Payroll Specialist

Job Title: Payroll Year-End Support Specialist (Excel & Power Query Expert) Location: Remote Employment Type: Contract About the Role We are seeking a highly detail-oriented Payroll Year-End Support Specialist with advanced Microsoft Excel, Power Query/SQL, and union reporting experience to assist our payroll shared services during the crucial year-end process. The successful candidate will play an integral role in reconciling payroll data, preparing reports, supporting union reporting requirements, and assisting with data. Key Responsibilities • Support the payroll department during year-end activities, including data validation, reconciliation, and reporting. • Utilize advanced Excel functions such as pivot tables, VLOOKUP, SUMIF, Power Query, and data modeling to consolidate, cleanse, and analyze large data sets. • Assist in preparing, reviewing, and validating payroll reports for year-end configuration. • Leverage Power Query to efficiently manage and support union payroll reporting requirements, ensuring accurate data extraction, transformation, and compliance. • Maintain and update wage and fringe rates in the master payroll file to ensure compliance with union requirements. • Regularly update union wage rate sheets used by managers for project quoting and planning. • Communicate and collaborate with company representatives to distribute updated wage rate sheets and ensure all relevant parties are informed of changes. • Review payroll SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley) controls with companies to ensure compliance, accuracy, and proper documentation of payroll processes. • Work closely with payroll, HR, and finance teams to resolve discrepancies and provide data-driven insights. Qualifications/Requirements • Experience in payroll, finance, data analysis, or a related field. • Experience with union payroll reporting and compliance requirements. • Exceptional proficiency in Microsoft Excel (including pivot tables, complex formulas, data visualization). • Proven experience using Power Query/SQL for data extraction and transformation • Strong attention to detail, analytical, and problem-solving skills. • Ability to work efficiently under tight deadlines and manage sensitive payroll information securely. • Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams. • Knowledge of payroll best practices, year-end reporting requirements, and union payroll regulations. • Experience with other payroll platforms or HRIS systems is an advantage.