Workday Payroll Specialist

Join a large, established organization in Austin, TX , offering an exceptional company culture, comprehensive benefits, and the stability of a direct-hire opportunity . Put your Workday Payroll expertise to work in a collaborative environment where accuracy, technology, and operational excellence are valued. This opportunity lets you manage complex payroll activities, strengthen payroll processes, and build a long-term career with a respected employer.

The Workday Payroll Specialist will play an important role in maintaining accurate, timely, and compliant payroll operations for a large, multi-state employee population. Combining hands-on Workday payroll processing, financial reconciliations, reporting, and payroll compliance , this position offers exposure to both day-to-day payroll administration and broader process improvement initiatives. The Workday Payroll Specialist will collaborate with Human Resources, Finance, and Benefits professionals to resolve discrepancies, analyze payroll data, and improve operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Process and validate multi-state payroll for hourly, salaried, exempt, and non-exempt employees.
• Manage employee payroll transactions, compensation adjustments, and payroll data within Workday Payroll .
• Review earnings, deductions, overtime, bonuses, PTO, garnishments, and benefit deductions for accuracy.
• Investigate payroll discrepancies and resolve issues involving employee compensation, payroll calculations, and system records.
• Perform payroll audits and reconcile payroll transactions against financial records and general ledger accounts.
• Generate payroll reports and analyze data to identify errors, trends, and opportunities for improvement.
• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, tax requirements, and wage and hour laws.
• Assist with payroll tax reporting, year-end reconciliations, and W-2 processing.
• Coordinate with HR, Finance, and Benefits to address payroll inquiries and maintain accurate employee information.
• Participate in Workday testing, payroll system enhancements, and process improvement initiatives.
• Prepare supporting documentation for payroll audits, reporting, and compliance reviews.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional payroll processing experience required , including multi-state payroll administration.
• Hands-on Workday Payroll experience required , including payroll processing, employee transactions, and reporting.
• Bachelor's degree required , preferably in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business, or a related discipline.
• Experience processing payroll for hourly, salaried, exempt, and non-exempt employees.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll regulations, payroll taxes, and wage and hour compliance.
• Experience performing payroll reconciliations, audits, and discrepancy investigations.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency , including PivotTables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, formulas, and data analysis.
• Experience with payroll reporting, general ledger reconciliations, and year-end payroll activities.
• Strong technical skills, including the ability to analyze payroll data and troubleshoot system-related issues.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for resolving payroll inquiries and collaborating across departments.
• Experience supporting payroll operations for large or multi-location organizations preferred.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification preferred.