PAYROLL & HR OPERATIONS SPECIALIST
Location: Reisterstown, MD (In-Person)
Job Type: Full-Time
ABOUT THIS ROLE
Gaines and Company, a respected and established construction firm, is seeking a detail-oriented Payroll & HR Operations Specialist with strong payroll administration experience to support our multi-state workforce. This position plays a critical role in ensuring accurate and timely weekly payroll processing while maintaining HR records and supporting employee lifecycle activities.
The ideal candidate is highly analytical, organized, and exceptionally proficient in Microsoft Excel, using spreadsheets to manage, reconcile, analyze, and audit payroll data. This position reports directly to the Comptroller and works closely with the company's fractional HR leader.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Payroll Administration (Primary Focus)
- Process accurate weekly payroll for hourly field employees and salaried office staff across multiple states.
- Review, reconcile, and validate employee timecards, payroll deductions, overtime, prevailing wage, and payroll adjustments using detailed Excel spreadsheets.
- Create, maintain, and manage complex payroll spreadsheets to track employee hours, labor costs, deductions, prevailing wage data, payroll adjustments, and reconciliations.
- Utilize Excel formulas, sorting, filtering, lookup functions, and data validation techniques to ensure payroll accuracy and identify discrepancies before processing.
- Generate payroll reports, labor summaries, audit reports, and management spreadsheets for accounting and leadership.
- Investigate payroll discrepancies and partner with supervisors to resolve issues before payroll deadlines.
- Maintain organized payroll records, spreadsheets, and supporting documentation while ensuring confidentiality and data accuracy.
- Assist with payroll-related reporting, year-end processing, benefits audits, 401(k) audits, workers' compensation audits, and regulatory compliance.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour regulations.
- Process new hire payroll setup, employee changes, garnishments, direct deposits, and final pay.
Human Resource Administration
- Maintain personnel files, I-9 documentation, and employee records.
- Support employee onboarding and offboarding processes.
- Assist with recruitment scheduling and new hire documentation.
- Maintain HR compliance documentation and records.
- Respond to employee payroll and HR-related questions.
Benefits Administration
- Process benefit enrollments, changes, and terminations.
- Coordinate payroll deductions for employee benefits.
- Assist employees with benefit enrollment and general inquiries.
Employee Support
- Serve as a resource for employees regarding payroll, benefits, and HR policies.
- Support supervisors with employee documentation and performance-related matters.
- Assist in communicating HR information to both office and field employees, including Spanish-speaking employees when applicable.
QUALIFICATIONS
- 3–5 years of payroll administration experience with responsibility for processing payroll from start to finish.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency is required, including experience creating and managing complex spreadsheets, PivotTables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, formulas, filtering, sorting, data validation, reconciliation, and payroll reporting.
- Experience supporting HR administration in construction, manufacturing, logistics, or other field-based industries preferred.
- Strong understanding of payroll laws, wage and hour compliance, and payroll best practices.
- Exceptional attention to detail with the ability to manage large volumes of payroll data accurately.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality while handling sensitive employee information.
- Experience working with payroll software and HRIS systems preferred.
- Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.
BENEFITS
- 401(k)
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Paid Time Off
WORK ENVIRONMENT
This position is based in our Reisterstown, MD office and includes occasional visits to active construction job sites. Candidates must be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and follow all required safety procedures during site visits.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
