Senior Payroll Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary 

The Senior Payroll Specialist is the institution’s lead payroll professional and serves as a senior-level subject matter expert responsible for the accurate, timely, and compliant administration of payroll operations. Reporting to the Director, Employee Benefits, Wellbeing, and Payroll, this position leads to the day-to-day execution of payroll processes and serves as the primary resource for employees, departments, and institutional stakeholders regarding payroll matters.

The Senior Payroll Specialist functions as the first point of escalation for complex payroll issues, conducts research and analysis to resolve discrepancies, and provides functional leadership, technical guidance, training, and operational support to the Payroll and HR Coordinator. The position works collaboratively with Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, and external vendors to ensure effective payroll administration, regulatory compliance, and data integrity.

In partnership with the Director, Employee Benefits, Wellbeing, and Payroll, the Senior Payroll Specialist evaluates payroll operations, identifies opportunities for process improvement and operational efficiency, recommends strategic enhancements, and supports the implementation of technology solutions and best practices that strengthen payroll service delivery.

Principal Accountabilities

Functional Leadership and Payroll Operations
• Serve as the institution’s lead payroll subject matter expert and first point of escalation for complex payroll issues, discrepancies, and inquiries.
• Provide functional guidance, training, and operational support to the Payroll and HR Coordinator and support cross-training efforts to ensure continuity of operations.
• Execute the accurate and timely processing of all payrolls, including validation, balancing, auditing, reconciliation, and resolution of complex payroll issues while promoting best practices, consistency, and operational effectiveness.
• Review, reconcile, and validate payroll-related earnings, deductions, taxes, garnishments, leave balances, and other payroll transactions to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Partner with the Director to identify issues, implement solutions, and support payroll-related projects, audits, system testing, and operational initiatives.

Compliance and Regulatory Administration
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, multi-state, and local payroll laws, regulations, and reporting requirements.
• Maintain current knowledge of payroll legislation, taxation requirements, and industry best practices.
• Verify payroll tax calculations and review of third-party payroll tax deposits, quarterly and annual tax reporting, and year-end reporting activities, including W-2 and 1042-S preparation and reconciliation.
• Prepare, review, and reconcile payroll taxes and benefit expenditures on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis; research and resolve discrepancies to ensure accurate reporting and compliance.
• Support internal and external audits and maintain required payroll documentation.

Union Contract and Policy Administration
• Interpret and apply payroll-related provisions of collective bargaining agreements and institutional policies.
• Ensure the accurate administration of contractual compensation provisions, including overtime, shift differentials, premium pay, and related earnings.
• Collaborate with Human Resources leadership regarding payroll implications of contract changes and policy updates.
• Collaborate with Academic Affairs and other appropriate departments to review, validate, and administer faculty overload compensation and payments in accordance with institutional policies, faculty contracts, approved teaching assignments, and established payroll procedures.

Reporting and Data Management
• Generate, reconcile, analyze, and maintain payroll reports, records, account balances, and related documentation for operational, compliance, audit, and management purposes.
• Perform payroll-related general ledger reconciliations, resolve variances, and collaborate with Finance to ensure accurate payroll accounting and financial reporting.
• Maintain data integrity within payroll and HRIS systems and support payroll analytics and reporting requests.
• Develop and maintain payroll procedures, process documentation, and training materials.
Customer Service and Collaboration
• Provide responsive and professional customer service to employees, managers, external partners, and other stakeholders.
• Communicate payroll information clearly and effectively while fostering positive working relationships across the institution.
Strategic Payroll Operations
• Independently evaluate payroll operations, identify root causes of issues, and recommend process improvements, operational efficiencies, technology enhancements, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Analyze payroll data, system capabilities, and industry best practices to improve payroll accuracy, compliance, service delivery, and employee experience.
• Participate in payroll system implementations, upgrades, testing, and process redesign initiatives.

Qualifications

Education & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required; equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Seven (7) or more years of progressively responsible payroll experience, or ten (10) or more years of progressively responsible payroll experience in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.
• Demonstrated experience of processing payrolls, performing payroll reconciliations, balancing payroll accounts, and supporting payroll-related financial reporting activities.
• Experience serving as a lead resource, subject matter expert, or team lead, with responsibility for resolving complex payroll issues and providing guidance to colleagues and stakeholders.
• Experience interpreting and applying payroll regulations, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance and operational effectiveness.
• Experience utilizing HRIS, payroll, and timekeeping systems, with strong proficiency in technology and process improvement initiatives.

Skills & Competencies
• Thorough knowledge of payroll administration principles, payroll taxation, wage and hour laws, and related compliance requirements.
• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and commitment to maintaining high standards of data integrity and quality.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with the ability to research and resolve complex payroll matters.
• Advanced technology proficiency, including HRIS, payroll and timekeeping systems, Microsoft Office applications, and advanced Excel functionality.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with employees, managers, vendors, and organizational leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative working relationships, provide guidance and training to colleagues, and deliver exceptional customer service.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and adapt in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive information with professionalism and discretion.

 

Preferred Qualifications
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
• Experience with UKG or a similar enterprise HRIS/payroll system.
• Experience working in higher education
• Experience working in a unionized environment and interpreting collective bargaining agreements as they relate to payroll administration.

Applicant Instructions
Applications must be submitted online at