Executive Director: Employee Service Center

Pima-Community-College; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Pima Community College in Tucson seeks a strategic Executive Director to lead the Employee Service Center, overseeing payroll, benefits, leaves, and employment processing. You will drive regulatory compliance, data-driven improvements, and HRIS/ERP system optimization to ensure secure, accurate payroll delivery.

The role includes HIPAA privacy stewardship, budget oversight, vendor management, and cross-department collaboration, with flexible scheduling including evenings and weekends where

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a closely related field.
• Eight years of related experience in Benefits Administration and/or Payroll Processes and Regulations.
• Six plus years in supervisory roles.
• Equivalent combination of certification, education, and experience acceptable.

Responsibilities

• Directs all activities of the Employee Service Center (ESC) including Payroll, Benefits, Leaves, and Employment Processing.
• Oversees end-to-end biweekly payroll processing, tax administration, and garnishment processing.
• Manages health, dental, vision, disability, life, and wellness programs; leads vendor management and ACA compliance.
• Directs HRIS/ERP systems (NEOED, Banner); improves configurations, processes, and security.
• Serves as HIPAA Privacy Officer and custodian of confidential personnel data.
• Leads training for faculty and staff on ESC functions; collaborates across departments.

Skills

Payroll

Benefits Administration

Spreadsheets

Financial Analysis

Regulatory Compliance

HR Principles

HRIS

Leadership

Communication

Analytical Thinking

Budgeting

Education

Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, HR, or related field

Tools

NEOED

Banner SaaS

Job description

Pima Community College (PCC) is one of the largest community college districts in the country. PCC employs over 3,000 full-time and part-time employees and serves over 40,000 students per year. At Pima Community College, we believe our employees are the driving force behind our students' success. Our Employee Service Center (ESC) supports these employees by administering Payroll, Leaves, Employee Benefits, Wellness Programs, Employee Accommodations, and Employment Processing.

The Employee Service Center Executive Director provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for core College operations, including employment processing, payroll, employee benefits, and retirement programs. Serving as the primary authority on regulatory compliance, including IRS, ADA, FMLA, and HIPAA standards, this role ensures accurate, on-time delivery of employee compensation in a high-performing, service-oriented department. This role serves as a key partner in advancing the College’s mission by leveraging system technology, data-driven analysis, and institutional policy development to ensure seamless, employee-centered service delivery.

The work schedule for this position is flexible and may include working evenings and weekends.

• Manages and directs all activities of the Employee Service Center (ESC), including Payroll, Benefits, Employee Accommodations and Leaves, Employment Processing, and related systems management
• Oversees the end-to-end execution of biweekly payroll processes, ensuring accurate compensation, bank transmissions, account reconciliations, and garnishment processing for all employee types (Faculty, Staff, Adjunct, Temporary, and Student Work Study)
• Manages all regulatory requirements for payroll and tax administration, including the preparation and filing of all required federal, state, and local income taxes
• Directs the comprehensive administration of the College's health, dental, vision, disability, life, and wellness programs; leads vendor selection, contracting, and management, regulatory compliance (including ACA), and the execution of annual open enrollment while facilitating the employee representative Benefits Working Group to ensure alignment with institutional goals and employee needs
• Directs and oversees employment processing and administers associated HRIS/ERP systems (e.g., NEOED & Banner SaaS); continuously evaluates system configurations, processes, and workflows to maximize operational efficiency, automation, data accuracy, security, and user experience for all personnel actions
• Serves as the College’s HIPAA Privacy Officer and primary custodian of confidential personnel data; establishes and enforces strict protocols across payroll, benefits, and HRIS platforms to ensure system security, regulatory compliance, and proper records retention
• Directs the administration and regulatory compliance of employee ADA accommodations and FMLA leave programs, ensuring adherence to legal standards and institutional policies
• Manages statutory and voluntary retirement programs (e.g., ASRS, ORP, TSA, 403(b)/457, ROTH), ensuring timely contributions, accurate reporting, and full audit readiness
• Establishes unit operational standards, performance indicators, and tracking mechanisms; analyzes industry trends and internal workflows to drive continuous improvement and strategic policy development
• Supervises, trains, and mentors department staff; oversees hiring, onboarding, performance evaluations, professional development, and disciplinary actions
• Develops and administers departmental budgets, approves expenditures, and leads financial accounting, reconciliation, and audit responses for assigned operational areas
• Serves as a primary technical advisor to College leadership and stakeholders on labor laws and regulatory matters; coordinates comprehensive training for faculty and staff on ESC functions
• Collaborates across administrative departments (e.g., HR, Finance, IT, Academic Affairs) to support broader College goals and participate in executive, management, and institutional meetings
• Performs all other duties and responsibilities as assigned or directed by the supervisor

• Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a closely related field and
• Eight years of related experience in Benefits Administration and/or Payroll Processes and Regulations
• Six plus years of related experience with supervisory experience required

or

• An equivalent combination of certification, education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above

• Expertise in Payroll Processes and Regulations
• Expertise in Benefits Administration
• Expertise in spreadsheets, database management, and financial analysis
• Knowledge in Wellness program development and implementation
• Knowledge of regulatory compliance laws, principles, and practices
• Knowledge of human resources principles/practices, and business strategy alignment
• Knowledge of administrative procedures and practices, i.e., complex benefits administration and payroll processing regulations
• Skill in leveraging HR systems for data integrity and operational efficiency
• Skill in people leadership and supervision
• Skill in effective communication (both written and oral)
• Skill in conducting data-driven analysis to inform decision-making
• Skill in independent decision-making
• Skill in positive, productive, and flexible customer service
• Skill in budget/resource management
• Ability to develop and maintain effective and positive working relationships
• Ability to apply analytical and critical thinking skills, as well as draw conclusions and prepare accurate reports of results