Payroll Data & Reporting Specialist

Overview Location(s): Encinitas / San Diego Practice/Department: Finance Work Environment: On-site* Compensation: $43-$48 hourly Dudek’s journey began in 1980 with a vision to serve Southern California’s water and wastewater agencies.  Today, we are a 100% employee-owned firm supporting clients nationwide and delivering projects that improve and protect the built and natural environments of communities throughout the United States. Our work has been recognized by leading industry organizations, and we’ve been honored with multiple national Top Workplace Awards.  Our employee-owners are unified by a singular commitment to supporting projects that address key societal issues, such as the transition to renewable energy, infrastructure hardening and repair, environmental protection, and community resilience.  Learn more about our  award-winning culture , the  benefits and perks  of being a Dudekian, and the  projects  you will have the opportunity to shape.   Position Overview Who You Are   As an  employee-owner , you embrace accountability, working safely, and collaboration while thinking resourcefully and independently.  Like all Dudekians, you are curious and  solution-oriented , with the ability to adapt quickly to changes and approach challenges with a spirit of  innovation .   How You’ll Make an Impact   Dudek is seeking a meticulous Payroll Data & Reporting Specialist to enhance payroll operations through data analysis and effective data reporting. This role will focus on maintaining and monitoring data integrity across all current and future payroll data platforms to consistently ensure continuity throughout a multitude of payroll workflows. Essential contributions of this role are to proactively identify inconsistencies in payroll data as it relates to payment, posting, reporting, and compliance.   Advance knowledge and application of ongoing disciplines such as multiple state payroll laws, payroll operations, payroll systems, and payroll reporting are key to success in this role. The position partners closely with Payroll Leadership, Internal Dudek Departments, Special Teams, and External Entities to deliver timely and thorough insights and practical solutions that enhance payroll related efficiency, accountability, and scalability.   *Work Environment: This role will be on-site for the first 90 days after which eligibility for hybrid work will be evaluated. Duties and Responsibilities   Analytics and Reporting:  Develop, schedule, maintain, and provide essential payroll reporting and data matrix. Establish validating reports for internal and external use that incorporates payroll labor and earnings details for departmental audits, or a range of reconciliation needs that; identify data flux, anomalies, and discrepancies; and troubleshoot data issues.     Systems and Data Integrity:  Validate workflows, data integrations, and system exceptions or fallouts to ensure alignment between all payroll operating and payment systems; maintain data consistency across platforms to meet expectations for employee and employer records.   Configuration and Testing:  Support system configuration updates in payroll systems for departmental export and import files, templates, and business changes with impact to payroll systems; participate in implementations and conduct testing for payroll updates to all related systems prior to ‘go-live’, benefits enrollments, and other system enhancements.   Audit and Compliance:  Support year-round audit readiness, monthly, quarterly, year-end reporting and accurate tax filings through data validation, reconciliations, and documentation; proactively identify and mitigate risks. Work closely with payroll leadership on supplemental payroll runs, quarterly adjustment runs, and prior quarter adjustment runs to ensure compliance alignment with the accounting calendar and full inclusiveness of all necessary and known adjustments in a timely matter.  Payroll Processing Support:  Provide pre- and post-payroll audit checks, data validation, and compliance review from ongoing data integrity audits and reporting. Ensure payroll teams are aware of system discrepancies or potential issues for resolution prior to closing periods prematurely. Crosstrain on key payroll operation processes to reduce departmental vulnerabilities, as determined by payroll leadership.  Tax and State Compliance Support:  Assist with creating and maintaining state tax records, client responsible tax filing, and BLS reporting data.   Minimum Qualifications  Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field preferred   5+ years of experience in payroll, data analysis, or related field   Strong analytical and critical thinking skills   Experience working with payroll systems   Advanced Excel skills   Strong diligence and organizational skills   Ability to manage confidential information     Preferred Qualifications  3 Years Experience with Dayforce  Experience with Deltek VantagePoint or similar systems  Professional services industry experience  Prevailing Wage Certified Payroll experience  Experience with systems implementations and special projects   CPP or FCP certification.  Compensation: $43.00-$48.00 hourly*  *Final agreed-upon compensation will be based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, an individual’s related experience, education, certifications, skills, and work location. Successful candidates must pass a pre-employment drug test and background check prior to beginning employment.  Working Conditions    This job operates in a remote or office-based environment and this role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, printers, etc.  Physical Requirements  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. This job requires the following:   Working on