Payroll and Benefits Specialist

The Kennedys HR team is seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Payroll and Benefits Specialist to join our team in the New Jersey office. This role is critical in ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, while providing excellent support to employees and partnering across the organization to improve payroll efficiency. You will be working in a fast-paced, demanding, and global environment as we strive to make a difference for our people, clients and communities where we work. The ideal candidate will have strong experience with Paylocity, exceptional Excel skills, and a solid understanding of payroll and benefits compliance within a professional services environment.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll and HRIS

• Process the firm's bi-weekly and semi-monthly multi-state payroll ensuring all employee data is correct and compliant with legal and tax requirements.
• Manage payroll-related calculations and resolve discrepancies.
• Accurately enter and maintain employee information in the HRIS and Paylocity systems, including new hires, terminations, job changes, compensation updates, leaves of absence, and personal details.
• Generate, analyze, and present payroll and benefits reports using advanced Excel functions (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, formulas, macros).
• Assist with year-end payroll activities, audits and statutory reporting.
• Process verification of employment, wage statements, garnishments, term letters, and manage the processing of unemployment claims.
• Perform regular audits of HRIS data to ensure completeness, accuracy, and compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
• Maintain employment related change trackers, including but not limited to FMLA, leaves of absence, accommodations, and fee earner hours.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for the firm regarding all payroll, HRIS, and benefits-related inquiries, providing expert guidance and support.
• Continuously seek process improvements to enhance payroll and benefits operations efficiency and accuracy.
• Stay current with payroll legislation, tax laws, and benefits regulations relevant to the US.

Additional Responsibilities

• Assist in the administration of employee benefit programs including 401(k), health insurance, life and disability, and other voluntary benefits.
• Administer Leave of Absence processing and communications.
• Update and manage HR-related content on the firm's intranet to ensure information is current and accessible.
• Prepare materials and communications for open enrollment periods to region.
• In conjunction with the Senior Manager, Total Rewards, support benefits compliance reporting to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements.
• Manage census information for benefit portals.

Required Experience

• 5-8 years of proven experience managing payroll and benefits administration, preferably within a law firm or professional services environment.
• Proven experience administering and maintaining HRIS systems such as Workday, Paylocity, ADP.
• Strong proficiency in Paylocity payroll software is essential.
• Must be familiar with FMLA rules and regulations.
• Advanced Excel skills, including experience with formulas, pivot tables, data analysis, and reporting.
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated experience in HR data entry, system configuration, and data integrity audits.
• Strong knowledge of US payroll legislation, tax, and benefits regulations.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a customer-focused approach.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a fast-paced team.

The annualized salary range for this role is $75,000 - $85,000. However, this is contingent upon level of experience, location and other job-related factors permitted by law.

This is a developing role and the job description is not exhaustive and may vary in line with changes in the team's objectives and firm policy.

Please let us know if you require any additional support or adjustments to be made in order to submit your application to Kennedys.

About Kennedys

Kennedys is a global law firm with expertise in dispute resolution and advisory services. With over 2,750 people worldwide across 48 offices in the UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and America we have some of the most respected legal minds in their field.

Our lawyers handle both contentious and non-contentious matters, and provide a range of specialist legal services, for many industry sectors but we have particular expertise in litigation and dispute resolution, especially in defending insurance and liability claims.

We're a fresh-thinking firm, and we're not afraid to bring challenging new perspectives to the table way beyond the traditional realm of legal services. We empower our clients with a diverse range of ideas, tools and technology to make their lives easier, as well as delivering exceptional results, every time.

What do we have to offer?

We welcome high-performing lawyers, business services professionals, secretaries, graduates and apprentices to join our rapidly expanding global firm. Whatever your role at Kennedys, you'll be involved in exciting and stimulating work, where your input will make a difference.

Our culture and values form a big part of who we are and we take them seriously. We make a difference by being approachable, straightforward, supportive and distinctive. Our