Senior Payroll and Payroll Taxes Specialist in Macon, Georgia at American Pride Bank

The Senior Payroll & Payroll Tax Specialist is responsible for overseeing payroll administration, payroll tax compliance, and employment compliance across the Bank's multi-state footprint. This role serves as the Bank's subject matter expert for payroll operations, wage and hour compliance, payroll tax administration, ACA reporting, employment verification, and payroll-related regulatory requirements. The position partners closely with Accounting while serving as the payroll lead within the HRIS environment to ensure employees are paid accurately and timely, payroll tax obligations are met, and the Bank remains compliant with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage all aspects of semi-monthly payroll processing.
• Ensure payroll is processed accurately, timely, and in compliance with federal, state, and local laws.
• Audit payroll transactions including salary changes, bonuses, commissions, incentive payments, deductions, garnishments, and benefit deductions.
• Review and reconcile payroll reports prior to processing and funding. Serve as the primary researcher supporting Accounting during the reconciliation process proactively investigating and resolving the root cause of any discrepancies, variances, or outages they identify, and documenting findings and corrective actions. Respond to employee payroll inquiries and resolve payroll-related issues.
• Process taxable fringe benefits through ensuring correct imputed-income, tax withholding, and W-2 reporting.
• Serve as the Bank's primary point of contact for employment and income verification requests.
• Administer and oversee the Bank's timekeeping processes, including system configuration, employee and manager support, audit and review of time records, and compliance with applicable wage and hour laws, payroll requirements, and Bank policies.
• Manage payroll tax registrations, filings, notices, audits, and account closures.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll and wage-and-hour requirements.
• Monitor employment law developments impacting payroll and compliance.
• Assist with internal and external audits related to payroll, payroll taxes, and employment compliance.
• Support responses to payroll-related regulatory inquiries and examinations.
• Maintain documentation supporting payroll and compliance activities.
• Coordinate payroll activities related to the Bank's 401(k) and ESOP.
• Assist with retirement plan implementations, conversions, mergers, acquisitions, and employee communications as they relate to payroll and compensation data.
• Support annual ESOP allocations by validating compensation and payroll information used in allocation calculations.
• Develop and maintain payroll and compliance procedures, internal controls, and documentation.
• Serve as the primary liaison for ACA reporting vendors and compliance activities.
• Coordinate compliance activities related to I-9s, unemployment claims, ACA reporting, and related filings.
• Partner with the HR Generalist on payroll configuration, testing, workflows, and system upgrades in HRIS.
• Validate payroll-related employee data and reporting within the HRIS.
• Support benefits payroll deductions, carrier reconciliations, and leave-related payroll administration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Accounting, Finance, or related field preferred with at least 5 years of payroll administration experience; or Associates degree and 8 or more years of progressive payroll administration experience.
• Experience managing multi-state payroll and employment compliance.
• Experience managing payroll tax compliance and ACA reporting.
• Experience with payroll systems and HRIS platforms; Rippling experience is highly preferred.
• Banking, financial services, or regulated industry experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax regulations and wage-and-hour laws.
• Advanced Excel and reporting skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to manage confidential information.

Preferred Certifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR
• Rippling or similar HRIS certifications