Payroll & Benefits Specialist

At TalentCount, we connect exceptional payroll, accounting, and people operations professionals with organizations where accuracy, compliance, and employee experience are critical to success. We are currently supporting a confidential search for a Payroll & Benefits Specialist to join a well-established educational institution serving approximately 500 employees.

This is a highly hands-on, individual contributor role responsible for owning the day-to-day administration of payroll and benefits operations. Reporting directly to the Director of Human Resources, the Payroll & Benefits Specialist will serve as the organization's primary payroll subject matter expert, ensuring accurate payroll processing, benefits administration, compliance, reconciliations, and reporting.

This is not an HR Generalist position. The ideal candidate is a payroll professional with strong accounting acumen, advanced Excel capabilities, and a proven ability to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve payroll discrepancies. The successful hire will be joining a stable organization where the current incumbent is retiring after 27 years in the role.

What You'll Do

Payroll Administration (Primary Focus)

• Own end-to-end payroll processing for approximately 500 employees.
• Process bi-weekly and monthly payroll while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely execution.
• Audit payroll data, investigate discrepancies, and resolve payroll-related issues.
• Perform payroll reconciliations, tax reporting, deductions administration, and year-end processing.
• Partner closely with Finance to ensure accurate payroll accounting and general ledger reporting.
• Prepare payroll-related reports and provide data analysis to leadership.

Benefits Administration

• Administer employee benefits programs including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, retirement, and voluntary benefits.
• Manage employee enrollments, life event changes, open enrollment, and vendor relationships.
• Reconcile carrier invoices and benefit deductions against payroll records.
• Administer leave programs including FMLA, ADA accommodations, COBRA, and related compliance activities.

Systems, Compliance & Reporting

• Serve as the primary administrator for Paycor and related payroll systems.
• Develop reports, tools, and processes to improve payroll accuracy and operational efficiency.
• Support audits, regulatory filings, workers' compensation administration, and compliance reporting.
• Maintain accurate employee records and payroll documentation.

What We're Looking For

• 5+ years of hands-on payroll administration experience.
• Experience owning payroll processing for 200+ employees; experience supporting 500+ employees strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of payroll reconciliations, payroll taxes, garnishments, deductions, and compliance requirements.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including:
• VLOOKUPs
• Pivot Tables
• Complex formulas
• Workbook creation and reporting tools
• Experience working with accounting teams and understanding:
• Journal entries
• General ledger impacts
• Payroll accounting
• Financial reconciliations
• Experience with Paycor, UKG, Paycom, Paylocity, Workday Payroll, or similar payroll platforms.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with the ability to identify and resolve payroll discrepancies.
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within education, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations.
• CPP or FPC certification.
• Benefits administration experience.
• Retirement plan administration experience.
• Bilingual Spanish and/or French language skills.
• Demonstrated career stability and long-term tenure with previous employers.

Compensation

• $85,000 - $95,000 annually
• Non-Exempt (Overtime Eligible)
• Comprehensive benefits package

Work Environment

• Onsite in Houston, TX
• Collaborative three-person HR team
• Stable, mission-driven organization with long-tenured leadership and employees