Payroll Specialist

Chicago Public Schools; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Plan Options

Vision

Pension Plans

403(b) and 457(b)

FSAs

Spouse/ Pet insurance

Job summary

Chicago Public Schools is seeking a Payroll Specialist to support the Payroll team in ensuring accurate and timely payments for employees. The role involves reviewing timesheets, wages, retroactive pay, bonuses, and benefits, while ensuring compliance with tax and regulatory requirements.

Reporting to the Payroll Manager, you will audit transactions, resolve pension and benefit issues, and drive improvements to payroll processes in a large government organization.

Qualifications

• Education: High school diploma or GED required; advanced degree preferred.
• Experience: Minimum five years in payroll; at least three years payroll-specific.
• Knowledge: State and federal payroll laws and regulations; ERP/CRM familiarity.
• Skills: Proficient in spreadsheets; accurate data handling; customer service focus.

Responsibilities

• Review timesheets and attendance for accuracy and corrections as needed.
• Review compensation data including wages, retroactive pay, bonuses and benefits.
• Assist payroll team with transactions and related exception reports.
• Help resolve pension and benefit issues and support audits.
• Suggest improvements to payroll processes and systems.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Payroll processes

Compliance knowledge

Data accuracy

Customer service

Time management

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate or Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

PeopleSoft

Oracle

Kronos Timekeeping

Job description

CPS Careers | Search | Apply | Get Hired

CPS Non-Union Job Grade : S05

Primary Location: Southwest Side-501 W 35th St (Bridgeport)

Estimated Annual Salary Range

50,000.00 - 67,500.00

Position Type : Non-Union Position

Overtime Status

Exempt

Final salary offers are dependent upon candidate qualifications.

JOB DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 325,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 45,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. Aligned with our transformed philosophy, we are steadfastly focused on ensuring that the District provides resources equitably to support every student, every school, and every community. Six core values guide the work we do every day for our students – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning. Each role in the district supports our vision that every student deserves a rigorous, joyful, and equitable learning experience.

The Office of the Controller is responsible for the financial operations of Chicago Public Schools, including Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll, Internal Accounts, and Corporate Accounting.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Payroll Manager, the Payroll Specialist assists the Payroll team in reviewing the way we process payroll for employees and ensuring payments are accurate and timely. The Payroll Specialist reviews payroll data and notes any errors, validates amounts, hours worked, rate of pay, and deductions, and ensures payments are made on time. This is a full-time, exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

The Payroll Specialist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

Review timesheets and attendance records for accuracy, making corrections as necessary

Review compensation-related data including wages, retroactive payments, bonuses, and benefits

Assist the payroll team in reviewing payroll transactions and running and/or reviewing related exception reports to ensure anomalies are researched, explained, and/or resolved

Assist with researching and resolving pension and benefit-related issues

Assist with audits of payroll procedures and records

Assist with making improvements to business processes and systems

Other duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Payroll Specialist must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

High school diploma or GED equivalent is required

Associate or Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is preferred

Experience Required:

Minimum of five (5) years of related professional work experience, including the following, is required:

Minimum of three (3) years of payroll experience

Minimum of one (1) year of experience utilizing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) payroll application and working with customer service management (CRM) systems to ticket and track call volume

Payroll experience in a large government organization is strongly preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of payroll processes

Knowledge of state and federal payroll related laws and regulations including tax regulations

Ability to create and use spreadsheets to view data and validate calculations

Proven ability to use payroll applications such as PeopleSoft, Oracle and Kronos Timekeeping systems.

Ability to ensure data accuracy, and identify and document any issues

Able to write and clearly explain payroll procedures and policies

Ability to provide superior customer service through all types of interactions by maintaining a positive, friendly, professional, and patient attitude at all times

Ability to plan, organize, prioritize tasks, and schedule to meet critical deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Health & Wellness: Your Care, Your Choice

CPS is committed to providing comprehensive health coverage to our employees and their eligible dependents. You'll have access to a variety of choices to best fit your needs:

• Medical Plan Options
• Pharmacy
• Vision
• Behavioral Health & EAP
• Employee Wellness Program

Financial Security: Planning for Today and Tomorrow

We understand the importance of financial stability, which is why CPS offers strong retirement and savings options:

• Basic Life Insurance
• Life and Disability Insurance
• Pension Plans
• Supplemental Retirement Plans (403(b) and 457(b))
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Spot Pet Insurance

Work-Life Balance: Supporting Your Personal and Professional Life

CPS values the well-being of its employees and offers competitive paid time off policies:

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions; however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.