Job Description

Payroll Administrator

Rochester, New York

Insero Talent Solutions is recruiting for a Payroll Administrator on behalf of an established and growing professional services firm in Rochester, New York. This newly created position will work closely with the Finance and Human Resources teams to support accurate, timely multi-state payroll processing, employee benefits administration, and compliance across the organization.

This opportunity is ideal for an experienced payroll professional who enjoys taking ownership of payroll operations, navigating complex payroll and benefits requirements, and providing responsive support to employees and internal stakeholders. The role encompasses semi-monthly payroll for approximately 180 employees, including both hourly and salaried staff across multiple states.

The successful candidate will collaborate with payroll vendors, HR professionals, and firm leadership to maintain accurate employee records, resolve payroll matters, and support retirement and benefits administration. Strong attention to detail, discretion, and the ability to manage multiple deadlines will be essential.

As the organization continues to grow, this newly established role offers the opportunity to help strengthen payroll processes, contribute to improvements in systems and reporting, and take on additional responsibilities over time within a collaborative, employee-focused environment.

Responsibilities

• Administer multi-state, semi-monthly payroll for approximately 180 hourly and salaried employees, including employee setup, tax withholding, work location assignments, and applicable federal, state, and local compliance.
• Enter, review, and process payroll changes, including compensation adjustments, voluntary deductions, benefit elections, and other time-sensitive information.
• Serve as a primary contact for payroll vendors and collaborate with internal stakeholders to maintain accurate payroll configuration and resolve issues.
• Review employee time, PTO, and holiday records; follow up on discrepancies and enter time for temporary and contract personnel.
• Maintain payroll systems, address payroll tax notices, and partner with Human Resources on HRIS data accuracy and administration.
• Coordinate retirement plan deferral reporting, contribution funding information, annual compliance testing, and 401(k) plan audit support.
• Prepare employee benefits reports and contribution data, including health insurance, leaves of absence, and disability payments.
• Coordinate workers’ compensation insurance records and annual audit requirements.
• Collaborate with Human Resources to reconcile new hires, terminations, leaves, PTO accruals, and disability-related employee records.
• Support year-end nondiscrimination testing for cafeteria plans, flexible spending accounts, and other applicable benefits programs.
• Assist external auditors with payroll, benefits plan calculations, and workers’ compensation documentation.

Qualifications

• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related discipline, with 4+ years of progressively responsible payroll and related benefits administration experience; an equivalent combination of education, experience, and certifications will be considered.
• Demonstrated experience processing payroll across multiple states and jurisdictions, including employee tax setup, withholding requirements, and compliance reporting.
• Experience supporting employee benefits, 401(k) plan administration, and payroll reporting preferred.
• Experience within a professional services or legal environment desirable.
• Strong understanding of payroll principles and applicable federal, state, and local payroll and benefits regulations.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including formulas and pivot tables, and working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience with payroll and financial management systems; familiarity with ADP and CCH preferred.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills, with strong attention to detail and the ability to meet competing deadlines.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and work collaboratively with employees, leadership, vendors, and Finance and Human Resources colleagues.