Payroll Specialist - Freelance, Remote

Role Summary

About the ClientA fast-growing, U.S.-based hospitality staffing platform connects restaurants, hotels, catering/event teams, and other operators with vetted professionals to fill shifts quickly and reliably. Operating nationwide in dozens of cities, the company supports high-volume, shift-based work with a streamlined, tech-enabled experience. The team values accuracy, speed, and exceptional service for both businesses and professionals.

Why does this role exist?This role ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll for a high-volume, shift-based workforce, including complex adjustments, tips, and reimbursements. As the company scales, the Payroll Specialist will streamline investigations (such as W-2 suspensions) and handle employment verification requests with precision and confidentiality. The objective is to protect data integrity, minimize payroll errors, and deliver an excellent experience to internal stakeholders and the workforce.

• The Impact you’ll make
• Payroll Processing Adjustments
• Process on-cycle and off-cycle payroll adjustments with a high degree of accuracy
• Calculate gross-to-net impacts for adjustments, ensuring correct taxes and deductions
• Enter, validate, and reconcile changes within the payroll platform before payroll close
• Tips, Reimbursements Compliance
• Record and reconcile tips, service charges, and reimbursements within payroll
• Apply correct taxable vs. non-taxable treatment per federal and state rules
• Partner with Finance/Customer Success to resolve discrepancies quickly
• Investigations Issue Resolution
• Investigate and resolve W-2 suspensions and related data mismatches
• Review exception reports, research root causes, and implement corrective actions
• Document findings and maintain clear audit trails for all resolutions
• Employment Verification Documentation
• Process employment verification requests submitted electronically or from scanned physical mail
• Maintain organized records, ensuring confidentiality and data protection
• Adhere to company SOPs and compliance requirements for PII handling
• Collaboration Tools
• Communicate status, blockers, and updates via Slack with speed and clarity
• Follow and improve payroll SOPs; suggest process and tooling enhancements
• Coordinate cross-functionally to support smooth payroll cycles
• Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

WFH Set-Up

Computer with at least 8GB RAM, an Intel i5 core processor/AMD Ryzen 5 Processor and up.

• Internet speed of at least 40MBPS
• Headset with an extended mic that has noise cancellation and a webcam
• Back-up computer and internet connection
• Quiet, dedicated workspace at home

Requirements

• Hands-on experience utilizing the company’s payroll platform (hard requirement)
• 2+ years of U.S. payroll processing experience in an hourly/high-volume or similar environment
• Proven ability to calculate payroll adjustments, including tips and reimbursements
• Working knowledge of W-2s, withholding, and taxable vs. non-taxable reimbursements
• Demonstrated integrity and attention to detail when handling confidential information

Your Superpowers

Technical: Proficiency with payroll systems and spreadsheets (e.g., data validation, lookups, reconciliations); familiarity with U.S. payroll rules and forms; strong documentation habits; comfort working in Slack

• Analytical: Sharp problem-solving skills, root-cause analysis, and error detection
• Operational: Organized, deadline-driven, and reliable in high-volume environments
• Communication: Clear, professional written and verbal communication with cross-functional partners
• Personal: High integrity, discretion with PII, and a continuous-improvement mindset
• You should apply if…
• You take pride in getting payroll right the first time and enjoy investigative work when issues arise
• You thrive in a process-driven, fast-moving environment supporting a large hourly workforce
• You value confidentiality, accuracy, and accountability, and you’re proactive about solving problems
• You communicate clearly in a remote setting and collaborate well over Slack and documented workflows
• You’re eager to learn the company’s specific platform and contribute to better, scalable processes
• What to expect...
• No benefits package included
• Remote position
• Must have a reliable internet connection and a quiet workspace
• Required to provide own computer with Intel Core i5 or something similar or higher operating system

40 hours per week

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday