Payroll Specialist

Central Piedmont Community College; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Piedmont Community College is seeking a Payroll Specialist to ensure accurate and timely payroll processing, maintain records, and ensure compliance with labor laws and college policies. The role collaborates with Human Resources to confirm deductions and benefits, and to ensure employees are paid correctly and on time.

The ideal candidate has an Associate’s degree with 3 years of payroll experience (including accounting) and familiarity with Workday, Ellucian, Informer, Banner or ADP.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or related field and 3 years of payroll processing experience including 2 years of accounting.

Responsibilities

• Audits and verifies payroll data for active employees and ensures accurate entry into the payroll HRIS.
• Verifies employee records, calculates changes to payroll, check requests, and reimbursements; ensures timely updates.
• Stays informed on regulations related to salary, benefits, and deduction processing; ensures compliance.
• Advises employees on Earnings Statement inquiries, including taxes, deductions, and pay codes; maintains confidentiality.
• Performs payroll accounting processes and reports, including journal entries, month-end reporting, and retirement reporting.
• Assist with payroll process to create payroll vouchers, print pay checks and earnings statements; mail checks to vendors.
• Reconciles benefit withholding and makes corrections.
• Provides information and resolves payroll problems; collaborates with HR, Finance, and stakeholders.
• Creates/updates payroll SOPs and tests new processes.
• May coordinate payroll trainings and act as web ambassador.

Skills

Payroll regulations

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Customer service

Analytical skills

Interpersonal skills

Independent work

Familiarity with payroll laws

Higher education payroll knowledge

Payroll systems

Education

Associate’s degree in Accounting/Finance/HR

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance/HR

Tools

Workday

Ellucian

Informer

Banner

ADP

Job description

The Payroll Specialist will be responsible for ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, maintaining payroll records, and ensuring compliance with labor laws, college policies, and other regulatory organizations.

1. Audits and verifies payroll and benefits data for active employees, ensuring accurate entry into the payroll HRIS. Collaborates with Human Resources to confirm payroll-related details and determine applicable deductions and benefits as needed. Ensures employees are paid accurately and on time.
2. Verifies employee records, calculates changes to payroll, check requests, and reimbursements; ensures all necessary changes are made and/or stop payment requests are issued in a timely manner.
3. Stays informed on regulations related to salary, benefits, and deduction processing, ensuring compliance with evolving payroll laws and institutional policies.
4. Advises employees on Earnings Statement inquiries, including taxes, deductions, and pay codes, while maintaining strict confidentiality.
5. Performs payroll accounting processes and/or reports as assigned including but not limited to analyzing, balancing & reconciling journal entries, refund of payroll, retirement reporting, month-end reporting, etc. that are due to internal and/or external agencies; gathers, analyzes, and provides accurate information in a timely mannerwhile working within required reporting deadlines.
6. Assist with the payroll process to create payroll vouchers, print pay checks and earnings statements, and mail checks to vendors.
7. Reconciles benefit withholding to statement and makes necessary corrections.
8. Serves as information resource to payroll team and customers, answers inquiries and provides information related to payroll matters; researches and resolves payroll problems and discrepancies.
9. Works collaboratively with HR, Finance, and stakeholders throughout the College (managers, staff, faculty, etc.).
10. Creates/updates and maintains the payroll standard operating procedures; test and implement new processes as needed.
11. May organize/coordinate payroll trainings for various payroll processes.
12. May serve as web ambassador.
13. Performs other duties as assigned.

Associate’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or related field and 3 years of payroll processing experience including 2 years of accounting.

Preferred Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources or a related field or 4 years of payroll processing experience including 2 years of accounting.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Worker Characteristics:

• Knowledge of office rules, procedures and operations regarding payroll
• Demonstrated self-motivation, attention to detail, and strong organizational skills
• Excellent communication, customer service, analytical and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll regulations (FLSA, IRS, Social Security, tax laws)
• Understanding of higher education payroll structures (faculty contracts, adjunct pay, stipends)
• Proficient in payroll systems (e.g., Workday, Ellucian, Informer, Banner, ADP)

Working Conditions:

While this position primarily follows standard office hours, occasional late hours or weekend work may be required during emergencies.