entry to 401(K) provider database every payroll period
• Assist in the internal and external audit process by providing support and explanation for the information and data required
• Assist with special projects and assignments as needed

Payroll Specialist Requirements

• High School diploma or equivalent
• 4 - 5 years of payroll accounting experience
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook
• Experience working effectively in an HR Information/Payroll System
• Excellent time management skills, organization, and the ability to prioritize work accordingly
• Demonstrates professional and ethical conduct
• Strong working knowledge of prevailing laws and regulations related to payroll and accounting
• Requires ability to
  • Quickly and accurately enter data; sometimes for extended periods of time
  • Be proactive, flexible, reliable, and trustworthy
  • Be customer service focused
  • Communicate effectively (both verbal and written)
  • Use discretion in working with sensitive and confidential records
  • Work collaboratively with team members, and on an individual basis with minimal supervision
  • Build relationships and offer solutions through creativity and flexibility
  • Think critically about current processes and potential improvements
• Candidates must be able to pass a background check which includes a favorable credit check

Payroll Specialist Preferences

• Payroll accounting experience with multi-state and wage and hour and functional payroll processing experience for an organization of similar size (1700+)
• Experience with systems such as Deltek Costpoint, Deltek Time & Expense, Shop Floor Time, UKG (UltiPro), Ceridian and/or Paychex
• Government contractor experience with regards to time keeping requirements
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)

HYBRID WORK NOTICE: Candidates must reside near Albuquerque, New Mexico, however a hybrid work schedule may be available for qualified candidates.

Applied Research Associates, Inc. Company Information:

Applied Research Associates, Inc. is a 100% employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. We invite you to visit our website to learn more about who we are, what we do, the excellent careers and benefits we offer and explore some of our featured offices.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)