Sarah Craig
Oak Grove,MO
Summary
Payroll and benefits leader with experience managing high-volume, multi-state payroll for 3,000+ employees and maintaining 99.9% processing accuracy. Brings hands-on strength in Paycom administration, payroll tax filings, 401(k) support, compliance audits, and process improvements that reduced payroll fees and improved operational control.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
PAYROLL OPERATIONS MANAGER
Outcomes Operating, Inc.
10.2024 - Current
- Supported end-to-end multi-state payroll processing in Paycom, handling bi-weekly wages, deductions, taxes, commissions, and adjustments while meeting processing deadlines.
- Reviewed employee records and payroll data to help maintain compliance with federal, state, and local tax and wage requirements.
- Completed pre- and post-payroll audits to identify and correct discrepancies in earnings, deductions, withholdings, and employee data, ensuring accuracy before and after final payroll runs.
- Collaborated with HR, benefits, finance, accounting, tax, legal, and operations leaders to resolve payroll issues, maintaining accuracy of employee and financial data across systems.
- Coordinated payroll activities across payroll, accounting, benefits, and business partners to enhance communication and resolve payroll-impacting changes and discrepancies promptly.
- Assisted in payroll system administration and optimization by reviewing configurations, integrations, earning codes, deduction codes, tax setup, and automated workflows to streamline processing functions..
- Supported internal and external financial, tax, workers' compensation, and regulatory audits by preparing documentation, validating payroll records, and addressing findings.
- Reduced payroll fees by 99%, accurate processing 99.9%.
SENIOR PAYROLL & BENEFITS MANAGER – MULTI-STATE OPERATIONS
Summit Restaurant Group LLC
02.2019 - 10.2024
- Supported full-cycle, multi-state payroll and benefits operations for 3000+ employees, including complex California payroll earnings, deductions, tax withholding, garnishments, benefit deductions, and payroll adjustments.
- Processed high-volume payroll transactions, ensuring accuracy and timeliness through detailed reviews of compensation, tax elections, benefit contributions, garnishment orders, and employee changes.
- Administered employee benefits processing, including biweekly benefit updates, open enrollment, benefit elections, payroll deductions, coverage changes, and payroll-to-benefit account reconciliations.
- Completed year-end payroll and benefits close by reviewing employee records, compensation tax data, benefit deductions, retirement contributions, and payroll transactions for accurate reporting.
- Completed federal Form 941 tasks, quarterly payroll tax filings, W-2 preparation, 1095-C reporting, and year-end tax processing, providing comprehensive supporting documentation for compliance.
- Supported 401(k) administration and retirement-related payroll activity by monitoring employee deductions, completing reconciliations, maintaining documentation, and assisting with annual audit preparation.
- Assisted with 401(k), workers' compensation, payroll, and benefits audits by gathering employee data, reconciliation schedules, tax records, benefit information, and supporting reports.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, BOOKKEEPING & PAYROLL SPECIALIST
Summit Restaurant Group LLC
08.2009 - 02.2019
- Achieved promotion to Payroll & Benefits Manager in 2019 due to exceptional payroll accuracy and responsibility handling.
- Processed multi-state payroll records, payroll changes, garnishments, tax data, deductions, and reconciliations while safeguarding confidential employee information.
- Supported federal Form 941 tax activities, quarterly and year-end payroll reporting, payroll audits, employee benefit processing, and recurring financial tasks.
- Completed bank, payroll, and account reconciliations, researched variances, and corrected errors to maintain accurate financial records and support schedules.
- Coordinated weekly check runs and prepared approved vendor payments, ensuring accuracy in payment details and timely processing of payments while maintaining supporting records.
- Handled vendor invoices and weekly check runs, matched vendor statements, resolved account issues with vendors, and kept payment records organized.
- Oversaw vendor management and financial recordkeeping, maintaining detail-oriented accuracy in all tasks.
- Performed detailed vendor statement reconciliations, compared statements against internal accounts payable records, and resolved outstanding balances and discrepancies to ensure accurate financial tracking.
Education
Some College (No Degree) - Business Administration
Western Nebraska Community College
Oak Grove, MOSkills
- Multi-state payroll, including California
- Tax compliance, set up, and filings
- Process improvement
- Audit support - 401K and Workers Comp
- Cross-functional communication
- Problem solving
- Policies and procedures implementation
- Paycom administration
- Benefits administration - open enrollment to reconciliation
- Deadline management
- Internal controls
- Garnishment processing
Timeline
PAYROLL OPERATIONS MANAGER
Outcomes Operating, Inc.
10.2024 - Current
SENIOR PAYROLL & BENEFITS MANAGER – MULTI-STATE OPERATIONS
Summit Restaurant Group LLC
02.2019 - 10.2024
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, BOOKKEEPING & PAYROLL SPECIALIST
Summit Restaurant Group LLC
08.2009 - 02.2019
Some College (No Degree) - Business Administration
Western Nebraska Community College