Specialist, Time & Attendance Analyst (Hybrid - Rahway, NJ)

Job Description

The Time & Attendance (T&A) Analyst will be a hands-on role ensuring accurate, timely payroll processing and compliance across our US & Puerto Rico Non- Exempt employee population. This role will partner closely with several cross functional business units such as HRBPs, IT, Legal, Total Rewards and vendor partner teams and report to the HR Operations Associate Director- US/ PR Payroll Support and Global Supplier Manager. The ideal candidate combines payroll and T&A technical expertise with strong customer service and process-improvement skills.

Key responsibilities:

- Execute end-to-end time & attendance (T&A) and payroll validation activities on a biweekly payroll cycle, including data gathering, pre-run validation, payroll calculations verification, time sheet approvals coordination, and post-run reconciliations.
- Validate and reconcile time, payroll, and HRIS data; investigate discrepancies; and partner with HR, managers, employees, and ADP to resolve issues.
- Lead root-cause analysis for recurring T&A related payroll issues and drive remediation to improve data quality and process reliability.
- Lead and manage T&A projects with ADP and business stakeholders, ensuring accurate configurations, rules, and workflows for operational efficiency.
- Produce standard and ad hoc T&A data reporting and analytics to support HR, Finance, and business stakeholders.
- Develop standardized Payroll Guiding Principles into SOP’s to enable comprehensive training material and support cross functional stakeholders.
- Maintain controls, documentation, reconciliations, and audit readiness in support of SOX and internal audit/ compliance requirements.
- Utilize AI-driven analytics and automation tools to monitor T&A transactions, identify data anomalies, support root-cause analysis, and improve payroll accuracy, compliance, and operational efficiency.
- Primary contact and subject-matter expert for T&A processes and integrate with broader payroll functions, and finance and business stakeholders.
- Monitor vendor performance for T&A systems and services, and escalate issues related to T&A data integration and SLA compliance.
- Support HRBP Stakeholders to enhance T&A process governance and collaboration between cross functional business units
- Align stakeholders on T&A related policy, Union/ CBA, and regulatory changes to support system enhancements and process improvements.
- Participate in T&A system implementations, upgrades, and enhancements; assist with requirements, testing (including user acceptance testing), and post-deployment support.
- Hands on support to manage expectations, provide timely updates, and escalate risks or unresolved issues as needed.
- Translate complex T&A related payroll issues into clear business language for operational and technical teams.
- Knowledgeable in T&A related regulatory requirements and compliance initiatives to ensure accurate T&A processes aligned with policy and requirements.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree, current pursuit of degree completion, or equivalent relevant work experience.

Required Qualifications:

- Minimum of 3 years of payroll, time & attendance, or HRIS support experience; hands-on experience with payroll and T&A preferred.
- Audit and controls: Experience supporting payroll audits, SOX controls, or internal control frameworks
- Experience with some payroll and HRIS systems (e.g., ADP/EV6, E-Time Workday, UKG, ServiceNow).
- MS Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, basic formulas).
- Knowledge: Working knowledge of payroll and T&A concepts including wage calculations, overtime rules, deductions.
- Compliance and confidentiality: Demonstrated understanding of federal/state/provincial labor laws and best practices for enabling T&A processes.
- Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to explain T&A and payroll calculations.
- Attention to detail: High level of accuracy in data entry, reconciliation, and reporting.
- Problem solving: Ability to identify, investigate, and resolve payroll and T&A exceptions and discrepancies.
- Time management: Ability to work to strict payroll deadlines and prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Advanced technical skills: Advanced Excel skills (macros, Power Query), experience with SQL or data analysis tools, and familiarity with HRIS/payroll integrations/ and E Time.
- Systems experience: Direct experience implementing or supporting major payroll/ T&A system upgrades, integrations, or migrations.
- Analytical skills: Strong ability to produce and interpret payroll analytics and ad-hoc reporting to inform process improvements.
- Stakeholder management: Demonstrated experience collaborating across HR, Finance, IT, and external vendors.
- Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and confidentiality.
- Effective problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder-management skills.

MSJR

Required Skills:
Audit Readiness, Data Analysis, HR Analytics, Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), Microsoft Excel, Payroll Calculation, Payroll Processing, Payroll Tax Compliance, Process Improvements, Relationship Management, System Improvements, Time Attendance, Vendor Management, Wage Garnishments, Workforce Planning, WorkForce Software Time and Attendance

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The primary location for this posting is:
USA - New Jersey - Rahway

Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below.

The salary range for the primary location of this role is:
$79,200.00 - $124,700.00

This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs. The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits .

Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

San Francisco Residents Only:  We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only:  We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status:
Regular

Relocation:
No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:
No

Travel Requirements:
No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements:
Hybrid

Shift:
Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:
No

Hazardous Material(s):
N/A

Job Posting End Date:
10/30/2026
*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE  the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.