Payroll Accountant

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Blacksburg (VA); On-site; USD 58,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Tech is seeking an experienced payroll accountant to join the University’s payroll operations, reporting to the Payroll Operations Manager. The role requires meticulous analysis to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations and to handle retroactive pay adjustments, garnishments, and estate payments.

Key duties include processing pay adjustments, addressing under/overpayments, reallocating earnings for workers' compensation and disability, and assisting with reconciliation and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or related field or significant payroll experience.
• Experience processing garnishments and understanding regulatory requirements.
• Experience analyzing earnings, deductions, and fringe benefits impact on earnings.
• Knowledge to interpret federal, state, and local payroll regulations.
• Experience using automated systems and Microsoft Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Process pay adjustments, garnishments and levies per regulations.
• Address under/overpayments by adjusting income amounts.
• Reallocate earnings for workers' compensation and disability.
• Process payments to estates or beneficiaries per guidelines.
• Assist in compliance review of withholding and reporting requirements.
• Interpret payroll regulations and related employee compensation rules.

Skills

Garnishments processing

Payroll regulations

Earnings analysis

Regulatory compliance

Office software

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting or business-related field

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Job description

Job Description

Virginia Tech is seeking an experienced payroll accountant to jointhe University supporting payroll operations. Reporting to thePayroll Operations Manager, this position requires a high level ofanalysis and critical thinking skills to ensure compliance withfederal and state regulations. The payroll operations team makesall retroactive pay adjustments, collects and disburses allgarnishments, tax liens and child support orders, reallocatesearnings for workers compensation and short-term disability, andprocesses estate payments.

Core responsibilities of the Payroll Accountant consist of thefollowing:

• Processing pay adjustments, garnishments and levies in accordancewith regulations.
• Addressing under/overpayments by processing adjustments toincome.
• Reallocating earnings for workers compensation anddisability;
• Processing payments to estates or beneficiaries in accordancewith guidelines.
• Assisting in the compliance review of withholding and reportingrequirements for payment or adjustments.
• Interpreting state, federal, and immigration regulations relatedto employee compensation and benefits.
• Assisting with various reconciliations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in accounting or business-relatedfield or significant relevant payroll experience.
• Experience with processing garnishments (of all types) andfamiliarity with regulatory requirements.
• Experience analyzing earnings, deductions, and cash/noncashfringe benefits, and the impact to earnings.
• Knowledge of and ability to interpret federal, state, and localpayroll regulations and requirements.
• Experience using automated systems, personal computers andsoftware such as Microsoft Office applications (specifically Word,Excel and PowerPoint).

The successful candidate must be able to:

• Maintain absolute objectivity and confidentiality with allemployees and all payroll related data.
• Independently plan, organize and prioritize workload to meetstrict deadlines with multiple competing priorities.
• Communicate effectively and courteously with a diverse group ofpeople.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with adjustments to earnings (overpayment/underpayments).
• Familiarity with distribution of funds & refunds to employeesand third parties.
• Experience working with a large, automated, complex payrollsystem in a high-volume environment.
• Payroll experience in a higher education setting.
• Experience with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system usedby higher education institutions (i.e. Ellucian Banner, Oracle,Workday, or similar).

Pay Band

4

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Salary range of $58,000 - $62,000

Hours per week

40

Review Date

8/25/2026

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminalconviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve),Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking ahands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to beleaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institutionthat enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout theworld, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, andcreativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverseenrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, andprofessional students in eight undergraduate colleges , a school of medicine , a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School , and Honors College . The university has a significant presenceacross Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C.area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sitesin Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes . A leading global research institution,Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in researchannually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professionaldevelopment opportunities and university shared governance . These valuablecontributions to university shared governance provide importantrepresentation and perspective, along with opportunities for uniqueand impactful professional development.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, orapplicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (includingpregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, geneticinformation, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation,race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, orotherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquireabout, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensationof other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protectedby law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire anaccommodation, please contact Zach LaCroix [e-mail] during regular business hours at least 10business days prior to the event.