Payroll Accountant

Colgate University; Village of Hamilton (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free parking

Gym discounts

Bookstore savings

Athletic tickets

Access to cultural and recreationalfac

Campus facilities access

Job summary

Colgate University is seeking a Payroll Accountant to provide timely, accurate payroll processing for faculty, staff and student workers on campus in Hamilton, NY. This on-site role focuses on data integrity, compliance and timely remittance of payroll and fringe benefits.

The ideal candidate will have strong Excel skills, excellent communication, and the ability to handle confidential personnel information while delivering high-quality customer service within a large university environment.

Qualifications

• Experience with payroll and benefits processing in a large organization.
• Strong Excel proficiency for data analysis, reporting, and recordkeeping.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality and professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Provide timely, accurate payroll processing for faculty, staff and student workers.
• Ensure payroll, payroll tax and fringe benefits remittance is compliant and timely.
• Reconcile payroll-related vendor accounts and general ledgers.

Skills

Excel data analysis

Communication skills

Diversity engagement

Confidentiality

Payroll calculations

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Job description

Job Category

Professional/Administrative

Position Title

Payroll Accountant

Full Time / Part Time

Full Time

Division

Finance and Administration

Department

Accounting & Control

Work Arrangement type

On-Site (Hamilton, NY) - expected to work fully at the designated campus/office location.

Hiring Wage/Salary Range

$60,000 to $68,000

Professional Experience / Qualifications

• Experience with Microsoft Office applications, specifically utilizing Excel to analyze data, maintain records, and build functional spreadsheets.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a focus on precision, clarity, and error-free recordkeeping.
• Ability to engage professionally and respectfully with a broad, diverse higher education community, including faculty, staff, and students.
• Proven capability to handle sensitive payroll and personnel information while maintaining strict confidentiality protocols.
• Direct experience calculating complex payroll components, resolving missing documentation, and clearly explaining payroll breakdowns to employees.

Education

A bachelor's degree is preferred.

Offer Determination

When extending an offer, Colgate University considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations.

Other Information

Work visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Benefits

Colgate University offers a competitive benefits package, with most benefits effective on the date of hire. Highlights include: medical, dental, vision, retirement contributions, paid time off, paid family leave, health & wellness, continuing education and professional development. We also offer unique perks, such as free parking, gym discounts, bookstore savings, athletic tickets, and access to cultural and recreational facilities. Explore the full benefits package on our Benefits page.

Accountabilities

• Providing operational support for all steps required for delivering of timely, reliable and accurate payroll to University employees and student workers.
• Ensuring compliance and timely remittance of payroll, payroll tax and fringe benefits.
• Ensuring reconciliation of payroll related vendor accounts.
• Serving as a point of contact, providing as back-up to the Payroll Manager.
• Providing quality customer service to employee and student worker inquiries in a timely, professional manner with follow-up communication as necessary.
• Validating financial reports and data integrity to ensure error-free analysis and compliance.
• Reviewing, processing, approving, or rejecting financial transactions in alignment with university policies and systems.
• Executing timely, complete general ledger entries and performing routine ledger reconciliations.
• Processing payroll accurately and consistently, ensuring correct withholdings, deductions, and tax withholdings.
• Reconciling payroll files and generating accurate deliverables for taxes, garnishments, and fringe benefits.
• Delivering measurable results, owning operational decisions and outcomes, and incorporating feedback for continuous performance improvement.
• Communicating clearly across diverse audiences, collaborating on key information, and maintaining strict confidentiality for private data.
• Resolving operational challenges through prioritized problem-solving, collaborative decision-making, and alignment with organizational goals.
• Maintaining baseline performance and continuity during transitions, organizational initiatives, and evolving university procedures.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University recognizes that equal employment opportunity can only be achieved through demonstrated leadership. It is the Policy of the University to recruit, employ, retain, promote, and train employees on the basis of skills and experience, capacity to do the job, and valid job qualifications without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable local, state or federal laws.

Clery Act

CAMPUS CRIME REPORTING AND STATISTICS The Department of Campus Safety will provide upon request a copy of Colgate's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. This report includes statistics as reported to the United States Department of Education for the previous three years concerning reported: 1. crimes that occurred on-campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Colgate University; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus and 2. fires that occurred in student housing facilities. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security and fire safety, such as policies concerning sexual assault, life safety systems, and other related matters. You may access the report from the Clery Compliance web page at: https://www.colgate.edu/about/offices-centers-institutes/dean-college/campus-safety-staff/clery-compliance. Printed copies of this report may be obtained upon request from the Department of Campus Safety via e-mail at [e-mail].