Payroll Specialist

University of New Haven - West Haven, CT

Full-time - Mid Level

West Haven, CT

5,001-10,000 employees

Educational Services

About the position

The Payroll Specialist at the University of New Haven plays a crucial role in managing the weekly payroll process for a diverse range of employees, including administrative, clerical, facilities, police, and student workers. This position is integral to ensuring that payroll transactions are processed accurately and in a timely manner, adhering to the university's policies and procedures. The Payroll Specialist will be responsible for various tasks, including processing payroll transactions, running payroll cycles, balancing outputs, and addressing employee inquiries related to payroll matters. In addition to the core payroll responsibilities, the Payroll Specialist will maintain the timekeeping system, assist employees and supervisors with timekeeping questions and training, and cross-train to act as a backup for semi-monthly payroll. The role also involves preparing and uploading reports of new employees to the State of Connecticut, processing manual checks as needed, and completing verifications of employment. The Payroll Specialist will work closely with the Finance and Human Resources departments to address payroll-related issues and support audit requests. Maintaining strict confidentiality and trust is paramount in this role, as the Payroll Specialist will handle sensitive employee information and payroll records. The ideal candidate will possess a strong work ethic, professionalism, and the ability to thrive in a dynamic environment. Attention to detail and excellent organizational skills are essential, as the Payroll Specialist will be required to adhere to tight deadlines while managing multiple tasks effectively.

Responsibilities

• Ensure all payroll transactions are processed accurately and timely in accordance with University policies and procedures
• Process weekly payroll cycle for non-exempt employees
• Perform necessary data entry in payroll software as required, including employee tax and direct deposit elections, garnishments/child support orders, voluntary/involuntary deductions, and manual time sheets
• Process the time keeping interface
• Calculate and process retroactive payments
• Print checks, process positive pay and direct deposit files
• Create and communicate post-payroll reports for taxes and deductions
• Maintain the time keeping system and assist employees and supervisors with time keeping questions & training
• Cross train and act as backup for semi-monthly payroll
• Prepare and upload report of new employees to State of Connecticut
• Process/reissue manual checks as needed
• Complete verifications of employment
• Maintain accurate payroll records and employee files
• Respond to employee inquiries and requests regarding payroll matters
• Work closely with Finance and Human Resources on all payroll related issues
• Support payroll related audit requests
• Prepare unclaimed property report for Accounting
• Track and report Federal Work Study and Graduate Student hours for supervisors
• Maintain strict standards of confidentiality and trust

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business management, accounting or related field is required
• A minimum of two years of experience in payroll is required
• Experience working in a higher education environment is preferred
• Experience with Banner software is a plus
• Knowledge of payroll best practices and knowledge of federal and state tax regulations is a plus
• Strong computer skills including proficiency in Excel is required
• Must demonstrate a strong work ethic and a high level of professionalism
• Must be able to multi-task and work in a very dynamic environment
• Must have excellent interpersonal communication skills and the ability to communicate with various levels of management
• Must be detail oriented and able to adhere to tight deadlines with excellent organizational skills

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with Banner software
• Knowledge of payroll best practices and knowledge of federal and state tax regulations