Accountant I​/Payroll Specialist

Accountant I / Payroll Specialist

Campus

Title:

Payroll Specialist
State

Job Title:

Accountant I
Department:
Financial Accounting
Job Code: H15 X12
FLSA Status:
Non-Exempt
Funding:
Bargaining Unit: AFSCME
Job Type: Full-Time Permanent
Timeframe: 52 Weeks

Shift: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Regular Days Off:
Saturday and Sunday
Supervision Received:
Reports to the Staff Associate, Payroll Manager
Supervision Exercised:
May supervise a part-time student worker
Salary: $1,969.30 Bi-Weekly

In 1839, Westfield State University was founded on the ideals of Horace Mann who sought to improve society through education. We were the first public education institution without barrier to race, gender or economic class. The spirit of innovative thinking and social responsibility is forged in a curriculum of liberal arts and professional studies contributing to the development of knowledge, skills, and character essential for students to become responsible leaders and engaged citizens.

Westfield State is a highly residential campus with approximately 55% of our 3,100 full-time undergraduate students living on campus. The campus is situated on the edge of the Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts, just 30 minutes from Springfield, Northampton, and Amherst. The University is within 1.5 hours of Boston and Albany and within 3 hours of New York City and the Green Mountain range of Vermont.

Assists in processing and maintaining Human Resources / Compensation Management System (HR/CMS) payroll. Provides support services to the Staff Associate, Payroll Manager.

• Maintains HR/CMS Workforce Administration for all employees including verification and data entry of temporary employment contracts and other job actions.
• Verifies receipt of weekly attendance records, reviews for accuracy and completeness, and updates HR/CMS.
• Reviews the work of other Accountant I staff members in the Payroll office.
• Provides customer service to University employees and other constituents, additionally with regard to Self‑Service Time and Attendance.
• Responds to internal and external requests for employment/salary verifications.
• Uses Microsoft Access and Excel to produce reports from data contained in the Commonwealth Information Warehouse (CIW).
• Maintains employee direct deposit and tax withholding records.
• Conducts audits of timesheets as needed for compliance with regulations.
• Maintains external logs for paper timesheets received and other specialized tracking needs.
• Filing, archiving, and maintenance of payroll records.
• Cross‑trained to provide backup support for other payroll staff during high volume periods or absences to ensure continuous operations and minimal disruption.
• Assists Human Resources staff as necessary to complete departmental goals and objectives related to payroll.
• Implements action plans developed in support of strategic plan initiatives.

• Ability to understand, explain and apply the laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, etc. governing assigned unit activities.
• Ability to perform mathematical calculations using formulae to solve accounting problems.
• Ability to follow written and oral instructions.
• Ability to maintain accurate records.
• Ability to communicate effectively in oral expression.
• Ability to give written and oral instructions in a precise, understandable manner.
• Ability to deal tactfully with others.
• Ability to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with others.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment.
• Ability to exercise discretion in handling confidential information.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to work in a team setting.

Additional information:
Salaries for current Westfield State University employees and individuals currently working for the state of Massachusetts must be calculated individually in accordance with collective bargaining agreements as well as state policies. State job specifications may be found on the Department of Higher Education's webpage.

• Health Insurance:
  Westfield State offers a variety of HMO, POS, and PPO-type health insurance plans for eligible employees with coverage effective on the 1st of the month following the 60 days of employment.
• Retirement: the MA State Employee Retirement System provides eligible employees with a retirement pension after a 10‑year vesting period. In lieu of the retirement pension, eligible employees may select the Optional Retirement Plan with a maximum 5% employer matching contribution.
• Tuition Waivers & Discounts: eligible employees, including spouses and dependent children, receive reduced tuition at MA state colleges, community colleges, and universities.
• Paid Time Off: employees receive 11 paid holidays and generous vacation, personal, and sick leave benefits.
• Additional information regarding employee benefits is available on the University's Benefits & Wellness webpage.

Westfield State University is committed to the full…