Senior Payroll Specialist

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…