Payroll Administrator

Job Description Job Description OUR IMPACT For over 50 years, Samaritan House has been leading the fight against poverty in San Mateo County. We’re the only organization that delivers the full breadth of essential services and personalized support to the working poor. By ensuring our clients are fed, clothed, healthy, and housed, we help them create their own stability and remain an active, successful part of our community. After all, an enduring community is only possible when every person has the resources they need to live. OUR CULTURE We’re passionate about providing our employees with a supportive work environment and experiences that help them grow. We offer excellent opportunities for individuals with proven strong, creative, results-driven leadership skills and stellar work ethics. We welcome candidates who love working with people of diverse backgrounds and want to make a difference by fostering community care for our neighbors in need. YOUR IMPACT Under the general supervision of the Controller, the Payroll Administrator is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payroll, payroll accounting, employee benefit deductions, electronic timekeeping and scheduling administration, labor allocation reporting, payroll compliance, and payroll-related financial reporting. The Payroll Administrator serves as the primary administrator of the Agency's payroll, timekeeping, scheduling, and payroll-related HRIS systems and works closely with Human Resources, Finance, and departmental leadership to ensure accurate payroll processing, labor allocations, regulatory compliance, and employee support. This position plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity of payroll and workforce data while supporting the Agency's operational and financial objectives. JOB QUALIFICATIONS Please note our preferred and in some cases required qualifications for this position: EDUCATION: Associate's Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Human Resources, Finance, or a related field preferred. Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) preferred. EXPERIENCE: 3-5 years of payroll administration experience. Experience in processing multi-department payrolls and maintaining employee payroll records. Experience with Paylocity or similar payroll and HRIS systems preferred. Experience working with nonprofit organizations and grant-funded payroll allocations preferred. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Thorough knowledge of payroll laws, wage and hour regulations, payroll tax reporting, and benefit deductions. Strong understanding of California payroll regulations and compliance requirements. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and proficiency with payroll reporting tools. Demonstrated experience with payroll systems, HRIS platforms, and financial applications. Ability to work independently while maintaining strong collaborative relationships across departments. Strong attention to detail, organizational skills and ability to multitask/prioritize in a fast-paced work environment Commitment to excellence and high standards. Self-motivated; capable of developing analysis from ambiguous information with minimal or no supervision. Strong organizational, problem-solving, and analytical skills; proven ability to multi-task, manage workflow and meet deadlines. Versatility, flexibility, and a willingness to work within a dynamic environment. Creative thinker with high energy and enthusiasm. Ability to work independently and as a member of project teams. Strong work ethic, customer service skills, positive and resilient attitude and integrity in all agency business dealings and interactions. Excellent, sound judgement and decision-making skills in a fast-moving environment; Ability to observe and work within professional boundaries in all interactions with all constituents; Ability to exercise tact and diplomacy under normal and stressful conditions. Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills. Ability to work effectively, maintain and cultivate relationships with Agency constituents of diverse backgrounds. . Flexible schedule, including ability to work early mornings, evenings, weekends and holidays when needed. Must be able to travel between agency sites or other locations as assigned. Valid California driver’s license, dependable transportation with insurance, and a clean driving record. Ability to be on time. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND BACKGROUND CHECK References will be conducted prior to employment. All staff must successfully complete a criminal background check. The position requires the physical, visual, and auditory ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. Work may involve travel between agency locations and extended periods of sitting while performing computer-based tasks. The role requires frequent use of a computer, keyboard, and other office equipment to prepare reports, maintain records, and perform administrative work. The position also requires occasional lifting and moving of items weighing up to approximately 20 pounds. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB 1. Process bi-weekly payroll accurately and timely through the Agency's payroll system. 2. Ensure payroll is processed in compliance with Agency policies regarding timekeeping, attendance, overtime, meal periods, and leave administration. 3. Review employee timesheets, pay adjustments, leave balances, and payroll entries for completeness and accuracy. 4. Process payroll-related employee changes including new hires, terminations, salary adjustments, benefit deductions, status changes, and other compensation-related updates. 5. Follow up with supervisors and employees regarding missing, inconsistent, or inaccurate timekeeping information. 6. Maintain payroll schedules and ensure all payroll deadlines are met. 7. Prepare payroll import files and validate payroll data prior to processing. 8. Review payroll registers and reconciliation reports before payroll transmission. 9. Process off-cycle payrolls, adjustments, and special payments as needed. 10. Serve as primary liaison with Paylocity and other payroll vendors regarding system administration and payroll issues. 11. Serve as primary administrator for the Agency's electronic timekeeping and scheduling systems. 12. Monitor, audit, and resolve timekeeping exceptions, missed punches, schedule discrepancies, overtime, leave balances, and other payroll-related issues to ensure accuracy and compliance. 13. Work closely with managers and supervisors to ensure employee schedules and time records are maintained in accordance with Agency policies and labor regulations. 14. Provide training and support to employees and managers regarding timekeeping and scheduling system functionality, policies, and procedures. 15. Maintain employee scheduling configurations, pay codes, departmental assignments, labor distribution structures, and organizational hierarchies within the timekeeping and scheduling systems. 16. Generate and distribute timekeeping, attendance, overtime, and scheduling reports for management review. 17. Ensure timekeeping and scheduling systems are properly integrated with payroll and HRIS systems to support accurate payroll processing. 18. Maintain employee leave balances, including PTO, personal leave, and other applicable leave programs, and ensure balances are accurately reflected within payroll and timekeeping systems. 19. Identify opportunities to improve timekeeping, scheduling, and payroll workflows through process improvements, automation, and system enhancements. 20. Generate and review labor distribution reports for management and grant reporting purposes. 21. Coordinate payroll allocations, labor distributions, and funding reallocations across programs, departments, grants, and funding sources in collaboration with Finance and program leadership. Assist with payroll-related grant reporting, funding reconciliations, and labor allocation reviews to support compliance with grant and contract requirements. 22. Prepare and record payroll-related journal entries in the general ledger, ensuring payroll expenses, taxes, benefits, and liabilities are accurately recorded and reconciled. 23. Prepare monthly benefits-related journal entries, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, life insurance, COBRA, and other employee benefit allocations. 24. Prepare and maintain payroll accrual, paid time off liability, and other employee compensation schedules, including related calculations and journal entries. 25. Coordinate with Human Resources, benefits providers, and Finance staff to ensure accurate employee deductions and employer benefit contributions. 26. Assist with cash forecasting by providing payroll and benefit expenditure projections. 27. Assist with month-end and year-end closing processes related to payroll and employee benefits. 28. Support annual audits by preparing payroll and benefits schedules and responding to auditor requests. 29. Ensure payroll expenses, taxes, and benefit costs are accurately allocated to departments, programs, grants, and funding sources. 30. Prepare and distribute payroll expenditure, labor allocation, and workforce cost reports for management and departmental review. 31. Reconcile payroll-related accounts, including payroll liabilities, accrued payroll, payroll taxes, benefit deductions, COBRA activity, garnishments, and other employee deductions; investigate variances and resolve discrepancies to ensure accurate financial reporting and compliance. 32. Assist with year-end payroll processes, including W-2 preparation, payroll audits, and regulatory reporting. 33. Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations. 34. Monitor payroll tax filings and payments processed by payroll vendors and ensure timely resolution of any discrepancies or notices. 35. Respond to payroll tax inquiries, audits, and agency correspondence as needed. 36. Prepare payroll reports and supporting documentation for audits, grant reviews, and management requests. 37. Maintain payroll procedures and documentation to support strong internal controls. 38. Coordinate payroll-related benefit deductions and employer contributions for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement plans, flexible spending accounts, and other employee benefit programs. 39. Reconcile benefit invoices and employee deductions monthly. 40. Work collaboratively with Human Resources and benefit providers to ensure accurate enrollment, deductions, terminations, and changes. 41. Assist employees with payroll-related benefit inquiries and resolution of deduction discrepancies. 42. Maintain benefit-related records and support documentation for audit and compliance purposes. 43. Support annual open enrollment and implementation of benefit plan changes as needed. 44. Maintain employee payroll records, payroll configurations, earnings codes, deduction codes, tax settings, and organizational structures within Paylocity and related systems. 45. Serve as system administrator for payroll, timekeeping, scheduling, and related HRIS applications. 46. Assist with payroll system enhancements, upgrades, testing, troubleshooting, and process improvements. 47. Support integration between payroll, timekeeping, scheduling, benefits, HRIS, and financial systems. 48. Develop and maintain payroll reports, dashboards, key performance indicators, and data analytics to support management decision-making. 49. Ensure data integrity, security, and confidentiality of employee payroll and personnel information. 50. Identify opportunities to improve payroll efficiency, accuracy, internal controls, and automation through system enhancements and process improvements. 51. Maintain payroll procedures, reference materials, and system documentation. 52. Perform all agency work with highest of ethical standards, excellent integrity and with excellent professional boundaries. 53. Assist with the maintenance of a safe work environment 54. Support, assist and attend general Agency events, activities and functions. 55. Attend any assigned training or meetings internal or external- represent Samaritan House positively and professionally. 56. Provide payroll support and customer service to employees, supervisors, and department leaders. 57. Support Controller with other duties within the Finance and Data Departments as assigned. 58. Perform other duties as directed. Company Description For over 50 years, Samaritan House has been leading the fight against poverty in San Mateo County. We’re the only organization that delivers the full breadth of essential services and personalized support to the working poor. By ensuring our clients are fed, clothed, healthy, and housed, we help them create their own stability and remain an active, successful part of our community. After all, an enduring community is only possible when every person has the resources they need to live. #J-18808-Ljbffr