Senior Payroll Specialist

Company: Red River Commodities
Location: Fargo
Posted on: February 5, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Red River Commodities is a leading processor of sunflower seeds and specialty grains, specializing in high-quality, nutritious food products. We pride ourselves on our sustainable practices, innovation, and commitment to delivering superior products to our customers. Our team shares core values focused on family, pride, passion, safety, and integrity. We work hard, play harder, embrace authenticity, and always support one another to achieve our goals. Location: 501 42nd St N, Fargo, ND 58102 Position Summary: If precision, process excellence, and operational leadership are your strengths, you’ll thrive here. As our Senior Payroll Specialist, you’ll take ownership of the full payroll cycle and serve as a trusted expert in payroll accuracy, compliance, and process optimization. You’ll work closely with HR, Finance, and organizational leaders to ensure our payroll operations are not only accurate and timely, but also scalable, compliant, and employee?centric. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys solving complex problems, strengthening internal controls, and elevating payroll operations to the next level. Your work will directly shape the employee experience and support the company’s operational success. Key Responsibilities: Advanced Payroll Processing - Lead bi?weekly payroll processing with a high degree of accuracy, timeliness, and consistency. - Oversee complex payroll changes, including new hires, terminations, pay adjustments, bonuses, commissions, and special payments. - Process and audit payroll transactions such as benefits, garnishments, taxes, and deductions. - Review and validate timekeeping data, wage calculations, and multi?state payroll requirements. Compliance - Regulatory Oversight - Ensure payroll practices comply with federal, state, and local wage?and?hour laws, tax regulations, and internal policies. - Monitor regulatory changes and proactively implement updates to payroll processes and documentation. - Oversee payroll tax reporting and year?end activities, including W?2s, 1095s, and other required filings. - Support internal controls and risk?mitigation efforts related to payroll compliance. Reporting - Analytics - Prepare, analyze, and distribute payroll reports for HR, Finance, and leadership. - Provide insights and recommendations based on payroll data trends. - Support financial audits, budgeting, and forecasting with accurate payroll data. Record Maintenance - Data Integrity - Maintain accurate and audit?ready payroll and employee records. - Ensure timekeeping, tax withholdings, benefits, and deduction information is updated and accurate. - Uphold data integrity across payroll and HR systems. Employee Support -Issue Resolution - Serve as the senior escalation point for payroll questions, discrepancies, and complex issues. - Provide clear, professional guidance to employees and managers. - Resolve issues with a customer?focused, solutions?oriented approach. Audits - Strategic Projects - Lead or support internal and external payroll audits. - Drive payroll?related projects, including process improvements, system enhancements, and policy updates. - Identify opportunities to streamline workflows and strengthen compliance. System Management - Optimization - Maintain payroll systems and ensure accurate configuration and data flow. - Recommend and support system upgrades, enhancements, and integrations. - Manage user access, permissions, and security settings. Process Documentation - Knowledge Sharing - Create, update, and maintain payroll SOPs and compliance documentation. - Provide coaching, training, and support to HR team members on payroll processes and best practices. Cross?Functional Collaboration - Partner with HR, Finance, and other departments to support onboarding/offboarding, benefits administration, and cross?functional initiatives. - Contribute to broader people?operations projects that enhance the employee experience. Qualifications: - Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, HR, or related field—or equivalent experience. - Minimum of 3–5 years of hands?on payroll administration experience, ideally in a multi?state environment. - Strong experience with payroll systems (ADP a plus) and advanced Excel skills. Skills That Make You Stand Out - Tech?Savvy: Skilled with payroll systems and advanced Excel functionality. - Compliance?Focused: Deep understanding of payroll tax laws and wage?and?hour regulations. - Detail?Obsessed: You catch discrepancies before they become issues. - Analytical Problem Solver: You troubleshoot with clarity, speed, and accuracy. - Discreet & Trustworthy: You handle sensitive information with the highest level of confidentiality. - Clear Communicator: Able to explain payroll topics in a friendly, approachable way. - Organized & Efficient: You manage multiple deadlines with ease. - Service?Oriented: You enjoy supporting employees and delivering a positive experience. Company Benefits: At Red River Commodities, we value our employees and are committed to providing a supportive and rewarding work environment. As a member of our team, you will enjoy a competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits, and opportunities for career growth and development. Below are some additional benefits that we offer. - On-demand pay available through Tapcheck - Paid time off - Paid Holidays - 401k and company match - Profit Sharing - Employee Assistance Program Red River Commodities and its subsidiaries are an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This applies to all employment practices within our organization. Red River Commodities makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time. We are committed to maintaining a legal and compliant workplace. As part of our hiring process, Red River Commodities participates in the E-Verify program. Compensation details: 65000-75000 Yearly Salary PI4b0188f86bf0-25405-39583398

Keywords: Red River Commodities, Fargo , Senior Payroll Specialist, Accounting, Auditing , Fargo, North Dakota