Payroll Clerk

Position Information

Position Title Payroll Clerk

Position Category Civil Service

Position Status 12 Month

FLSA Non-Exempt

Advertised Salary $24.86

Department Business Office

Working Hours Monday - Friday 35 hours per week

General Description

At SUNY Niagara, We are seeking a detail-oriented, highly organized, and dependable Payroll Clerk to join our Business Office team. This is much more than a traditional clerical position. The Payroll Clerk plays a critical role in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the College’s payroll operations. If you are someone who loves working with numbers, notices the details others miss, enjoys solving discrepancies, and takes pride in getting things right, this could be the opportunity for you.

Payroll can be quite complex. SUNY Niagara employees are represented by multiple collective bargaining units, each with its own provisions affecting compensation, work schedules, leave, stipends, deductions, and other payroll-related matters.

As our Payroll Clerk, you will become an important resource in navigating these requirements and ensuring that payroll is processed accurately and in accordance with collective bargaining agreements, College policies, procedures, and applicable laws and regulations. Your attention to detail will directly impact our employees and the financial integrity of the College.

We are looking for someone who understands that payroll is all about the details. You will be successful in this position if you:

• Have exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.

• Can recognize when something doesn’t look right and have the persistence to investigate it.

• Are highly organized and able to manage multiple deadlines.

• Can learn, understand, and consistently apply complex rules and procedures.

• Are comfortable working with collective bargaining agreements and applying contractual provisions to individual payroll situations.

• Handle confidential employee and payroll information with discretion and professionalism.

• Take pride in producing accurate work and meeting payroll deadlines.

Why Join SUNY Niagara?

At SUNY Niagara, we believe that our employees are our greatest asset. In addition to competitive compensation, we offer an outstanding benefits package designed to support your health, financial well-being, and work-life balance. To learn more about our comprehensive benefits, please visit our Benefits webpage:

When you join SUNY Niagara, you become part of a supportive, student-centered community where your contributions are valued and your professional growth is encouraged.

Work-Life Balance

We recognize that employees thrive when they have time to excel both professionally and personally. At SUNY Niagara, generous paid time off, holiday, and leave policies make this possible. Our college closes for winter break from late December through early January and a week in mid-March for spring recess. In the summer, employees observe a four-day workweek, allowing them to enjoy valuable time to recharge and pursue personal interests.

Professional Growth & Development

Your success is our success. SUNY Niagara is committed to supporting lifelong learning through professional development opportunities, workshops, conferences, and educational advancement. We encourage employees to expand their skills, pursue new opportunities, and grow throughout their careers.

Inclusive & Collaborative Community

We are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment where every employee feels valued and respected. By embracing diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, we create a culture of belonging that enriches our campus community and enhances the educational experience for our students.

Join SUNY Niagara and become an important part of the team responsible for ensuring that our employees receive the accurate and timely compensation they have earned.

Typical Work Activities

1. Completes and then checks for accuracy the assigned payrolls and time cards and/or time and attendance reports before submitting to the County Payroll Department and/or the Civil Service department when certification is required

2. Completes report of personnel change forms in accordance with Niagara County Civil Service Rules and forwards them to the Civil Service Office and the Payroll Department;

3. Submits required reports and forms for deductions including withholding tax, F.I.C.A., union dues, credit union, savings contributions, etc.;

4. When assigned, files report of personnel change forms, payroll reports, physical exam reports, applications, waivers, leave reports, and other personnel reports;

5. When assigned, maintains and posts to journals and spread sheets;

6. Maintains earnings records and reports for assigned employees according to established policy;

7. When assigned, maintains and submits required reports for Health Care, Unemployment Insurance, F.I.C.A., New York State Retirement, and Workmen’s Compensation;

8. May assist in budget preparation with regard to employees’ salary and associated costs including step increases, longevity, contract raises, etc.;

9. Issues employees’ paychecks according to established policy;

10. Prepares and verifies salary and employment information for the Social Security Administration, New York State Retirement, the IRS , etc.;

11. Assists other clerical staff with various payroll deduction methods, terms and procedures;

12. Issues stop payment orders with banks regarding payroll checks;

13. Prepares and codes computer maintenance forms regarding changes in payroll data;

14. When assigned, may complete the entire payroll cycle beginning at data input, then production of the payroll, and finally the recording and reporting of payroll data using a computer software program;

15. When assigned, performs general office clerical functions such as answering phones, filing, duplicating, etc.;

16. When assigned, completes, submits, and maintains necessary paperwork in accordance with Civil Service canvassing and certification procedures for departmental appointments;

17. When assigned, maintains and routes employee evaluation forms in accordance with departmental procedures;

18. When assigned, may maintain other financial records not related to the payroll process.

Essential Functions

Good knowledge of accounting and office terminology, procedures and equipment; working knowledge of Federal and State forms along with the procedures and terminology associated with maintaining personnel records pertinent to payroll; ability to understand and follow detailed oral and written instructions; ability to get along well with others; ability to complete clerical work with a high degree of accuracy; dependability; physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.

Required Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or possession of an equivalency diploma

• Three (3) years of full-time, paid general office experience that involved the maintenance of financial records, two (2) of which must have involved the use of computerized data processing equipment to maintain financial records.

NOTE : Successful completion of coursework in accounting, business administration or closely related field at a regionally accredited college or university, or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees, may be substituted for the required experience with three semester credit hours being equivalent to three months of experience.

Desirable Qualifications

License(s)/Certifications

About SUNY Niagara

SUNY Niagara is a thriving educational institution located between the picturesque landscapes of Niagara Falls and the vibrant city of Buffalo, NY. Our college serves a diverse student population and is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment. With a commitment to academic excellence and student success, SUNY Niagara offers a supportive and collaborative environment for both faculty and staff.

SUNY Niagara is an accredited institution of higher education that offers high-quality academic programs leading to degrees and certificates that are supported by outstanding student services. The top 4 majors of our students are Liberal Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Psychology, and Criminal Justice. In 2023, SUNY Niagara ranked #1 in graduation rate among community colleges in New York State!

SUNY Niagara provides a variety of cultural, athletic, social, and international experiences, as well as community education, small business, and workforce development that supports economic development that positively impacts the quality of life of valued stakeholders. The college operates through a collegial model of shared governance and transparency and is accountable for meeting the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.

SUNY Niagara has two locations in western New York consisting of 287 acres and 11 buildings. The Sanborn, campus is minutes from Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and the Canadian border and is centrally located between the county’s three main cities of Lockport, Niagara Falls, and North Tonawanda. The Sanborn campus offers a traditional college experience with world-class academics, knowledgeable faculty members, state-of-the-art classrooms, NJCAA athletics, and on-campus housing. We continue to invest in our facilities with the addition of the Learning Commons Center, which has become the nucleus of the campus; a place for faculty to collaborate and help students develop critical thinking skills while incorporating state-of-the-art technology and innovative student support services. We also modernized our campus dining commons, providing quality meal options in a sleek, comfortable, collaborative environment.

The Niagara Falls Culinary Institute ( ( NFCI ) is located in the heart of one of the world’s biggest tourist destinations, Niagara Falls. Fully outfitted with modern labs and tools for students to use as they train in both classic and trendy techniques, NFCI is home to Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts, and Hospitality programs. The college also operates Savor, a fine dining restaurant, and La Patisserie, a European-style pastry café, at NFCI .

Our college nurtures and empowers its students and employees in ways that recognize and value our common humanity as well as the richness of our diversity. SUNY Niagara welcomes applicants who want to join a leading regional institution that provides a dynamic, educational environment, responds to students’ current and emerging needs, and strengthens its community. At SUNY Niagara we embrace diversity and promote inclusion throughout the institution by recognizing, accepting, and celebrating differences within our campus and surrounding communities. Therefore, we desire and pursue candidates who share those principles and encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply to our positions.

EEO Statement

SUNY Niagara does not discriminate and prohibits harassment or discrimination related to any protected category including creed, ethnicity, citizenship, national origin, sex, gender, pregnancy, disability, marital status, political or social affiliation, age, race, color, veteran status, military status, religion, sexual orientation, domestic violence status, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression or perceived gender. Individuals from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Posting Detail Information

Posting Number S394P

Open Date 09/08/2026

Close Date

Open Until Filled Yes

Special Instructions Summary

For full consideration applications must be submitted by October 4th. If a viable candidate is not found during the initial review, applications submitted after October 4th will be considered.

SUNY Niagara considers only those applications that clearly demonstrate the applicant meets all required qualifications as indicated on the posting, please review the qualifications before applying. Persons meeting the required qualifications as stated above should submit the following:

• cover letter that addresses each of the qualifications

• resume

• names and contact information for three (3) current, work related references

Incomplete packets will be rejected for lack of information.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• • How many years of full-time, paid general office experience do you have that involved the maintenance of financial records, two (2) of which must have involved the use of computerized data processing equipment to maintain financial records?

• No experience

• 1-2 years

• 3-5 years

• 5 or more years

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

• Resume

• Cover Letter

Optional Documents

• Transcripts

• Letter of Recommendation

• Certifications/Licenses

• Transcript 2

• Transcript 3