HR Generalist / Payroll Specialist

Carthage, MS

Full Time

Mid Level

Position Summary

The HR Generalist / Payroll Specialist provides responsive, accurate HR support to a high-volume manufacturing workforce and owns the detailed preparation, validation, and timely completion of weekly payroll for approximately 600 production workers. The role balances day-to-day employee service, plant-floor engagement, HR administration, and employee relations with disciplined payroll controls. The position is expected to improve processes, reduce errors and rework, resolve questions promptly, maintain confidentiality, and deliver consistently accurate outcomes.

Primary Outcomes

• Weekly payroll is completed on schedule with accurate hours, pay rates, shift differentials, production-based earnings, deductions, and adjustments.
• Employees and leaders receive timely, respectful, and practical HR support, with questions and requests documented, resolved, or escalated appropriately.
• Employee relations matters are addressed consistently and promptly through fact gathering, documentation, appropriate escalation, and partnership with plant leadership.
• Employee engagement is strengthened through regular plant-floor presence, two-way communication, relationship building, and follow-up on workforce concerns and recurring needs.
• Recurring errors, delays, employee concerns, and manual work are reduced through documented process improvements, standard work, controls, and cross-training.
• HR and payroll records are complete, secure, audit-ready, and maintained in accordance with company requirements.
• HR generalist activities, including onboarding, attendance, benefits and leave support, employee changes, records administration, and separations, are completed accurately and on time.

Key Responsibilities

Weekly Payroll Administration and Accuracy

• Own the end-to-end weekly payroll preparation process for approximately 600 production workers, following the established payroll calendar, cutoff times, approvals, and control requirements.
• Review and troubleshoot the ProLiant shift-based timekeeping system to verify hours worked, missed punches, schedules, department and job transfers, shift differentials, overtime, paid and unpaid leave, and attendance-related entries.
• Accurately enter, import, and validate production pounds and other approved production-based pay inputs used in payroll calculations.
• Collect and verify approved vacation requests, supply sheets, pre-arranged absence forms, rate-change forms, and other payroll-impacting documentation before processing.
• Validate new hires, terminations, transfers, pay-rate changes, deductions, garnishments, and status changes against approved source documentation and effective dates.
• Perform pre-payroll audits and reconciliations; investigate variances, duplicate or missing entries, unusual pay results, negative balances, and exceptions before payroll is finalized.
• Coordinate with supervisors, operations leaders, temporary staffing agencies, and the HR Manager to obtain missing information and resolve payroll exceptions by established deadlines.
• Prepare and process approved off-cycle payrolls, corrections, retroactive payments, and adjustments; document the reason, approval, calculation, and resolution for each item.
• Complete post-payroll review and reconciliation, maintain payroll control documentation, and track errors or corrections to identify recurring root causes.
• Respond promptly to employee payroll questions, explain calculations or next steps clearly, protect confidential information, and escalate complex matters as appropriate.

HR Generalist and Employee Support

• Serve as a front-line HR contact for production employees and supervisors, providing timely and accurate guidance on company policies, attendance, pay, benefits, leave, and routine employment matters.
• Maintain a regular presence on the production floor to build working relationships, identify concerns early, answer questions, and support consistent application of workplace practices.
• Support employee relations matters by gathering facts, documenting concerns, assisting with investigations, and escalating significant or sensitive issues to the HR Manager.
• Coordinate onboarding activities for company and temporary employees, including completion of required documentation, orientation support, system entry, and communication with staffing agencies and plant leaders.
• Process employee changes and maintain accurate personnel, attendance, leave, payroll, and related HR records in the appropriate systems and files.
• Provide benefits and leave administration support, including distributing information, assisting employees with routine questions, tracking required documentation, and escalating complex cases.
• Support attendance administration, corrective-action documentation, separations, unemployment responses, reporting, audits, and other recurring HR processes as assigned.
• Communicate policies and process requirements in a clear, respectful, and consistent manner to employees across shifts and literacy levels.
• Partner with plant leadership to identify workforce trends, recurring employee questions, training needs, and opportunities to improve the employee experience.

Process Improvement, Service, and Controls

• Document and maintain standard work, checklists, payroll calendars, approval paths, and backup procedures for critical HR and payroll processes.
• Analyze payroll corrections, timekeeping exceptions, employee inquiries, and missed deadlines to identify root causes and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Simplify forms, handoffs, reports, and data-entry steps to reduce manual work, duplicate effort, processing time, and the risk of error.
• Establish practical service standards for responding to employee and supervisor requests; communicate status and expected next steps when an issue cannot be resolved immediately.
• Use reports, audits, and trend data to monitor accuracy, timeliness, completion, and recurring exception patterns; communicate risks and recommended actions to the HR Manager.
• Cross-train designated backup support and maintain clear process documentation to ensure payroll and essential HR services continue during absences or peak workload periods.
• Protect personal and payroll information, follow role-based access and confidentiality requirements, and promptly report suspected data or control issues.
• Participate in HR, payroll, compliance, and plant improvement projects; complete other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• 2-3 years of progressive HR generalist, payroll, timekeeping, or related experience; manufacturing or high-volume hourly workforce experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of payroll concepts, timekeeping controls, wage and hour requirements, FMLA, and other employment laws relevant to the role.
• Strong attention to detail and demonstrated ability to manage confidential, deadline-driven work with a high degree of accuracy.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and HR, payroll, or timekeeping systems; experience with ProLiant preferred.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, customer-service, organization, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively with production employees, supervisors, staffing partners, and leaders across multiple shifts.
• Ability to prioritize competing requests, follow through on commitments, and recognize when an issue requires escalation.

Performance Expectations

• Accuracy: Payroll and HR transactions are supported by approved documentation, validated before completion, and corrected promptly when an error is identified.
• Timeliness: Weekly payroll milestones, employee responses, required records, and assigned HR actions are completed by established deadlines.
• Service: Employees and leaders receive respectful, consistent, and practical support, including clear ownership and follow-up.
• Process improvement: Recurring issues are measured, root causes are addressed, and updated standard work is communicated and sustained.
• Confidentiality and compliance: Employee and payroll information is handled appropriately, with concerns escalated promptly.