Senior Payroll Administrator in Altoona, Iowa at Prairie Meadows

Hours: 8am-430pm

Days: Saturday/Sunday

Position Summary

Prairie Meadows is seeking an experienced, detail-oriented Senior Payroll Administrator to join our Human Resources team. This position plays a key role in ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing for more than 1,000 employees.

The ideal candidate will have extensive payroll experience, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment. This position also offers an opportunity for professional growth, with the potential to advance into a Payroll Manager role.

Essential Job Duties

• Independently process biweekly payroll for more than 1,000 employees, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.

• Review and verify employee hours, earnings, deductions, taxes, benefits, garnishments, and other payroll transactions.

• Process payroll adjustments, corrections, off-cycle payments, and special payroll transactions.

• Research and resolve payroll discrepancies and respond to employee and management payroll questions.

• Maintain accurate payroll records and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations.

• Complete payroll reconciliations, reporting, audits, and year-end activities, including W-2 preparation.

• Serve as a key resource for the ADP payroll system, assisting with system updates, testing, and process improvements.

• Collaborate with Human Resources, Accounting, Benefits, and other departments to support payroll operations.

• Provide guidance and technical assistance to payroll staff while serving as the primary backup to the Payroll & Benefits Manager.

• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, accuracy, efficiency, and internal controls while maintaining strict confidentiality.

Qualifications

High school diploma required; bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, Human Resources, or a related field preferred. Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible payroll experience, including full-cycle payroll processing. Experience processing payroll for a large workforce; experience with 500 or more employees strongly preferred. Strong knowledge of payroll taxes, deductions, wage and hour laws, and compliance requirements. Experience with ADP payroll systems, preferably ADP Workforce Now, preferred. Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail. Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel. Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and consistently meet deadlines. Excellent communication skills, professionalism, discretion, and commitment to confidentiality. Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) preferred.