Payroll Processing Accountant

UNC-Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

UNC-Chapel Hill is seeking a Payroll Processing Accountant to join Payroll Services. This role handles complex payroll processing, reconciliations, compliance, and reporting to support accurate and timely employee payroll across the university.

You will collaborate with HR, Finance, and campus partners to ensure a smooth payroll experience. The position emphasizes data integrity, problem-solving, and customer service, with opportunities to learn and grow within a high-volume environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 12 credit hours of accounting coursework; or Associate’s degree in accounting; or Associate’s degree in business or related discipline with 12 accounting credits.
• Payroll processing experience in a complex organization with multiple payroll cycles.
• Knowledge of state government and UNC-Chapel Hill policies and procedures.
• Experience working with campus departments and business partners on payroll operations and compliance.
• Ability to handle sensitive financial and personnel data.

Responsibilities

• Perform payroll processing, reconciliations, and compliance across university systems.
• Audit payroll transactions, records, and documentation for accuracy.
• Assist with year-end processing and W-2/1042-S reporting.
• Support data integrity and reporting requirements; respond to payroll inquiries.
• Provide backup coverage for senior payroll responsibilities during staff absences.

Skills

Payroll processing

Data accuracy

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical thinking

Customer service

Education

Bachelor's with accounting credits

Associate’s in accounting

Associate’s in business with accounting credits

Tools

PeopleSoft

Kronos TIM

Job description

Full-time/Part-time Permanent/Time-Limited

Full-time/Part-time Permanent/Time-Limited Full-Time Permanent

If time-limited, estimated duration of appointment

This position is not eligible for H-1B sponsorship.

Position Summary Information

Be a Tar Heel!

Do you enjoy solving complex payroll challenges, reconciling accounts, auditing data for accuracy, and researching issues to ensure employees are paid correctly and on time? Are you energized by work that combines analytical problem-solving, attention to detail, and collaboration with colleagues across campus? Do you take pride in providing exceptional customer service and contributing to a process that impacts every employee at the University? If so, UNC -Chapel Hill Payroll Services would love to meet you!

We’re seeking a Payroll Processing Accountant to join our collaborative Payroll Services team. This position plays a key role in payroll processing, reconciliations, compliance, reporting, and customer support, helping ensure the accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of payroll operations across the University. Working closely with Payroll Services staff, Human Resources, Finance, and departmental partners, you’ll help deliver a seamless payroll experience for employees while supporting critical University operations.

This opportunity is ideal for someone who enjoys working with data, values accuracy, and takes pride in delivering outstanding service while building strong partnerships across campus. In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact as part of a team dedicated to supporting the University’s employees every day. We welcome candidates who are eager to learn, collaborate, and help us continue providing exceptional payroll services to the Carolina community.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

Payroll Services processes and issues salary and wage payments to all University employees, processes and remits deductions for federal, state, and local taxes, retirement, and other withholdings, and processes and remits University payments for employee benefits. Payroll Services also reviews and processes personnel actions for pay rolling purposes; reviews and processes TIM (Kronos) transactions for leave and payment, and performs data control and reconciliation functions for earning, taxes, deductions and benefits. Payroll Services maintains personnel funding records and processes payroll expense distribution along with the reconciliations between the Human Resource and Finance Modules for posting to the General Ledger. Payroll Services monitors payroll compliance, including non-resident alien payroll, and submits reports required for federal, state, and other purposes. Payroll Services serves as the functional lead for Payroll and Commitment Accounting modules within PeopleSoft.

Position Summary

This position is responsible for supporting and performing complex payroll functions associated with University payroll operations, including monthly and biweekly payrolls as well as the UNC System Office payroll. The position performs payroll processing activities through PeopleSoft; audits payroll transactions, records, and documentation for accuracy and compliance; researches and resolves discrepancies; assists with year-end processing; and supports W-2 and 1042-S reporting activities. The incumbent ensures payroll data integrity while adhering to federal and state regulations, University policies, and established internal controls.

This position serves as a critical subject matter expert within Payroll Services and plays an essential role in business continuity, operational resiliency, and succession planning for the department. The incumbent maintains specialized knowledge of payroll processing, systems, reconciliations, reporting requirements, and compliance obligations necessary to support uninterrupted payroll operations. This role provides cross-functional support for key payroll functions and serves as backup coverage for critical payroll responsibilities during staff absences, vacancies, peak processing periods, and organizational transitions. Through knowledge sharing, cross-training, and operational support, the position helps preserve institutional knowledge and mitigate operational risk.

Additional responsibilities include supporting payroll system enhancements, testing payroll calculations and processing scenarios, assisting with special projects, and performing assigned PeopleSoft-related activities. The position must be adaptable, detail-oriented, and capable of working independently in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment while ensuring the accurate and timely processing of payroll activities across multiple payroll cycles. The incumbent will also absorb and perform duties normally assigned to senior payroll staff, including the EHRA Lead Accountant, when necessary to ensure continuity of operations and consistent service delivery.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with 12 credit hours of accounting coursework; or Associate’s degree in accounting; or Associate’s degree in business or related discipline with 12 credit hours of accounting coursework; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Management Preferences

• Payroll processing experience in a complex organization with multiple payroll cycles, including monthly and biweekly payrolls.
• Knowledge of established state government and University regulations and procedures, as well as UNC -Chapel Hill policies and practices.
• Experience working closely with campus departments and business partners to provide guidance on payroll operations and compliance matters is highly desirable.
• Experience handling sensitive financial and personnel data is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage complex payroll responsibilities in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae / Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of References

Posting Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• Describe your experience processing payroll in a complex organization with multiple payroll cycles (e.g., monthly and biweekly payrolls). What systems did you use, and what was your role in ensuring payroll accuracy and timeliness?

  (Open Ended Question)

• Provide an example of a payroll discrepancy, audit finding, or reconciliation issue you identified and resolved. What steps did you take to research the issue, ensure compliance, and implement a solution?

  (Open Ended Question)

• This position serves as a backup for critical payroll functions and requires maintaining continuity during staffing shortages or high-volume processing periods. Describe a situation where you assumed responsibility for a key payroll process or cross-trained in another payroll function. What was the outcome?

  (Open Ended Question)

• Please select the response below that best describes your experience/education for the Accountant position.
  • Bachelor's degree (or higher) with at least 12 credit hours of accounting coursework.
  • Associate's degree in Accounting
  • Associate's degree in business or related field with 12 credit hours of accounting coursework.
  • High school diploma and a combination of additional education and experience as an accountant or an account technician equaling at least 2 years .
  • No high school diploma and have a combination of education and experience as an accountant or an account technician equaling at least 6 years (for example: 1 year high school and 5 years in accountantship)
  • None of the above