Payroll Manager (Part-time)

Regis University; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 66,000 - 72,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition benefits

Mission leave

Gift of Time

Flexible work arrangements

Job summary

Regis University is seeking a Part-Time Payroll Manager to oversee end-to-end payroll for faculty, staff, student workers, and adjuncts in a higher education setting. You will lead a small payroll team, ensure accurate multi-cycle processing in Workday Payroll, and drive compliance with FLSA and tax regulations.

As a working manager, you will design training programs, develop SOPs, and partner with HR and IT to resolve system issues.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive payroll management experience
• Demonstrated expertise in Workday Payroll (configuration, processing, and reporting).
• In-depth knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll regulations, tax laws, and FLSA compliance.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to train non-financial end-users effectively.
• Proficiency in developing process improvements and managing change.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the accurate and timely processing of semi-monthly/monthly multi-cycle payrolls for all employee groups using Workday Payroll.
• Serve as the final escalation point for complex payroll discrepancies, exception handling, tax inquiries, garnishments, and retroactive pay adjustments.
• Partner with HR and IT to troubleshoot system integration issues, interface errors, and data discrepancies between Workday HR and Payroll.
• Ensure proper handling of specialized higher education pay practices (e.g., faculty summer pay, grants funding allocations, stipends, and fellowships).
• Manage, mentor, and evaluate Payroll Specialists, providing daily guidance and development.
• Establish SOPs and QA checks to minimize errors.
• Lead compliance planning for tax laws and higher education regulations.
• Monitor regulatory changes and collaborate with legal and finance teams for updates.
• Support internal and external audits, including monthly/quarterly/annual W-2 processing and 941 reconciliations.
• Drive continuous improvement projects to streamline payroll workflows and automate tasks.
• Review current processes with HR partners to enhance efficiency and service.
• Test tax updates and Workday configuration changes with system admins.
• Design and deliver payroll training programs for campus users.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Troubleshooting

Communication

Training end-users

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field

Tools

Workday Payroll

Job description

Working at Regis University

As Regis employees, we embrace our Jesuit Catholic values of respect, inclusion and equity, and welcome employees, faculty and students from all faiths and cultures. Together, we perform our duties in alignment with the mission of the University and seek dedicated individuals to contribute to and strengthen that mission and our service to students. Why Work at Regis?

Job Summary:

The Part-Time Payroll Manager oversees the end-to-end payroll operations for the institution, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant salary and wage disbursements for faculty, staff, student workers, and adjuncts. Operating in a higher education environment, this role manages complex compensation structures (e.g., academic year vs. fiscal year appointments, stipends, overload pay, and student employment regulations).

As a working manager, this individual serves as the primary escalation point for complex operational issues, leads continuous improvement initiatives within the payroll function, spearheads compliance planning, and designs and delivers robust Workday Payroll training for campus users (such as department administrators and HR partners).

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Payroll Operations & Escalation Management

• Oversee the accurate and timely processing of semi-monthly/monthly multi-cycle payrolls for all employee groups using Workday Payroll.
• Serve as the final escalation point for complex payroll discrepancies, exception handling, tax inquiries, garnishments, and retroactive pay adjustments.
• Partner with Human Resources and Information Technology to troubleshoot system integration issues, interface errors, and data discrepancies between Workday HR and Payroll.
• Ensure proper handling of specialized higher education pay practices (e.g., faculty summer pay, grants funding allocations, stipends, and fellowships).

Team Leadership & Development

• Manage, mentor, and evaluate 1-2 Payroll Specialists, providing daily guidance, workload balancing, and professional development.
• Establish operational benchmarks, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and quality assurance checks for the payroll team to minimize errors.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Lead compliance planning and execution for federal, state, and local tax laws, labor standards (FLSA), and higher education-specific regulations (e.g., nonresident alien taxation, student FICA exemptions).
• Monitor regulatory changes and collaborate with institutional legal and finance teams to implement necessary policy or system adjustments.
• Ensure compliance with institutional policies, collective bargaining agreements (if applicable), and grant-funded payroll compliance requirements.
• Partner and support internal and external audits, including the annual employee benefit plan audit. Prepare and support the monthly, quarterly, and annual W-2 processing, including 941 reconciliations.

Continuous Improvement & System Optimization

• Support HRIS partners to drive continuous improvement projects to streamline payroll workflows, automate manual tasks, and optimize the use of Workday Payroll features.
• Support HR partners to review current business processes and implement best practices to enhance efficiency and customer service for the campus community.
• Partner with Workday system administrators to test system updates, tenant releases, tax updates, and configuration enhancements.

Training & Change Management

• Design, develop, and deliver comprehensive payroll training programs for campus users, department administrators, timekeepers, and HR partners utilizing Workday Payroll.
• Create user guides, job aids, and documentation for time-tracking, absence management, and payroll approval workflows within Workday.
• Facilitate regular training sessions and workshops to promote data accuracy and empower campus departments to manage their payroll-related tasks effectively.

Working Conditions:

Working conditions are normal for an office environment. Work may require occasional weekend and/or evening hours, including around Board meeting cycles. Some local, regional, and/or national travel is required. This postition is .5 FTE; duties are prioritized around payroll processing deadlines, with escalation, training, and improvement work scheduled around core processing cycles. Following an introductory period, this role is eligible for up to 2 days/week of remote work. based on the needs of the department.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive payroll management experience
• Demonstrated expertise in Workday Payroll (configuration, processing, and reporting).
• In-depth knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll regulations, tax laws, and FLSA compliance.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to train non-financial end-users effectively.
• Proficiency in developing process improvements and managing change.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
• Workday Payroll Certification or advanced training credentials.
• Higher education or a complex public sector/non-profit environment experience
• Familiarity with higher education compensation models (faculty contracts, academic calendars, student FICA rules, and grant accounting).

This position will remain posted until filled, with a preferred application deadline of October 19th, 2026. Applications received by this date will receive full consideration.

Regis University offers a broad range of benefits that includes:

• Comprehensive group health insurance, including medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance.
• A generous tuition benefit for employees, spouses and dependents
• Paid Mission leave to allow our employees to engage in acts of service or to have time for personal reflection.
• The "Gift of Time" when Regis closes between Christmas Day and New Years Day.
• Options for flexible work arrangements based on position.

You can learn more about our benefits by clicking the links below.

26-27 Employee Benefits Summary

https://www.regis.edu/_documents/about/offices-and-services/human-resources/regis-university-employee-benefits-guide.pdf

Pay Rate:

$48.08/hour