Payroll & Accounts Payable Specialist

The Opportunity

As our Payroll & Accounts Payable Specialist, you’ll play a critical role in ensuring employees are paid correctly and on time while helping keep our financial operations running smoothly. You’ll partner with HR, Finance, and vendors to coordinate payroll, reconcile benefit and payroll expenses, and maintain strong internal controls that support compliance and organizational success. This role is perfect for a detail‑driven professional who thrives on precision, values collaboration, and takes pride in delivering a seamless payroll experience that employees can count on every pay period.

• Monday-Friday, 8-5pm
• Hybrid

Central Oregon Pediatric Associates (COPA) has been caring for kids and families in Central Oregon for over 50 years, building lifelong relationships and helping children thrive from newborns to teens. Our mission is to provide exceptional, right‑fit care for kids at every age and stage, and our vision is to improve the health of all kids in our community. We do this in a welcoming, inclusive environment where collaboration, openness, play and accountability are part of how we care, not just what we do.

At COPA, you’ll work alongside people who value kindness, teamwork, and earning families’ trust every single day.

This role acts as a key operational partner between Finance, HR, and external vendors, maintaining strong internal controls while delivering a reliable employee payroll experience.

• Coordinate and support end‑to‑end bi‑weekly payroll processing, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to deadlines
• Review payroll data for accuracy, including earnings, deductions, taxes, and benefit elections
• Reconcile payroll registers to general ledger accounts and investigate variances
• Process off‑cycle payrolls including final paychecks, PTO cash‑outs, and manual adjustments in accordance with policy and wage laws
• Prepare and submit payroll liability payments and supporting documentation
• Maintain payroll records and filing systems, including employee and payroll vendor documentation
• Research, analyze, and resolve payroll discrepancies or employee inquiries in a timely manner
• Generate standard and ad‑hoc payroll reports for Finance and HR

• Reconcile benefit provider invoices (medical, dental, vision, retirement, and other deductions) to payroll deduction records
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies between vendor billings, payroll deductions, and enrollment data
• Coordinate with HR and benefit vendors to ensure accurate eligibility and deduction setup
• Support month‑end and year‑end reconciliations related to payroll and benefits

• Enter and code vendor invoices accurately and in a timely manner
• Coordinate the weekly check run, including payment preparation and documentation
• Maintain vendor records and assist with W‑9 collection and 1099 support
• Respond to routine vendor inquiries related to payment status

• Assist employees with payroll self‑service functions such as tax withholding updates and direct deposit changes
• Maintain confidentiality of all employee and payroll information
• Support payroll and AP system reporting and documentation

• Ensure payroll activities comply with federal, state, and local wage and tax regulations
• Follow established internal controls and maintain accurate audit trails
• Assist with payroll audits and internal reviews

• 401k and Profit sharing
• HSA, HRA and FSA Enrollment
• Medical, Life, Vision and Dental Insurance
• Supplemental insurance options
• Pediatric Care Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Education and Certification:

• High School diploma or GED Education required, Associate's degree preferred.
• Valid Oregon Driver’s License.

• 3+ years of payroll processing experience
• Experience reconciling payroll and benefit deductions
• Working knowledge of payroll taxes and wage and hour regulations
• Experience with payroll systems (e.g., ADP, Paylocity, or similar)
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills

• Experience supporting AP invoice processing
• Experience with general ledger reconciliations