Payroll & Benefits Administrator

Waggle is seeking a proactive, detail‑oriented and highly organized Payroll & Benefits Administrator to support the accurate and compliant administration of payroll, benefits, and leave programs across our growing, multi‑state workforce. This role is ideal for an experienced administrator who enjoys hands‑on execution, supporting employees and contributing to scalable people operations as the company grows.

The Payroll and Benefits administrator will work directly with the Human Resources team and collaborate closely with Finance and Legal to ensure payroll accuracy, benefits administration, compliance and reporting. This is a fast‑paced, operational role that touches many parts of the employee lifecycle, offering the opportunity to support cross‑functional partners while helping maintain an excellent employee experience.

This will be Waggle’s first dedicated Payroll & Benefits Administrator, offering a unique opportunity to bring structure, expertise and ownership to these critical functions. The ideal candidate is a confident self‑starter who is comfortable operating independently, proactively identifying improvements and building scalable processes – while partnering closely with HR, Finance and Legal for alignment and support.

This role reports to the Head of Human Resources.

• Process bi‑weekly payroll accurately and on time, including regular wages, commissions and bonus payouts
• Process employee and employer retirement plan contributions
• Ensure payroll compliance with federal, state and local regulations across multiple states (currently MN, IA, KS, CO; additional states anticipated)
• Stay current on payroll laws, regulations and industry changes and implement required updates
• Coordinate payroll tax filings, reconciliations and audits
• Sync payroll journal entries to the accounting system after each payroll run and assist with payroll‑related reconciliations
• Pull and distribute payroll reports, including check history, earnings, and deductions on a bi‑weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis
• Compile payroll metrics and ad‑hoc reports as requested
• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee payroll questions

• Administer employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, FSA, life/AD&D and retirement plans
• Manage annual open enrollment, including employee communications, enrollments and system updates
• Act as liaison between employees and benefit vendors for enrollments, changes and claims support
• Maintain accurate benefit records and coordinate vendor billing
• Research benefit plans and vendors and provide recommendations to improve employee experience and offerings
• Coordinate administration of internal benefits programs and ensure eligible employees receive required access or materials
• Support benefit‑related onboarding tasks, including eligibility education and enrollment timelines

• Administer company‑sponsored maternity and paternity leave programs
• Administer statutory and external leave programs, including FMLA, Minnesota Paid Family & Medical Leave (MNPFML) and other applicable state and local programs
• Serve as a resource to employees and managers regarding leave eligibility, processes and required documentation
• Coordinate leave tracking, payroll impacts and benefit continuation during leaves
• Ensure compliance with federal, state and company leave policies

• Assist with unemployment insurance claims administration and documentation
• Support registration for unemployment insurance and payroll tax accounts in new states
• Assist with obtaining state tax identification numbers and maintaining compliance as the company expands into new states

• Support ongoing administration and optimization of payroll, benefits and HR systems
• Research payroll, benefits, and HR technology solutions and recommend improvements to efficiency and employee experience
• Assist with system enhancements, upgrades, vendor changes and implementations
• Maintain documentation and contribute to scalable, employee‑friendly workflows
• Provide general HR support as needed,…