Position Spotlight: Payroll Manager

I was born and raised in Pacific Grove (Monterey Peninsula), CA, and moved to Tennessee in 2004. I have worked in Payroll for 23 years and joined the Contessa family in 2017. In my free time, my husband and I love taking long road trips, going kayaking, and playing softball or cornhole.

What does a Payroll Manager do at Contessa? During each payroll period, I add new hires, review and process expense reports, review and upload timesheets, track and process any changes needed, and process payroll for the corporate team and our markets. Once payroll is done, I switch over to the accounting side to book all the General Ledger entries needed.  Once that is done, I’m running reports, answering emails, and processing invoices.

Why did you choose a career in Finance/HR? I have always been very detailed oriented and good with numbers. I originally started out as an HR Specialist, and then one day the company I worked for needed me to cover for the payroll department and I enjoyed it so much I never left!

How does the work you do at Contessa differ from other Finance/HR jobs?  Prior to Contessa, my focus was only on payroll and benefits, but now I’m doing both the Payroll and the Accounting side, which was new for me and has allowed me to learn how everything ties together.

What is the best part of your job? Making people happy! I do my best to make sure everyone is happy with my dedication and service, knowing I’ve accomplished that is a great feeling.

What’s the most challenging part of your job? Payroll is on a rigid schedule, and making sure everything has been approved, updated, and correct before hitting the final submit button by the deadline can be quite a challenge at times.

What inspires you to come to work every day? I love the company and the people! I am proud of what our company does, and even though I’m not directly involved with patients, I know that Contessa is making a difference in their lives. I love the people I work with, not just my department but the whole team. When I first joined Contessa, I immediately felt like part of the family and each year the family gets bigger and bigger – it’s exciting!