Accounting and Payroll Specialist

IntroductionWe are a privately owned Solar Services firm, focusing exclusively on the development of industry-leading solutions. We develop, design, and sell highly efficient products and custom installation solutions that enhance the overall adoption of solar. Our dynamic, growing company needs a capable, motivated, and detail-oriented Payroll and Accounting Specialist to support our Finance and Accounting department.The Accounting and Payroll Specialist is a hybrid role supporting both payroll and accounting, with the accounting focus centered on accounts payable. On the accounting side, this role manages the full accounts payable cycle, including vendor and subcontractor invoice processing, job-cost coding, approvals, vendor reconciliations, and month-end close support. On the payroll side, this role is responsible for accurately preparing and submitting multi-state payroll to our PEO, Insperity, for construction employees, including union and non-union craft labor. This role reviews timekeeping and job-cost data, applies collective bargaining agreement requirements, administers deductions and fringes, prepares certified payroll reports, manages union remittance reporting and payments, and supports compliance with applicable wage-and-hour, prevailing-wage, tax, and reporting requirements. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, comfortable working with high-volume transaction data, and experienced in the complexities of accounts payable and construction payroll.Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesAccounting – Accounts Payable EmphasisReview and process a high volume of vendor and subcontractor invoices, verifying them against purchase orders and coding them to the appropriate general ledger accounts and jobs.Route invoices for approval and follow up with project managers and department leaders to ensure timely approval in accordance with company policy.Manage subcontractor compliance documentation, including W-9s, conditional and unconditional lien waivers, and retention tracking.Reconcile vendor statements and research and resolve discrepancies, credits, and past-due balances.Respond to vendor inquiries promptly and professionally and maintain strong vendor relationships.Assist with customer invoicing and accounts receivable as needed.Assist with expense management as needed, including reviewing employee expense reports and corporate credit card transactions for proper documentation and coding.PayrollPrepare and submit weekly and/or biweekly payroll to the PEO for union and non-union employees across multiple jobs, entities, jurisdictions, and states, and review payroll previews and registers for accuracy before final approval.Review, validate, and import employee time, equipment time, per diem, travel, shift differentials, bonuses, and other payroll inputs prior to submission to the PEO.Apply union wage rates, classifications, overtime rules, dues, assessments, and employer-paid fringe benefit requirements in accordance with collective bargaining agreements, and ensure they are set up correctly in the PEO payroll system.Maintain current union rate sheets, benefit schedules, deduction authorizations, and employee classifications.Import processed payroll data from the PEO into the accounting system and allocate labor costs accurately by employee, project, cost code, department, phase, and labor class to support job-cost reporting.Prepare and submit certified payroll reports and other prevailing-wage documentation for public and private projects.Monitor payroll data for compliance with applicable federal, state, and local wage-and-hour and prevailing-wage requirements, and partner with the PEO on payroll tax matters.Reconcile PEO payroll registers and invoices, union deductions and liabilities, and payroll-related general ledger entries.Prepare and submit union remittance reports and issue payments directly to union locals and trust funds, including dues, health and welfare, pension, training, vacation, and other fringe benefit contributions.Coordinate new hire setup and employee changes in the PEO system, including pay rates, deductions, union affiliations, and job classifications.Research and resolve payroll discrepancies, working with the PEO as needed, and respond promptly and professionally to employee, supervisor, union, project management, and accounting inquiries.Coordinate with Human Resources, Operations, Project Management, Accounting, and the PEO to ensure complete and accurate payroll information.Support payroll audits, union audits, workers’ compensation audits, benefit audits, and government inquiries by providing organized and accurate records.Maintain payroll files and records in accordance with company retention policies and confidentiality standards.Required QualificationsThree or more years of combined payroll and accounts payable experience, including direct experience with construction payroll and union payroll.Working knowledge of collective bargaining agreements, union deductions and fringes, certified payroll, prevailing-wage requirements, and construction job costing.Experience preparing multi-state payroll and handling varied state and local payroll requirements.Working knowledge of payroll taxes and garnishments, and a strong understanding of wage-and-hour practices, deductions, and payroll reconciliations.Solid understanding of full-cycle accounts payable, purchase order matching, vendor management, and basic accounting principles, including accruals and account reconciliations.Experience with construction subcontractor compliance, such as lien waivers and retention, is strongly preferred.Associate or bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administrationProficiency with Microsoft Excel, including sorting, filtering, lookups, formulas, and reconciliation of large data sets.Experience with payroll or PEO platforms, timekeeping, AP automation, ERP, or construction accounting systems.Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion and sound judgment.Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to meet recurring deadlines in a fast-paced environment.Clear written and verbal communication skills and a service-oriented approach to resolving payroll and vendor questions.Core CompetenciesPayroll and accounts payable accuracy and attention to detailDeadline management and follow-throughAnalytical thinking and problem-solvingConfidentiality and professional judgmentCustomer service and employee and vendor supportCross-functional collaborationProcess improvement and internal controlsAdaptability in a high-volume environmentOur ValuesWe are looking for a talented and experienced individual who can run with projects from start to finish. We want a problem solver to interact ambitiously with our business and not just accomplish a task.The ideal individual will align well with our Core Values:TrustExcellenceAccountabilityCollaborationServiceInnovationGratitude