Specialist, Payroll

$43,160 - $84,760/Yr

Unclassified - Albany, NY

Full-time - Entry Level

Albany, NY

10,001+ employees

About the position

Baker Tilly is seeking a dedicated Payroll Consultant to provide direct support and consulting to our payroll clients. This role requires a deep understanding of payroll practices and laws to ensure that clients receive accurate and timely payroll services. The Payroll Consultant will work under the supervision of the Payroll Supervisor and will be responsible for managing client relationships independently, while also knowing when to escalate issues for prompt resolution. The position involves ensuring that client payroll information is accurate within their specific payroll systems and resolving any discrepancies that may arise. In this role, the Payroll Consultant will review and process payrolls in a timely manner to meet client deadlines. This includes updating employee records, calculating and paying bonuses or severance, reviewing the accuracy of federal and state income-related tax calculations, and reconciling payroll deposits, tax withholdings, and wage garnishments. The consultant will also prepare detailed reports of employee earnings, taxes, deductions, and employer contributions for social security and unemployment. Building strong and trusted relationships with clients is essential, as the Payroll Consultant will be expected to consult effectively on all payroll-related matters while maintaining the confidentiality of employee data. The role also involves providing technical software support to clients, identifying out-of-scope work, and recognizing new opportunities to expand services. Additionally, the consultant will support the implementation team by managing new client implementation projects, ensuring timely completion, and training clients on payroll processes as necessary. The Payroll Consultant will also play a vital role in individual and team development by serving as a resource for new hires and less experienced staff, providing constructive feedback, and sharing insights to enhance team capabilities. Keeping up-to-date with product knowledge on ADP software platforms and maintaining current knowledge of local, state, and federal payroll practices and laws is crucial for success in this position.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct support and consulting to payroll clients.
• Understand payroll practices and laws to provide better service and information to clients.
• Independently manage client relationships and escalate issues when necessary.
• Ensure client payroll information is accurate within their specific payroll system and resolve discrepancies.
• Review and process payrolls in a timely manner to meet client deadlines, including updating employee records and calculating bonuses or severance.
• Review accuracy of federal and state income-related tax calculations and reconcile payroll deposits, tax withholdings, and wage garnishments.
• Prepare reports of employee earnings, taxes, deductions, and employer contributions for social security and unemployment.
• Establish strong and trusted client relationships by effectively consulting on payroll-related matters.
• Maintain confidentiality of employee data and convey detailed information accurately in written and verbal formats.
• Provide technical software support to clients and identify out-of-scope work.
• Identify new opportunities to expand services to clients.
• Support the implementation team by managing new client implementation projects and ensuring client satisfaction.
• Train clients on payroll processes as necessary.
• Be a resource to new hires and less experienced staff regarding clients, software, payroll, and processes.
• Provide honest feedback to new hires and help build team capabilities by sharing insights and lessons learned.
• Research and maintain product knowledge on ADP software platforms and local, state, and federal practices and laws.

Requirements

• 1-3 years of relevant payroll experience; Associates or bachelor's degree preferred.
• Experience with ADP software platforms desirable.
• Working knowledge of Outlook and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Highly detail-oriented and focused on accuracy.
• Strong organization and time management skills.
• Strong adaptability and multi-tasking skills.
• Ability to effectively work in a deadline-driven environment serving multiple clients.
• Ability to provide exceptional client service.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; communicates appropriately and professionally with all levels.
• Ability to learn new technology and processes quickly.
• Ability to learn from experiences and integrate new knowledge and skills into daily work.