Payroll & Benefits Lead (Part-Time | Remote)

Location: Hybrid, with onsite 1 day/week, 4 days remote at their Bloomington, MN location
Targeted Start Date: Week of 2/16
Commitment: 3-month assignment, with possibilities to extend
Hours: 25-30 hours/week; preference for M/W/F, but flexible
Pay Range: $40-$50/hr, depending on previous experience

Role Overview

Our client is urgently looking for a Payroll & Benefits Lead to step into a key transition period and oversee the accurate and timely processing of payroll and the day-to-day administration of employee benefits. This role plays a pivotal part in maintaining compliance, supporting internal stakeholders, and ensuring employees receive clear, responsive service related to pay and benefits. You'll partner closely with HR, Finance, brokers, and external vendors to keep processes running smoothly and aligned with regulatory requirements.

Primary Responsibilities

Payroll Operations & Compliance

• Manage full-cycle bi-weekly U.S. payroll within Paycor, encompassing new hires, separations, compensation changes, bonuses, commissions, and leave adjustments
• Ensure accuracy in tax withholdings, garnishments, deductions, and payroll-related reporting
• Conduct routine audits to verify compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations
• Align payroll outputs with Finance by reconciling payroll to the general ledger and preparing journal entries
• Provide support for month-end close
• Maintain payroll documentation including SOPs, compliance files, and I-9s

Benefits Administration & Financial Alignment

• Oversee benefits enrollments, life events, terminations, COBRA processes, and annual open enrollment activities
• Validate and reconcile monthly benefits invoices with payroll deductions and eligibility data
• Coordinate with brokers and benefit partners on renewals, updates, and employee escalations

Employee Support & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Act as the primary point of contact for questions related to payroll and benefits
• Partner with Finance to verify reporting accuracy and maintain alignment across systems
• Prepare and deliver documentation for internal and external audits
• Lead testing and validation during system changes, payroll updates, or regulatory shifts
• Seek opportunities to streamline processes and introduce automation or AI-driven improvements

Required Experience & Skills

• 3+ years of benefits administration experience
• 4+ years of payroll experience, ideally 5+ years including multi-state U.S. payroll
• Direct hands-on experience running payroll in Paycor or similar systems like Palocity.
• Previous experience reconciling payroll deductions with benefit billing
• Strong understanding of federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements
• Proficiency in Google Sheets
• High attention to detail, strong organizational abilities, and comfort working independently