Payroll Manager

Position Summary

Full-time position under the Management Personnel Plan (MPP) available on or after September 8, 2025 in Human Resources. The Payroll Manager is responsible for the oversight, administration, and integrity of all payroll functions for the university. This position provides strategic and operational leadership to ensure timely and accurate processing of payroll for all employee groups, in compliance with federal and state laws, collective bargaining agreements, and CSU policies and procedures.

The role serves as the primary liaison with the State Controller's Office (SCO), Chancellor's Office, Human Resources, Faculty Affairs, and other internal and external stakeholders on all payroll-related matters. The Payroll Manager supervises a team of payroll professionals, directs daily operations, supports system testing and updates, audits transactions for accuracy, and develops and implements policies to enhance payroll efficiency and compliance.

The incumbent plays a critical role in supporting campus operations through sound fiscal stewardship, customer service, and the effective integration of payroll systems and business processes.

• Duties include but are not limited to:
• • Recruit, train, evaluate, and provide ongoing supervision to payroll staff.
  • Assign and prioritize daily workloads, monitor progress toward deadlines, and ensure service quality and compliance.
  • Oversee staff compliance with policies and procedures; initiate and facilitate disciplinary processes when necessary.
  • Review and approve staff leave and overtime requests based on operational needs.
  • Facilitate regular team meetings to review priorities, share updates, and address staffing, project, and operational matters.
  • Collaborate with leadership to ensure aligned and effective support between the payroll team and other administrative units.
  • Oversee the end-to-end processing of payroll transactions for all employee groups, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with applicable policies and regulations.
  • Manage payroll actions including appointments, status changes, leaves, promotions, separations, retirements, settlements, and related transactions.
  • Administer pay adjustments such as garnishments, docks, retroactive pay, and other compensation corrections.
  • Maintain and audit attendance data using the Absence Management system.
  • Reconcile payroll-related financial records, including revolving fund accounts, receivables, and retro activity reports.
  • Submit payment requests and required documentation to external agencies as needed.
  • Develop and maintain the annual payroll calendar.
  • Coordinate student payroll processes with relevant departments to ensure accurate data and policy alignment.
  • Provide payroll guidance to employees and departments; ensure courteous and confidential customer service.
  • Provide technical leadership for payroll systems, ensuring data integrity, functionality, and system performance.
  • Test and implement system updates, enhancements, and fixes; maintain table setups and configurations.
  • Serve as a system security administrator for payroll-related platforms and tools.
  • Manage authorization records for payroll certifications and check distribution.
  • Generate and analyze reports using campus and systemwide data tools to support operations and decision-making.
  • Maintain secure and compliant payroll records in accordance with retention and confidentiality standards.
  • Oversee the accuracy and timely entry of personnel and payroll transactions into relevant databases.
  • Identify and resolve payroll discrepancies through research, analysis, and collaboration with Human Resources, Faculty Affairs, and external agencies.
  • Interpret and apply policies, regulations, collective bargaining agreements, and technical directives governing payroll operations.
  • Review payroll procedures regularly and implement process improvements to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and compliance.
  • Serve as the primary campus contact for payroll-related inquiries, training, testing, and procedural updates from the State Controller's Office and other regulatory bodies.
  • Maintain effective working relationships with internal departments and external stakeholders to support seamless payroll operations.
  • Other duties as assigned.

• Education: Bachelor''s degree from an accredited college or university in human resources, public administration, business administration, accounting, finance, or a related field. A combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge and abilities may be considered.
• Experience: Minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in payroll and personnel transaction processing, including 1 year in a lead or supervisory role.

• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in payroll administration, including at least 2 years in a lead or supervisory role.
• Experience processing payroll in a public sector, higher education, or unionized environment.
• Demonstrated experience…