Senior Payroll Associate

Job Summary
Our client, a leading media and entertainment company, is seeking a Senior Payroll Associate to join their team. This is a 6-month contract to hire opportunity (August 2026 through February 2027). The Senior Payroll Specialist performs a variety of functions necessary for the accurate and timely processing of multi-state, multi-company, weekly and bi-weekly payrolls for non-union employees, coordinating and implementing work procedures that require comprehensive operational knowledge of federal and state regulations related to wage garnishment, taxation, and wage-hour law. While there are no direct people-management responsibilities, this role coordinates independently with associates, leaders, and teams outside of Payroll Shared Services to meet deadlines, champion process improvement initiatives, and enhance the employee experience.

Core Responsibilities

• Ensure timely and accurate processing of multi-state, multi-company bi-weekly and weekly payrolls for non-union salary, hourly, and freelance employees in compliance with company policies and federal, state, and local regulations
• Perform detailed pre-payroll processing audits of earnings, deductions, benefits, garnishments, and tax setups to prevent pay-impacting errors
• Process on-demand payments, retroactive payments, one-time payments, taxable fringe benefits, tax adjustments, equity-based compensation, stop payments, voided checks, direct deposit reversals, and overpayment collections
• Interpret and set up withholding orders for levies, garnishments, child support, and other involuntary wage assignment orders within the regulated period, responding to vendor inquiries as needed
• Serve as a go-to expert for payroll questions, including taxation of employee payments, managing timely resolution of customer issues and escalations, performing and documenting Root Cause Analysis, and implementing remedial procedures
• Provide testing support during the implementation of a new timekeeping system and assist with team training
• Ensure compliance with all company policies, internal controls, and SOX controls

Required Skills/Experience (Must-Haves)

• 4+ years of hands-on payroll processing experience, preferably in the media or entertainment industry
• Experience interpreting and setting up withholding orders for levies, garnishments, child support, and other involuntary wage assignment orders
• Experience and knowledge of California labor laws
• Experience and knowledge of automated time and attendance systems
• Strong working knowledge of taxable fringe benefits and processing of stock transactions
• Strong working knowledge of FLSA and federal, state, and local wage-hour and tax regulations
• Intermediate Excel skills, including VLOOKUP and pivot tables

Preferred Skills/Experience (Nice-to-Haves)

• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation
• Experience with Workday Payroll
• Experience initiating and leading standardization and process improvement initiatives

Key Competencies & Behaviors

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent judgment, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Strong interpersonal skills — approachable, responsive, and team-focused
• High degree of professionalism, with a strong track record of delivering quality customer service
• Ability to establish and maintain effective, collaborative working relationships across teams

Work Environment

• Location: New York, NY
• Onsite

Compensation & Benefits

• Pay Range: The approximate pay range for this position is between $31.00 and $45.00 per hour. Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate. Final compensation may vary based on factors including but not limited to background, knowledge, skills, and location. We comply with local wage minimums.
• Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance Plans
• Employee-Owned Profit Sharing (ESOP)
• 401K offered

About KellyMitchell
At KellyMitchell, our culture is world class. We’re movers and shakers! We don’t mind a bit of friendly competition, and we reward hard work with unlimited potential for growth. This is an exciting opportunity to join a company known for innovative solutions and unsurpassed customer service. We're passionate about helping companies solve their biggest IT staffing & project solutions challenges. As an employee-owned, women-led organization serving Fortune 500 companies nationwide, we deliver expert service at a moment's notice. 
 
Marketing Disclosure
By applying for this job, you agree to receive calls, AI-generated calls, text messages, or emails from KellyMitchell and its affiliates, and contracted partners. Frequency varies for text messages. Message and data rates may apply. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. You can reply STOP to cancel and HELP for help. You can access our privacy policy at  https://www.careers.kellymitchell.com/privacy-policy