Payroll Financial and Tax Coordinator; ERP Backfill

Payroll Financial and Tax Coordinator (ERP Backfill)

The Payroll Financial and Tax Coordinator supports the day‑to‑day payroll operations and tax compliance functions of the University’s Payroll Services department. This role requires working knowledge of payroll timekeeping systems, specifically UKG Ready, as well as familiarity with federal, state, and local payroll tax documentation and reporting. The Coordinator works both independently and collaboratively with senior Payroll Services staff to process and audit timecards, assist with tax reporting workflows, manage employee records, and respond to payroll inquiries.

This position is appropriate for a candidate with direct payroll experience in a university or institutional setting who is prepared to contribute immediately and grow into broader compliance responsibilities over time.

• Payroll Systems & Timecard Administration
  • UKG Ready Operations: processes and audits employee timecards in UKG Ready, including records for student workers, multi‑job employees, and exempt staff, ensuring accuracy and compliance with FLSA requirements and University policy.
  • Access & Account Maintenance: supports UKG user account administration, identifying locked accounts, enforcing Single Sign‑On protocols, and coordinating access updates with the system administrator.
  • Payroll Cycle Coordination: assists with bi‑weekly payroll cycle documentation, global sign‑off preparation, and inter‑departmental coordination to meet processing deadlines consistently.
  • Reporting & Interfaces: assists with the creation and maintenance of UKG‑to‑Lawson batch interfaces and generates operational reports to support payroll accuracy and audit documentation requirements.
• Tax Compliance & Reporting
  • Tax Documentation & Filing Support: assists with the compilation and organization of materials for federal, state, and local payroll tax filings, including quarterly reports and amended returns, in coordination with third‑party tax administrators and senior staff.
  • Compliance Record Management: maintains accurate and organized records of W‑4 changes and adjustments, state tax forms, and related compliance documentation to support audit readiness and regulatory requirements.
  • SUI & Unemployment Reporting: assists with the preparation and submission of Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) unemployment reports and tracks State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) rate updates and agency notices.
  • FICA & NRA Data Support: supports FICA reconciliation tasks and assists with data entry and documentation for Non‑Resident Alien (NRA) tax coordination, based on direction from the Tax and Compliance department.
• Payroll Administration & Financial Operations
  • Direct Deposit & ACH Processing: processes direct deposit requests and assists with monitoring ACH return items in coordination with Cash Management, supporting timely identification and reprocessing of returned funds.
  • W‑2 Administration: assists with the preparation and distribution of W‑2 forms through the E‑Pay/ESS system, responding to employee inquiries regarding W‑2 access, corrections, and delivery.
  • Absence & Leave Tracking: enters and audits absence‑related time entries—including vacation, sick, holiday, personal, and FMLA—in the UKG system, coordinating with Benefits staff to ensure accurate leave coding and accrual balances.
  • Check Production Support: assists with the printing, sealing, and distribution of physical paychecks and direct deposit statements as needed during the payroll cycle.
• Communications & Administrative Support
  • Payroll Communications: assists in drafting and distributing bi‑weekly payroll notifications to University staff, including pay period reminders, deadline alerts, and processing updates.
  • SharePoint & Digital Resources: maintains and updates the Payroll Services SharePoint site with current documentation, FAQs, and instructional guides for University‑wide staff.
  • Regulatory Reporting: assists with the preparation and transmission of union dues files and other compliance‑related reports on a recurring basis.
  • Inquiry Management: serves as a responsive point of contact for payroll inquiries from employees,…