Job Description: 

Our client is seeking an experienced Payroll Specialist to join their team. This role will be responsible for managing day-to-day payroll operations, supporting employee payroll inquiries, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, and maintaining compliance with company policies and payroll requirements.

The ideal candidate will have 3–5 years of payroll experience, hands-on experience with Workday, and a strong understanding of timekeeping, overtime, leave, payroll reconciliation, and payroll issue resolution. Prior lead or supervisory experience is preferred.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage day-to-day payroll operations and respond to payroll-related inquiries in Workday.
• Collect, review, and verify employee timekeeping information to ensure accurate payroll processing.
• Calculate employee pay based on hours worked, overtime, leave, deductions, and other applicable adjustments.
• Process payroll accurately and timely according to established payroll schedules and procedures.
• Initiate periodic payroll payments through direct deposit, payroll checks, or applicable banking/payment systems.
• Review payroll records and reports to identify discrepancies, errors, or missing information.
• Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies and employee payment issues in a timely manner.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for employees and management regarding payroll questions, concerns, and issues.
• Research and resolve complex payroll inquiries while maintaining confidentiality of employee information.
• Prepare and maintain payroll reports, statements, records, and supporting documentation.
• Partner with HR, Finance, Timekeeping, and other internal teams to resolve payroll and employee data issues.
• Ensure payroll information is accurately maintained within Workday and other applicable systems.
• Assist with payroll reconciliations, audits, reporting, and period-end activities.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, accuracy, efficiency, and employee service.
• Provide guidance and support to payroll team members and assist with training as needed.
• Ensure payroll activities comply with company policies, procedures, and applicable regulations.
• Perform other payroll and HR-related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• 3–5 years of progressive payroll experience in a corporate or enterprise environment.
• Hands-on Workday experience is required, preferably with Workday Payroll and/or related HCM functionality.
• Strong understanding of payroll processing, timekeeping, overtime, leave, deductions, and payroll reconciliation.
• Experience researching and resolving payroll discrepancies and employee payment issues.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to handle confidential employee and payroll information professionally.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet strict payroll deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Workday Time Tracking, Absence, or HCM.
• Experience supporting payroll audits, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and data analysis.
• Experience working with HR, Finance, and Timekeeping teams in an integrated environment. 

Salary/Rate: $25-$30/HR (depends on experience level). This is a contract position with candidates expected to work 40 hours/ week.

About Us

Peterson Technology Partners (PTP) is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating a transparent, inclusive, and human-centered hiring experience.

For more than 28 years, PTP has operated as one of the top IT staffing and recruiting firms in the USA—built on trust, long-term partnerships, and technical excellence.

Based in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, IL, our team of more than 500 employees and consultants is dedicated to:

• Helping every client make the best hiring decisions possible
• Matching professionals with the right IT jobs and career opportunities

As part of that commitment, we believe in providing clear information about how our hiring technologies work and how your data is used. The following section outlines our AI-assisted interview process and your rights as a candidate.

AI-Assisted Interview Experience (Pete & Gabi – Rebecca):

To provide a consistent, fair, and flexible experience for all candidates, we use AI-assisted tools to support parts of the interview process. This includes our proprietary AI platform Pete & Gabi, which includes AI recruiter Rebecca.

These AI hiring tools help us:

• Conduct recorded video interviews
• Transcribe interviews
• Summarize candidate responses
• Generate job-related insights
• Streamline communication and scheduling

Please note that:

• The AI does NOT make hiring decisions; all decisions are made by our human recruiters, hiring managers, or client partners.
• The AI does not evaluate facial expressions, emotions, or physical traits; it is used only to support fairness, consistency, and efficiency.

If you prefer a non-AI interview format, we will gladly provide an alternative.