Payroll Specialist

Company Description

The Bison Group is an established company offering expert analysis and solutions to the US National Security community. Our mission is to ensure US warfighters and critical programs are supported in an ever-changing environment. We are committed to advancing our skilled personnel to achieve excellence. As a top-tier small company, we have extraordinary in-house proposal and recruiting capabilities. We welcome job seekers with an intelligence analysis background or IT professionals to connect with us.

We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Payroll Specialist to manage end-to-end payroll processing while also supporting timekeeping and employee expense reporting. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate payroll execution, compliant time and attendance tracking, and timely reimbursement of employee expenses. The ideal candidate has strong payroll operations experience, is highly organized, and is comfortable partnering with HR and Finance to support day-to-day workforce administration. Experience with Unanet and Paylocity is strongly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Processing

• Process accurate and timely payroll for all employees across regular pay cycles
• Administer payroll using Paylocity (preferred) or a similar payroll system
• Maintain payroll records including earnings, deductions, taxes, benefits, and garnishments
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations
• Reconcile payroll registers and reports; research and resolve discrepancies
• Implement payroll changes flowed from HR related to new hires, terminations, pay adjustments, bonuses, and retroactive pay
• Support year-end payroll activities including W-2 processing and required filings

Timekeeping & Attendance

• Administer the company timekeeping system, ensuring accurate employee time entry and approvals
• Review timecards for completeness, policy compliance, and accuracy prior to payroll processing
• Resolve timekeeping issues in partnership with managers and HR
• Support configuration and maintenance of timekeeping rules, pay codes, and schedules
• Train employees and managers on timekeeping policies and system use as needed

Expense Reporting

• Administer employee expense reporting processes and systems
• Review expense reports for accuracy, policy compliance, and proper documentation
• Coordinate timely reimbursement of approved expenses
• Partner with Finance to ensure expenses are properly coded and recorded
• Assist with expense policy updates and employee guidance

Collaboration & Support

• Serve as a point of contact for employee payroll, timekeeping, and expense inquiries
• Partner closely with HR and Finance to ensure accurate data flow and compliance
• Support internal and external audits by providing payroll and timekeeping documentation
• Contribute to process improvements to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and employee experience

Required Qualifications

• 3–5 years of hands-on payroll processing experience, specifically within a Government Contracting environment
• Deep understanding of DCAA timekeeping requirements, Service Contract Act (SCA) wage determinations
• Strong working knowledge of payroll laws, tax regulations, and wage and hour compliance
• Experience administering timekeeping and attendance systems
• Experience reviewing and processing employee expense reports
• High level of accuracy, attention to detail, and confidentiality
• Proficiency with payroll systems and Microsoft Excel
• Strong organizational and time-management skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Paylocity and/or Unanet
• Multi-state payroll experience
• Payroll certification (CPP or FPC) a plus
• Experience working closely with HR and Finance teams

Skills & Competencies

• Detail-oriented with strong follow-through
• Clear and professional communicator
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Customer-service mindset with employees and managers
• Process-focused with a continuous improvement mentality