Payroll Specialist

Description

Salary: $29.00-$31.00 per hour 

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt 

Schedule: Full-time | Regular in-person presence required. Additional hours may be required during payroll processing periods, month-end close, year-end reporting, and other business needs. 

Location & Travel: Based at Elephants Delicatessen headquarters in Portland, Oregon, with regular in-person presence at company worksites. Occasional local travel may be required. 

About Elephants 

A locally owned company since 1979, Elephants Delicatessen pioneered the gourmet food industry in the Pacific Northwest and now operates seven Portland-metro retail locations and a thriving catering company. As a certified B Corporation, we are committed to sustainability, transparency, and using business as a force for good while serving exceptional, scratch-made food rooted in our local community. 

What We Offer 

• Paid vacation and sick time
• Kaiser medical coverage, including alternative care benefits such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage therapy
• Dental insurance and Flexible Spending Accounts
• 401(k) with a 4% company match
• Mental health resources, counseling, and financial support services
• Professional development and advancement opportunities
• Discounts on our made-from-scratch food
• Pet insurance
• Employee raffles and recognition opportunities
• Discounts through Skechers, Shoes for Crews, Verizon, select B Corporations, and other participating partners
• A workplace committed to inclusion, diversity, community involvement, employee well-being, and environmental responsibility

Elephants Delicatessen provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Elephants Delicatessen participates in the E- Verify program to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

Requirements

Help Ensure Our Employees Are Paid Accurately and On Time 

Elephants Delicatessen is seeking a detail-oriented and dependable Payroll Specialist to join our accounting team. This role is responsible for managing accurate, complete, and timely payroll processing while supporting payroll accounting, reconciliations, compliance, and reporting functions.

How You’ll Make an Impact 

• Process accurate and timely bi-weekly payroll. 
• Review payroll inputs and timekeeping information. 
• Research and resolve payroll discrepancies. 
• Reconcile payroll, benefits, and general ledger activity. 
• Support year-end reporting, audits, and payroll tax reconciliations. 
• Partner with HR, managers, and vendors to ensure payroll accuracy. 

Key Payroll, Benefits, and Reconciliation Responsibilities 

• Reconcile benefit carrier invoices to enrollment records and payroll deductions by employee, including employee and employer portions, new enrollments, terminations, and coverage changes. 
• Reconcile retirement plan activity, including employee deferrals, loan repayments, employer contributions or match, and amounts transmitted to the plan recordkeeper. 
• Reconcile payroll-related balance sheet and liability accounts, including payroll clearing, payroll taxes, benefit deductions payable, retirement contributions, garnishments, and other payroll-related liabilities. 
• Prepare or support payroll-related period-end accruals, reclasses, journal entries, and other close activities as requested by the Controller. 
• Maintain complete, audit-ready reconciliation workpapers, track reconciling items through resolution, and provide support for financial statement, benefit plan, and other audits. 
• Research payroll and benefit discrepancies across source systems, identify root causes, document corrections, and recommend process or control improvements for recurring issues. 
• Partner with Human Resources, benefit providers, and payroll vendors to ensure approved benefit enrollments, status changes, leave-related pay inputs, and terminations are reflected accurately in payroll. 
• Assist employees with benefit deduction and payroll-related benefit questions while coordinating with Human Resources on plan eligibility, leave administration, employee relations, and related matters. 
• Maintain and routinely update payroll and benefits SOPs, checklists, reconciliation templates, and related documentation. 

What You’ll Bring 

• 2+ years of full-cycle payroll experience. 
• Strong payroll, reconciliation, and compliance knowledge. 
• Intermediate Excel skills including PivotTables and lookups. 
• Experience with Paylocity or similar payroll systems preferred. 
• Strong analytical, communication, and customer service skills. 
• Spanish fluency is a plus. 
• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP). (Preferred but not required) 
• Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) or other relevant payroll, benefits, or accounting credentials. (Preferred but not required) 
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 At Elephants, we value accuracy, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. If you are passionate about payroll and employee service, we would love to hear from you.  

Salary Description: $29.00-$31.00 per hour