Senior Payroll and Benefits Specialist

ABOUT KRAKEN KINETICS

Kraken Kinetics designs and manufactures advanced kinetic solutions that enable modern warfighting capabilities for the United States Armed Forces and its allies. We specialize in mission-tailored warheads and firing systems for unmanned and autonomous weapon platforms, delivering production-ready solutions at speed to address urgent national security challenges.

Our team brings decades of specialized Department of War experience across the full lifecycle of kinetic system development—from concept and design through testing, manufacturing, and operational deployment. Built on a foundation of work that helped lead the DoW into the era of kinetic drones, Kraken Kinetics combines commercial agility with deep technical expertise to deliver DEFINITIVE LETHALITY™ when it matters most.

Position Summary

This is a rare chance to own payroll and benefits at a growing defense manufacturer and shape how it's done. As our Senior Payroll & Benefits Specialist, you will run weekly payroll end to end, administer our benefits, manage leaves of absence, and serve as our go-to ADP Workforce Now (WFN) expert for payroll, deductions and the 401(k). You'll work independently and make the day-to-day calls, with the Head of People and our Finance team as close partners whenever you want a sounding board or a second set of eyes.

This is an on-site, individual contributor role reporting to the Head of People. We expect to reach about 100 employees by the end of 2026 and grow to over 200 in 2027, so you will build processes that scale. Your first big milestones are taking full ownership of payroll in ADP and leading our February 2027 open enrollment.

Responsibilities

Payroll

• Own end-to-end payroll processing for weekly cycles covering exempt and non-exempt employees, including off-cycle runs, bonuses, and final pay.

• Audit every payroll before submission: hours, overtime, earnings, deductions, garnishments and tax withholdings.

• Partner with People Team and managers on new hire, job change and termination inputs so every payroll reflects accurate data.

• Manage payroll tax filings and notices for North Carolina and Maryland, register new states as the team expands, and resolve agency correspondence.

• Support month-end, quarter-end and year-end close with Finance, including accruals.

• Prepare and support year-end processes, including W-2 review, corrections and annual reconciliations.

• Maintain compliance with FLSA and state wage and hour laws, including accurate overtime calculations and exempt/non-exempt classification.

• Prepare payroll reports and documentation for internal and external audits, and respond to auditor requests.

• As government contract work grows, build DCAA-compliant timekeeping and labor-charging controls in ADP WFN with Finance, and support DCAA audits of labor costs.

Benefits

• Administer health, dental, vision, life, disability, and retirement plans.

• Lead annual open enrollment end to end: carrier coordination, system setup and post-enrollment audits.

• Process qualifying life events, new hire enrollments and terminations.

• Reconcile carrier invoices monthly and resolve discrepancies with carriers and brokers.

• Ensure compliance with ACA, ERISA, HIPAA and COBRA, including 1095-C reporting and annual 5500 and nondiscrimination testing support.

• Partner with our benefits broker on renewals, plan design and cost analysis.

Leave of absence

• Manage all leave programs in-house, including FMLA, state family and medical leave, short- and long-term disability, military leave and parental leave.

• Prepare and submit disability claim paperwork to our carrier, then stay in step with the carrier through the claim so leave status, pay and benefits stay aligned.

• Track leave balances, eligibility and return-to-work dates accurately.

• Keep benefits running for employees on leave: collect their premium contributions during unpaid leave, set up catch-up deductions on return, and prevent coverage gaps or lapses.

ADP Workforce Now administration

• Serve as a system administrator for ADP WFN Core HR and Payroll.

• Configure earnings and deduction codes (including benefit and 401(k) deductions).

• Build and maintain reports and dashboards for Finance and leadership.

• Maintain data integrity through regular audits of employee records.

• Manage data flows between ADP WFN, the ADP 401(k) and benefit carriers.

Cross-functional

• Serve as the primary contact for employee questions on pay, benefits and leave.

• Coordinate payroll and benefits steps in onboarding and offboarding, including final pay, benefits termination and COBRA notices.

• Conduct routine audits of payroll data, benefit elections and personnel records, and follow up on gaps promptly.

• Create and maintain SOPs, job aids and employee self-service guides for payroll, benefits, leave and ADP WFN.

• Keep payroll and benefits records organized, confidential and audit-ready in line with record-retention requirements.

Required Experience

• 5+ years of hands-on experience running payroll and administering benefits, ideally as the primary owner.

• 3+ years working with ADP Workforce Now, including configuration and custom reporting.

• Working knowledge of multi-state payroll tax, FLSA, FMLA, ADA, ACA, ERISA and COBRA.

• Experience managing leaves of absence and coordinating with disability carriers.

• Accounting fundamentals, including payroll journal entries and account reconciliations.

• Exceptional accuracy and the judgment to handle confidential information with discretion.

• Ability to manage competing deadlines independently with limited oversight.

• Clear, empathetic communicator who can explain complex topics to employees at every level.

Preferred Experience

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC).

• Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), SHRM-CP/SCP or PHR.

• Experience with ADP WFN implementations, integrations or module rollouts.

• Experience in a government contractor environment, including DCAA-compliant timekeeping, labor distribution or DCAA audits.

• Experience supporting a company through rapid growth, ideally scaling from roughly 100 to 200+ employees.

Benefits included:

• Generous PTO policy

• Comprehensive medical coverage (80% company-paid for employee + dependents).

• Vision & dental (100% company-paid)

• Short and long-term disability coverage (100% company-paid)

• Generous 401(k) retirement plan

• Company-paid life insurance

• Great teammates and well stocked snacks

LIFE IN MOORE COUNTY, NC (PINEHURST AREA)

Kraken Kinetics is based in Moore County, North Carolina, home to Pinehurst, a nationally recognized destination offering an exceptional quality of life.

Employees benefit from a low cost of living, minimal congestion, and a strong sense of community, with easy access to larger metropolitan areas, including Raleigh-Durham.

Whether you're looking to accelerate your career or put down long-term roots, the Pinehurst area offers a compelling alternative to traditional tech and defense hubs.

We are committed to supporting relocation for the right candidates.

Watch what it’s like to live here:
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EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Kraken Kinetics is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and welcome applicants of all backgrounds.