Payroll Benefits Manager

Payroll & Benefits Manager

Industry: Hospitality

Position Overview

LarraStaff is partnering with a growing hospitality organization seeking an experienced Payroll & Benefits Manager to oversee payroll operations and benefits administration across multiple locations and states.

This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on payroll professional who thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume environment and brings strong technical expertise with UKG Ready . The ideal candidate will have extensive experience managing complex payroll processes, ensuring regulatory compliance, optimizing payroll systems, and supporting employee benefits administration.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage accurate and timely payroll processing for a workforce of 500+ employees across multiple locations and states.
• Serve as the organization's primary subject matter expert for UKG Ready , including payroll processing, system administration, configuration, reporting, and troubleshooting.
• Maintain and optimize payroll system settings, workflows, employee data, deductions, and reporting functionality.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, including wage and hour laws, tax requirements, and reporting obligations.
• Oversee payroll reconciliations, audits, reporting, and resolution of payroll discrepancies.
• Administer employee benefit plan enrollments, changes, deductions, and terminations, ensuring accuracy between payroll and benefits systems.
• Manage benefits-related billing, reconciliations, and reporting in coordination with insurance carriers and internal stakeholders.
• Support payroll and benefits operations in a high-turnover environment, including frequent onboarding, offboarding, and employee status changes.
• Partner with Human Resources, Finance, and operational leadership to ensure efficient payroll and benefits processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll accuracy, streamline workflows, enhance reporting, and strengthen internal controls.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of current, hands-on UKG Ready experience is required , including payroll processing, administration, system configuration, reporting, and compliance.
• Demonstrated experience processing payroll for 500+ employees , preferably within hospitality or another high-volume, high-turnover industry.
• Strong experience managing multi-state and multi-location payroll operations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll regulations, tax compliance, and reporting requirements.
• Previous experience administering employee benefit plan enrollments, payroll deductions, benefits billing, and related reporting.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet strict payroll deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with HR, Finance, and operational teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within hospitality, restaurants, hotels, entertainment, or other high-turnover, hourly workforce environments.
• Experience supporting complex payroll structures, including variable schedules, overtime, and tipped employees.
• Experience improving payroll processes, system configurations, and reporting capabilities.
• Payroll certifications such as CPP or FPC are a plus.

Why This Opportunity?

Join a dynamic hospitality organization where you'll play a critical role in ensuring accurate payroll operations and a positive employee experience. This position offers the opportunity to take ownership of payroll and benefits administration, leverage your UKG Ready expertise, and contribute to process improvements across a multi-location business.