Payroll and Benefits Specialist

Payroll And Benefits Specialist

Maryville College - Maryville, TN 37804

Position Purpose

The Payroll & Benefits Specialist provides professional administration of the College's payroll, employee benefits, leave administration, and retirement programs while ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state, and institutional requirements. Reporting to the Director of Human Resources, this position serves as the College's subject matter expert for payroll administration, benefits administration, payroll compliance, and employee leave processes.

Education And Experience Required To Ensure Success In This Position

Education required

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Human Resources, Finance, or a related field required.

Experience required

• Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in payroll administration, benefits administration, accounting, Human Resources, or a related professional field.
• Experience processing payroll and administering employee benefits in an HRIS environment required; Paycom experience preferred.
• Experience administering retirement programs, leave administration, payroll tax reporting, or payroll compliance preferred.
• Experience working in higher education, nonprofit organizations, or similarly complex organizations preferred.
• Experience interpreting payroll regulations, employment policies, and benefit plan provisions preferred.

Essential Functions

Leadership and Collaboration

• Serve as the College's primary resource for payroll administration, employee benefits, leave administration, retirement programs, and payroll-related compliance.
• Collaborate with the Director of Human Resources, Finance, supervisors, and external vendors to ensure accurate payroll processing, benefits administration, and regulatory compliance.
• Provide guidance and training to employees and supervisors regarding payroll procedures, timekeeping requirements, leave administration, retirement programs, and employee benefits.
• Deliver responsive, employee-centered service while maintaining professionalism, confidentiality, accuracy, and compliance in all payroll and benefits activities.

Data, Technology, and Compliance

• Administer bi-weekly payroll processing for employees and student workers through the Human Resources Information System (HRIS).
• Review payroll records, timekeeping data, leave balances, and employment information to ensure compliance with applicable wage and hour laws, payroll regulations, and institutional policies.
• Maintain payroll records, payroll tax documentation, employee benefit records, retirement contributions, benefit deductions, garnishments, child support orders, payroll liabilities, and payroll-related financial documentation.
• Prepare payroll reports, regulatory filings, audit documentation, leave reports, retirement reports, and other records required for institutional reporting and compliance.
• Maintain payroll and benefits system integrity by identifying discrepancies, resolving payroll issues, and recommending process improvements that enhance accuracy and efficiency.

Stakeholder and Institutional Support

• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee payroll, benefits, retirement programs, leave administration, and payroll-related inquiries.
• Coordinate employee benefits enrollment, qualifying life events, annual Open Enrollment, retirement participation, and benefits education.
• Collaborate with benefit providers, retirement vendors, payroll partners, and Finance to resolve payroll and benefits issues.
• Develop and maintain payroll and benefits communications, employee resources, and informational materials that support employee understanding of total rewards programs.

Operations and Technical Oversight

• Administer payroll deductions, retirement contributions, tax withholding, garnishments, child support orders, and employee benefit deductions.
• Review, reconcile, and process employee benefit vendor invoices, retirement contributions, COBRA billing, payroll deductions, and other payroll-related vendor billings to ensure accurate employee deductions, employer contributions, timely vendor payments, and financial reconciliation.
• Coordinate payroll funding, payroll-related financial reconciliations, and vendor payment processes with Finance to ensure payroll-related obligations are accurately recorded, reconciled, and paid in a timely manner.
• Coordinate payroll calendars, payroll processing schedules, year-end payroll activities, and required payroll reconciliations.
• Maintain employee leave balances and process payroll-related leave transactions, ensuring accurate leave accruals, payroll calculations, and payroll adjustments in accordance with approved leave actions and institutional policies.
• Coordinate student employee payroll processing and employment documentation while collaborating with campus departments to ensure timely payroll processing and compliance with student employment requirements.
• Maintain payroll and benefits information within the Human Resources Information System (HRIS), SharePoint, and other employee communication resources.
• Provide administrative support for additional Human Resources operational activities, including employment documentation and onboarding processes, during periods of high workload, staffing transitions, or as assigned.

Fiscal Oversight

• Support payroll reconciliation, financial reporting, audit preparation, payroll tax reporting, and year-end processing activities.
• Collaborate with Finance to reconcile payroll expenditures, payroll liabilities, employee benefit invoices, retirement contributions, payroll deductions, and payroll-related vendor billings while ensuring accurate accounting, timely payment, and regulatory compliance.
• Investigate and resolve payroll, benefit billing, retirement funding, and vendor reconciliation discrepancies while maintaining appropriate documentation and audit readiness.
• Review, reconcile, and process benefit vendor invoices to ensure employee deductions, employer contributions, and vendor billings are accurate and resolved in a timely manner.
• Monitor payroll expenditures, benefit billing, leave balances, and payroll reporting to support sound financial stewardship and institutional compliance.

Strategic Planning and Sustainability

• Recommend improvements to payroll, benefits, and leave administration processes that enhance efficiency, compliance, and employee service.
• Support annual benefits renewal, Open Enrollment, and employee benefits communication initiatives.
• Evaluate payroll and benefits trends, system capabilities, and operational practices to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Contribute to Human Resources initiatives that strengthen operational effectiveness, employee service, and the College's total rewards programs.

Other:

NOTE: Other roles/duties will be assigned as necessary to assist the College in the attainment of the goals set forth and the enhancement of a positive, respectful learning environment for all staff, faculty, and students.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of payroll administration principles and practices, including payroll processing, wage and hour requirements, payroll taxation, payroll deductions, and payroll compliance.
• Working knowledge of employee benefits administration, retirement programs, leave administration, qualifying life events, COBRA, and benefit plan administration.
• Knowledge of applicable federal and state laws and regulations related to payroll, taxation, wage and hour compliance, employee benefits, retirement plans, and leave administration.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze payroll and benefits data, reconcile financial records, identify discrepancies, and resolve issues with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines, prioritize competing responsibilities, and maintain exceptional accuracy.
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills with the ability to communicate complex payroll and benefits information clearly and professionally to employees, supervisors, vendors, and external partners.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain strict confidentiality, and manage highly sensitive payroll, benefits, and employee information with professionalism and discretion.
• Proficiency with Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS), payroll systems, Microsoft Office applications, and technology supporting payroll administration, benefits management, and reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to identify opportunities for process improvement and contribute to operational efficiencies that enhance payroll accuracy, compliance, and employee service.
• Demonstrated ability to reconcile payroll transactions, employee benefit billings, retirement funding, payroll liabilities, and vendor invoices while maintaining exceptional accuracy and financial accountability.

License, Certification, or Registration Necessary:

• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) preferred or obtained within twenty-four (24) months of hire.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP), SHRM-CP, PHR, or other related professional certification preferred.
• Valid Tennessee driver's license or the ability to obtain one within thirty (30) days of employment, if required for institutional business.

Work Environment And Physical Requirements:

• Professional office environment with frequent interaction with employees, supervisors, faculty, staff, Finance personnel, and external benefit providers.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to travel between campus buildings to support payroll, benefits, and Human Resources activities.
• Must be able to occasionally lift and transport materials weighing up to 20 pounds.
• Occasional extended hours may be required during payroll processing, fiscal year-end, open enrollment, or other critical payroll and benefits activities