Payroll Manager

Required

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field with four (4) years of progressively responsible payroll experience, including supervisory or management experience directly related to the standard duties as outlined.

Any equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience as approved by the Human Resources Department.

Exempt

Ten (10). Salary: $57,796.13 – $72,507.54 DOE

Located in Carlsbad, New Mexico, Southeast New Mexico College (SENMC) is a newly independent public community college accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. A proud Hispanic Serving Institution, it awards certificates and associate degrees that serve the needs of its region and prepare students to transfer to programs at other colleges or universities. SENMC offers Early College and Dual Credit programs in collaboration with local high schools.

Southeast New Mexico College enjoys the strong support of its community, and has been awarded several grants, which include $11.7 million from the U.S. Department of Energy and several multimillion-dollar grants from the U.S. Department of Education for student support.

The college’s diverse employee pool includes 39 full-time faculty, 48 adjunct faculty, and 112 staff members. SENMC offers a generous benefits package which includes medical, dental, retirement, and college tuition reimbursement. More information on SENMC can be obtained from its website .

Under general direction, plans, manages, supervises, and coordinates all operations and activities of the payroll department. Ensures the accurate and timely processing and disbursement of payroll for all college employees in compliance with institutional policies and state and federal regulations. Oversees payroll systems administration, payroll tax reporting, employee leave balances, benefit deductions, and related financial reporting functions. Develops, implements, and monitors payroll procedures, internal controls, and compliance measures to ensure operational efficiency and accuracy.

Serves as the primary institutional resource for payroll administration and compliance matters and provides leadership, guidance, and supervision to payroll staff. Promotes collaborative working relationships with Human Resources, Finance, and college departments while providing responsive customer service and support to employees regarding payroll matters.

• Provides overall leadership and management of payroll operations, ensuring timely and accurate payment of wages and salaries for all employees.
• Supervises, trains, evaluates, and supports payroll staff, including assigning work, establishing priorities, and ensuring coverage during peak and year-end payroll cycles.
• Oversees payroll vendor relationships and ensures compliance with contract requirements, service level agreements, and institutional standards.
• Leads and manages payroll system implementations, upgrades, and integrations (e.g., ERP systems such as Anthology), coordinating with IT, Finance, Human Resources, and external vendors.
• Establishes, reviews, and updates payroll policies, procedures, internal controls, and documentation to ensure compliance with college, state, federal, and regulatory requirements.
• Reviews, approves, and audits payroll reports, reconciliations, journal entries, and adjustments to ensure completeness and accuracy.
• Oversees reconciliation of payroll records, tax liabilities, benefit deductions, garnishments, and payroll-related accounts to the General Ledger; investigates and resolves discrepancies in coordination with Finance and Human Resources.
• Coordinates payroll-related month-end and year-end close activities, including review of accruals, reconciliations, journal entries, and financial reporting.
• Ensures timely follow-up and resolution of payroll discrepancies, audit findings, employee concerns, and system-related issues while maintaining accountability for payroll accuracy and compliance.
• Establishes accountability measures and internal controls to ensure payroll transactions are accurately processed, balanced, documented, and…