Analyst, Payroll

Summary: Responsible for timely and accurate execution of payroll processing and reporting and payroll and g/l auditing, balancing and reconciliation. Manages assigned activities- subscribing to service level agreements (SLAs) in support of on-cycle and off-cycle payrolls. Oversees and performs a variety of support duties including processing miscellaneous time records, maintaining accurate employee tax information, utilizing file import and export data for payment processing and transmitting vendor deduction information, analyzing payroll reports data, executing garnishment and wage assignment orders, researching inquiries from internal and external customers, providing quality and timely customer service and completing other duties as assigned.

Essential Duties: (These duties represent a sample and may vary by position.)

• Lead execution of defensive queries to identify potential issues that require additional analysis and collaboration with technology and business teams.
• Collaborate with teams on issue look-back using defensive queries to identify root cause and recommend improvements to prevent a repeat occurrence
• Determine needed resolution of identified salary audit exceptions
• Execute monthly close, prepare monthly NC Retirement system reporting and ensure timely payment. Review and resolve NC Retirement system error reports and inquiries
• Guide and direct the work of Payroll Associates
• Prepare reports, processes excel add-ins and provide analysis on payroll data to identify outliers and ensure reasonableness of all inputs
• Review and reconcile payroll edits for reasonableness and gross pay calculations along with mandatory and voluntary withholdings, updating or correcting transactions as necessary
• Manages payroll processing team tasks to ensure accurate payroll output according to established processing schedule/"runbook"
• Research escalated payroll related questions and provide information to school system personnel and outside agencies; research problems and take necessary corrective action
• Confer with school sites and regulatory agencies regarding payments, deductions, employment status and garnishments
• Oversees various reports and billings for accuracy and completeness; verify report content for reasonableness; process requests for remittance to third parties as appropriate
• Prepare, examine and distribute payroll payments and federal wage reports (W-2s, W-2Cs) to all school system employees
• Audit salaries and wages, oversee the preparation of audit overpayment documents and determine repayment according to policy guidelines; maintain a follow-up schedule to ensure collection
• Stay up-to-date on federal, state and local laws related to payroll record keeping
• Process Crystal reports and defined queries, review for accuracy and reasonableness; e.g., employee detail of earnings and deduction history
• Download import and export data files to/from third party vendors; review for accuracy and reasonableness
• Set-up and maintain employee banks for direct deposit; set up individual direct deposit accounts
• Analyze, prioritize and administer tax liens and court-ordered garnishments using knowledge of federal and state government laws
• Manage payroll parameters definition and screen for each payroll cycle; follow documented checklist and procedures for each unique payroll cycle
• Assess the reasonableness of data upon conducting "stop point" analysis and balancing; make appropriate decisions to continue the process
• Compare and verify payroll output to related AP/GL data
• Prepare quarterly and annual tax returns for Federal, North Carolina, NC Employment Security Commission and Unemployment Insurance
• Prepare payment of applicable taxes per payroll cycle
• Prepare quarterly reporting for Finance's Quarterly Assessment, Medicaid funding and TA excess hours
• Provide quality customer service including customer interactions, research responsiveness, timeliness and accuracy
• Audit and correct, if necessary, annual leave balances for terminating employees
• Prepare, verify and transit ACH file per payment cycle
• Verify and review budget codes relative to the state chart of accounts and the employee's position and location; identify the components of the codes and check for accuracy
• Own identifying, escalating and resolving any payroll related concerns and issues. Ensure appropriate leadership awareness of employee impacting events and issues

Education and Experience:

Minimum

• Associate's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Accounting or a related field and
• Minimum 4 years experience in processing payrolls, performing quality assurance reviews and analysis;
• High school/G.E.D. with additional specialized/technical training or some college courses in finance, accounting/bookkeeping, ERP and technology applications (Microsoft Office, Lawson, etc.) and performing quality assurance reviews in a mid to large organization

Desired

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Accounting or a related field
• 10 years increasingly responsible experience in a mid to large organization with primary experience in the payroll division

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities:

• Knowledge of payroll computations (e.g. gross to net and all other standard payroll activities/computations
• Knowledge of technical accounting principles and procedures used in the preparation and processing of payroll documents
• Knowledge of federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations related to payroll record keeping
• Knowledge of mathematical principles used in payroll processing and financial record keeping
• Knowledge of principles, practices and terminology of basic financial record keeping and reporting
• Knowledge of modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel
• Working knowledge of computer software and tools; word processing and reporting tools including data queries, importing and exporting data and creating reports
• Process knowledge of complex payroll issues (e.g. payment to deceased employees, international employees, benefit taxation, etc.)
• Ability to operate standard and specialized office machines and equipment applicable to assigned operations
• Ability to respond to escalated requires and inquiries from school system staff and outside agencies in a timely and appropriate manner (2nd level resolution)
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work
• Ability to meet deadlines; timely and accurate output
• Ability to interpret data from payroll output to determine reasonableness
• Ability to prioritize and complete assigned work task within established deadlines
• Quality customer service skills including effective communication, active listening and problem solving
• Ability to work independently