Payroll Manager

Payroll Manager

University of New Orleans seeks an experienced payroll professional to manage the Payroll Department in the Office of Finance and Administration.

The University of New Orleans is a student‑centered, urban research institution dedicated to delivering academic excellence to a broad undergraduate and graduate population. As one of the region’s foremost public assets, UNO drives social, economic, and cultural development across New Orleans and beyond through innovative programs and community‑engaged research uniquely connected to the city’s rich heritage.

The Office of Finance and Administration supports this mission by managing the University’s financial resources with integrity, accountability, and strategic foresight. It designs and maintains the University’s business and financial systems, ensures sound fiscal management, and maintains compliance with state and University of Louisiana System regulations. From budget development to day‑to‑day accounting and payroll administration, Finance and Administration plays a vital role in sustaining UNO’s long‑term stability and success.

The Payroll Manager serves as the institutional lead for all University payroll functions, overseeing end‑to‑end payroll processing for academic, non‑classified professional, classified Civil Service, wage intermittent, and student employees across multiple funding sources and employment classifications. This role ensures compliance with federal and state laws, UL System regulations, and institutional policies, and manages payroll reconciliation, tax filings, Workday configuration, audit response, and cross‑departmental collaboration.

• Manages payroll team to ensure all department outcomes are achieved effectively, coordinating payroll activities and ensuring compliance with established federal, state, system, and institutional laws and policies.
• Acts as the primary point of contact for payroll‑related inquiries and discrepancies, collaborating with internal departments and external agencies as needed; conducts thorough research and communicates resolutions promptly.
• Oversees the accurate and timely processing of the biweekly and monthly payrolls; verifies payroll data to ensure accurate calculation and accounting of earnings and deductions; validates and transmits direct deposit and support order ACH files.
• Reviews the reconciliation and submission of required payroll with holdings for federal and state taxes, retirement contributions, and garnishments, as well as employee‑authorized deductions for insurance premiums and supplemental retirement.
• Processes employee garnishment records, verifies deduction calculations, and submits required earnings data to authorized legal representatives.
• Prepares and files federal and state quarterly and annual payroll tax returns (Form 941, W–2s, L1, L3, unemployment wage file), reconciling and validating all submissions.
• Prepares and submits fiscal year‑end payroll data and reports for Board of Regents (BOR) and OPEB reporting; provides additional year‑end reports for Internal Audit, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, and other agencies.
• Reviews costing allocations and initiates payroll accounting adjustments as needed; researches and resolves discrepancies with cost center managers, General Accounting, Sponsored Programs, and other units.
• Prepares monthly cash requirements for all payrolls and related liabilities.
• Maintains payroll, time, and leave system configurations and integrations in Workday in partnership with IT, HR, Financials, and Student units.
• Collaborates with IT Analysts to review and test year‑end and new‑year Workday payroll updates; monitors Payroll Compliance Updates and tests new features, fixes, and functionality.
• Reviews the Attend Certification report and generates reminder emails as needed.
• Provides leadership, training, and guidance to payroll staff and departmental administrators.
• Drives continuous improvement through process enhancements, automation, and policy development.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate experience managing complex payroll operations within an ERP environment,…