Senior Payroll Specialist

Build the future, spark innovation and align your career with purpose.

McKinstry is innovating the waste and climate harm out of the built environment and creating lasting impact. Together, we're building a thriving planet.

Buildings are a leading contributor to the climate crisis, generating nearly 40% of total global energy-related carbon emissions. We're making a lasting impact on our industry and within our communities by addressing the climate, affordability and equity crises through:

• renewables and energy services
• engineering and design
• construction and facility services

To get where we're going, we need big thinkers, problem solvers and collaborative mindsets. Does that sound like you?

The Opportunity with McKinstry

McKinstry is looking for a Senior Payroll Specialist to join our Finance and Accounting division in Seattle, WA. The Senior Payroll Specialist is an expert-level processing professional who carries a full payroll processing workload while simultaneously serving as the primary escalation point and peer leader for the Processing Team. This role owns the most complex payroll scenarios in the department - union reporting, prevailing wage compliance, staff bonuses and allowances, and multi-system instant check processing - and is the team's go-to resource when Payroll Specialists encounter issues they cannot resolve independently. In addition to processing, the Senior Payroll Specialist plays an active role in training and developing Specialists, contributing to SOP documentation, and ensuring consistent, high-quality execution across the team. This role requires deep payroll expertise, strong technical skills, and the judgment to make sound, independent decisions under weekly deadline pressure. Additional responsibilities may include:

PAYROLL PROCESSING

• Execute weekly payroll for an assigned employee population - including field crews, union trades, equipment operators, and office staff - applying the appropriate prevailing wage rates, CBA-specific rules, and overtime calculations for each group.
• Manage all payroll data movement via system imports and exports - preparing, formatting, and validating data files to match each platform's required import template; confirm successful load after each import.
• Perform in-cycle cross-system data validation using multiple systems - identifying and resolving discrepancies in real time before the cycle closes.
• Process all deductions each cycle including health benefits, 401(k) contributions, union dues, garnishments, and involuntary levies.
• Lead pre- and post-cycle balancing, exception reporting, and reconciliation; review and sign off on the accuracy of the weekly payroll before submission to the Payroll Manager.

EMPLOYEE DATA MANAGEMENT & VALIDATION

• Perform daily employee data validation - reviewing new hires, terminations, pay rate changes, and deduction updates to confirm all records transferred correctly across integrated HR and time systems.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies between integrated applications before each processing cycle; serve as the escalation point for Specialists who cannot resolve mismatches independently.
• Process complex employee data changes including multi-rate setups, union classification changes, prevailing wage rate updates, and retroactive adjustments.

INSTANT CHECK PROCESSING

• Process instant (off-cycle) checks independently across all scenario types - missed wages, termination pays, corrections, retroactive adjustments, and manual overrides - selecting the correct data source, calculation method, and import approach for each situation.
• Handle the most complex instant check scenarios independently, including multi-period corrections, union-rate retros, prevailing wage adjustments, and bonus/allowance payments that require manipulation across multiple source systems.
• Review and approve instant checks initiated by Payroll Specialists before submission, confirming accuracy of gross-to-net, deductions, and downstream GL and job cost impact.
• Serve as the escalation point for Specialists encountering instant check scenarios outside their current skill level; resolve independently or partner with the Payroll Analyst for GL-sensitive entries.

UNION REPORTING & SPECIALIZED POPULATION PROCESSING

• Own monthly union benefit contribution reporting for all applicable CBAs - preparing and submitting health, pension, annuity, vacation, and training fund remittances to fund administrators on time each month.
• Apply the correct benefit rates, eligibility rules, trade classifications, and wage scales for each union agreement; serve as the team's primary resource for CBA interpretation questions from Specialists.
• Reconcile union remittance amounts against payroll registers and deduction records, resolving variances before submission and maintaining organized records by agreement.
• Process staff bonus and allowance payments - including signing bonuses, project allowances, tool allowances, per diem, and travel reimbursements - applying correcttaxation, GL coding, and pay sequencing for each type.
• Manage prevailing wage compliance for assigned projects - confirming correct wage determinations, applying applicable fringe benefit credits, and ensuring payroll records support certified payroll reporting requirements.

ESCALATION & PEER LEADERSHIP

• Serve as the first escalation point for Payroll Specialists encountering complex processing issues - diagnosing the root cause, resolving directly where possible, and escalating when appropriate.
• Review Specialist work on high-complexity items (union setups, instant checks, multistate employees, special pay types) before finalization, providing real-time guidance and correction without formal supervisory authority.
• Identify recurring Specialist errors or knowledge gaps and bring these to the Payroll.
• Manager's attention with a suggested training or process response.
• Maintain visibility into team workload during payroll cycles; flag capacity issues or deadline risks to the Payroll Manager proactively.

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

• Onboard new Payroll Specialists - delivering structured training on systems, processingworkflows, data validation protocols, and team SOPs during the initial onboardingperiod.
• Provide ongoing informal coaching and on-the-job guidance to Specialists on complex processing scenarios, system navigation, import/export procedures, and payroll fundamentals.
• Develop and maintain training materials, processing guides, and quick-reference tools for Specialist use, in coordination with the Payroll Analyst.
• Contribute to SOP development and optimization - authoring procedures for complex processes within the Processing Team's scope and reviewing drafts for accuracy.

EMPLOYEE SUPPORT

• Monitor and manage employee payroll cases in the case management system -acknowledging promptly, maintaining accurate case status, and resolving or escalatingwithin SLA timelines.
• Handle complex employee escalations referred by Payroll Specialists - including multiperiodpay discrepancies, union benefit questions, overpayment recovery, and taxcorrection requests.
• Communicate proactively with employees and field supervisors on open cases,expected resolution timelines, and any information needed to close the case.

What You Need to Succeed at McKinstry

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Associate's degree or equivalent experience required; Bachelor's degree in Accountingor Business preferred
• 5+ years of payroll processing experience required, including at least 2 years in acomplex, high-volume environment with multi-system integration
• Demonstrated expertise in union payroll - CBA interpretation, prevailing wage, multitradeclassifications, and fringe benefit contribution structures
• Experience processing special pay types including bonuses, allowances, per diem, andtravel pay with correct tax treatment and GL coding.
• Experience with system-to-system payroll imports and exports across multipleplatforms

PAYROLL KNOWLEDGE & COMPETENCIES

• Deep understanding of payroll fundamentals - wage and hour law (FLSA, state-specificovertime, prevailing wage), multi-state and local payroll taxation, garnishment priorityrules, and payroll accounting concepts (gross-to-net, accruals, cost allocation, GLimpact)
• Expert knowledge of union payroll: CBA structure and interpretation, trade-specific wage scales, fringe benefit eligibility and contribution calculations, and remittance reconciliation.
• Understanding of how payroll entries and instant checks affect job costing, cost centerdistribution, and the general ledger - sufficient to catch and escalate downstream risksindependently
• Strong familiarity with off-cycle payroll processing across all scenario types; ability todetermine correct approach, source system, and import method for each

TECHNICAL & DIGITAL SKILLS

• Advanced Microsoft Excel required - XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, Power Query,CONCATENATE, pivot tables, and data manipulation for import template preparationand cross-system validation
• Demonstrated ability to use AI-assisted tools (Microsoft Copilot, Claude) to acceleratedata validation, format conversions, and repetitive processing tasks.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 - Teams, SharePoint, and Smartsheet
• Experience with case management systems for employee inquiry tracking andresolution
• Experience with major HRIS/payroll platforms (UKG PRO, UKG WFM, ADP, Oracle HCM,SAP, or similar); comfort learning new systems quickly

LEADERSHIP & TRAINING SKILLS

• Ability to explain complex payroll processes clearly and patiently to team members atvarying skill levels
• Experience developing training materials, desk procedures, or SOPs for processingworkflows
• Strong judgment in escalation decisions - knows when to resolve independently, whento coach a Specialist through it, and when to escalate to the Payroll Manager
• Organized and proactive communicator; surfaces team capacity risks and processin
• concerns before they become problems

CERTIFICATIONS

• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) -preferred
• Microsoft Excel advanced training or Power Query certification - a plus

PeopleFirst Benefits

When it comes to the basics, we have you covered:

• Competitive pay
• 401(k) with employer match and profit-sharing plan
• Paid time off and holidays
• Comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision with low or zero deductible options and low out of pocket maximums

People come first at McKinstry, and we go beyond the basic benefits with:

• Family formation benefits, including adoption and IVF assistance
• Up to 16 weeks paid parental leave
• Transgender inclusive benefits
• Commuter benefits
• Pet insurance
• "Building Good" paid community service time
• Learning and advancement opportunities via McKinstry University
• McKinstry Moves onsite gyms or reimbursement for remote workers

See benefit plan documents for complete details.

If you're driven by our vision to build a thriving planet together, McKinstry is the place to build your career.

The pay range for this position is $110,790 - $190,700 per year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A bonus may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Base pay information is based on market location.

The McKinstry group of companies are equal opportunity employers. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, race, color, creed, marital status, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information or any other basis protected by law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including, but not limited to employment, advancement, assignment, and training. This commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity is made equally as a social responsibility and as an economic and business necessity.

McKinstry is a drug-free workplace. Employment iscontingent upon successfully passing a pre-employment drug and alcohol test, complying with the requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act and a Confidentiality Agreement, in addition to successful outcomes of background and reference checks.

Applicants for this role will only be considered if they possess current US Work Authorization, and do not require employer-sponsored VISA support to begin or remain in this role.

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