Payroll Analyst (Temporary)

Sun Country Airlines 2021; Richfield (MN); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

PPO health plans

HSA and FSA

Free standby and travel privileges

401(k) match

Paid Time Off

Paid holidays

Life and AD&D Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Fitness incentive

Job summary

Sun Country Airlines, Minneapolis-based, is seeking a Payroll Analyst to ensure accurate payroll data for flight crews, auditing pay against CBAs, and resolving discrepancies. You will collaborate across Payroll, Crew Planning, Inflight, Flight Ops, Labor, Finance, and HR to improve pay accuracy and employee experience.

This temporary position runs through the SOC transition anticipated in February 2028, with a hybrid work setup in Minneapolis, MN.

Qualifications

• High school diploma.
• 2+ years of payroll or accounting experience.
• Strong analytical skills, including ability to interpret schedules, pairings, and utilization data.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Excel.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong problem-solving abilities and a continuous improvement mindset.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and adapt quickly to changing demands.

Responsibilities

• Perform daily system and manual audits to identify, investigate, and resolve crew pay discrepancies.
• Address pay credit exceptions not supported by automation and complete required manual adjustments.
• Calculate final pay for terminating crew members per state law timelines.
• Maintain current knowledge of state pay laws and CBA pay rules/logic.
• Process LOA-related payroll adjustments; track audit records.
• Conduct recurring audits of vacation, ESL and sick balances/usage/accruals.
• Process accurate/timely payroll for Pilots and Flight Attendants in alignment with CBAs, as a backup.
• Support payroll systems changes and participate in UAT for updates to scheduling, payroll, and reporting systems.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to validate pay credits and implement pay-rule changes.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Excellent communication skills

Excel

Multitasking

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

High school diploma

Tools

UltiPro (UKG Pro)

AIMS

Preferential Bid

Job description

About Sun Country Airlines

We’re not your average airline. We’re agile, resilient, and full of uncommon opportunity. Here, you can grow as part of an ambitious team that safely and collectively supports each other, our travelers, and our community. Together, we’re making travel more attainable. With more than 40 years of Minnesota roots, we’re a unique hybrid low-cost carrier offering diverse services including scheduled flights to destinations across the U.S., Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean, as well as charter and cargo operations around the world. At Sun Country, you’ll be part of a growing airline and an enthusiastic team focused on connecting our community with their favorite people and places.

Sun Country Airlines provides the resources and support our employees need to succeed. Besides working at a great and growing company, as a Payroll Analyst you’ll enjoy these benefits and more :

• Comprehensive benefit package including dental and vision


• PPO and high-deductible health plans


• Health savings account and Flexible Spending Account


• Starting day one free standby and discounted travel privileges for employees, family, & friends


• 401(k) match


• Paid Time Off


• Paid holidays


• Life and AD&D Insurance


• Employee Assistance Program including counseling for employees and their family


• Fitness incentive and Stop Smoking Support

Payroll Analyst Overview:

The Payroll Analyst ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll data for all flight crews. The role focuses on crew pay auditing and issue resolution in alignment with the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs). This position partners cross-functionally (Payroll, Crew Planning/Scheduling, Inflight, Flight Operations, Labor, Finance, and HR) to resolve discrepancies, strengthen controls, and continuously improve pay accuracy, transparency, and employee experience.

This Minneapolis-based role is designed as a temporary Sun Country employee position through the System Operations Control Center (SOC) transition which is anticipated to occur in February 2028.

Essential Roles and Responsibilities:

Crew Pay Auditing & CBA Application

• Perform daily system and manual audits to identify, investigate, and resolve crew pay discrepancies.


• Address pay credit exceptions not supported by automation and complete required manual adjustments.


• Calculate final pay for terminating crew members per state law timelines.


• Maintain current knowledge of state pay laws and CBA pay rules/logic.


• Process LOA-related payroll adjustments; track audit records.


• Conduct recurring audits of vacation, ESL and sick balances/usage/accruals.


• Process accurate/timely payroll for Pilots and Flight Attendants in alignment with CBAs, as a backup.

Payroll Processing & Compliance

• Provides support to the Payroll Team in processing payroll and assists with related tasks as needed.


• Respond promptly to employee payroll inquiries via Employee Service Center and ELP.


• Document and maintain payroll procedures.

Data, Reporting, and Controls

• Analyze pay trends and provide reports/insights to leadership to reduce errors.


• Support reconciliation and automation for instructor/crew training pay.

Training, Communication, and Systems

• Aid in the creation and maintenance of training materials and SOPs for payroll/crew pay processes.


• Support UAT for updates to scheduling, payroll, and reporting systems; provide SME input on pay logic.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Dispute Support

• Partner with Crew Planning, Scheduling, Inflight, Flight Ops, Safety, Payroll, and Labor to validate unique pay credit authorizations and implement pay-rule changes from CBAs or settlements.


• Provide research/documentation to support dispute mitigation and formal grievance responses.


• Participate in recurring cross-department meetings to reduce pay errors and improve upstream data quality.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Qualifications:

• High school diploma


• 2+ years of payroll or accounting experience


• Strong analytical skills, including ability to interpret schedules, pairings, and utilization data


• Proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Excel


• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal


• Strong problem-solving abilities and a continuous improvement mindset


• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and adapt quickly to changing demands

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience in the airline industry


• Experience with UltiPro (UKG Pro), AIMS, Preferential Bid, or other aviation systems


• Experience in accounting or crew planning


• Experience processing multi-state payroll


• Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Compensation:

Range $60,000 to $70,000

Classification:

Full-Time, Exempt

Working Location:

Hybrid, Minneapolis, MN

Supervisory Responsibility:

None

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands or finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

AAP/EEO Statement:

It is the policy of SunCountry Airlines to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

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