Senior Payroll Specialist - Heavy Civil Construction

Location: North Shore, Massachusetts
Employment Type: Full-Time

Compensation
Annual Salary: $75,000 - $100,000, depending on experience
Comprehensive benefits package and long-term professional growth

Role Overview
An established heavy civil construction company is seeking an experienced Senior Payroll Specialist to support weekly payroll for a large workforce of office and field employees.

This role is ideal for a payroll professional who understands the complexities of union construction, prevailing wages, certified payroll, and project-based labor reporting. You will work closely with Payroll, Accounting, Human Resources, and Operations to ensure employees are paid accurately and all regulatory, union, and reporting requirements are met.

Key Responsibilities

• Process high-volume weekly payroll for approximately 500 office and field employees
• Manage payroll for a union workforce across multiple construction projects
• Prepare certified payroll reports and maintain compliance with federal, state, municipal, and union requirements
• Maintain employee records, wage rates, classifications, premiums, and location-specific pay requirements
• Process deductions, garnishments, benefit contributions, and payroll adjustments
• Review time-off requests and maintain accurate leave and accrual balances
• Research payroll discrepancies and respond to employee questions promptly
• Coordinate payroll taxes and union benefit remittances
• Reconcile payroll liabilities against accounts payable and general ledger records
• Support payroll audits, tax filings, and union reporting requirements
• Investigate account variances and correct payroll-related discrepancies
• Coordinate with project teams and accounting staff to obtain accurate labor information
• Ensure payroll activity aligns with job-costing and financial reporting systems

What They're Looking For

• 3 to 5 years of high-volume weekly payroll experience
• Construction payroll experience is strongly preferred
• Familiarity with union payroll, prevailing wage, Davis-Bacon, and certified payroll requirements
• Understanding of collective bargaining agreements and their impact on rates, classifications, premiums, and benefits
• Experience reconciling payroll accounts and resolving discrepancies independently
• Proficiency with payroll and accounting software
• Strong Excel skills, with advanced capabilities considered a plus
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• High level of accuracy, discretion, and confidentiality
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

• Join a stable construction company with a strong regional presence
• Take ownership of complex payroll processes within a large, unionized workforce
• Work closely with experienced payroll, accounting, and construction professionals
• Gain exposure to job costing, union reporting, and construction finance
• High-visibility position with meaningful responsibility and long-term growth potential