Payroll Systems Analyst

Lesley University; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, life, and long-term di

Significant paid time off

Generous retirement plan

Tuition programs for employees and+de

Job summary

Lesley University in Cambridge, MA is seeking a Payroll Systems Analyst to join the HR team. You will manage on-cycle and off-cycle payroll processing, audits, reconciliations, and reporting, leveraging Workday payroll configuration and time tracking to optimize operations.

The role emphasizes collaboration with Finance and IT, ensuring compliance with federal/state regulations, driving process improvements, audits, and routine inquiries from employees.

Qualifications

• : Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field or equivalent work experience.
• :

Responsibilities

• Process on-cycle and off-cycle payrolls, audits, reconciliations, variance analysis, and payroll reporting.
• Support system upgrades, troubleshooting, and enhancements to payroll operations.
• Develop and maintain reports, analytics, and GL reconciliations; monitor payroll tax compliance.
• Document standard operating procedures and respond to employee payroll inquiries.
• Collaborate with Finance, IT, and Financial Aid to strengthen internal controls and process improvements.

Skills

Payroll experience

Autonomy

Deadline management

Communication skills

Time management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance or related field

Tools

Workday payroll system

Job description

The Opportunity

Lesley University is seeking a Payroll Systems Analyst to join the Human Resources department. Reporting to the Payroll Manager, this role supports the timely and accurate processing of on-cycle and off-cycle payrolls, audits, reconciliations, variance analysis, and payroll reporting. The Payroll Systems Analyst will leverage Workday payroll expertise, including configuration, reporting, calculated fields, and time tracking, to maintain and optimize payroll operations. Responsibilities include troubleshooting payroll and system issues, supporting system upgrades and enhancements, conducting audits, ensuring compliance with federal and state payroll regulations, and implementing process improvements.

Working closely with Finance, IT, and Financial Aid, the Payroll Systems Analyst will develop reports and analytics, support general ledger reconciliations and payroll tax compliance, monitor Federal Work Study earnings and award balances, and help maintain strong internal controls. Additional responsibilities include documenting standard operating procedures, responding to employee payroll inquiries, and supporting other payroll-related initiatives.

Qualities & Capabilities

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field or equivalent work experience
• Two to five+ years of direct payroll experience (required); Experience within a higher education setting (preferred)
• Demonstrated success utilizing Workday as a payroll system (required)
• Knowledge of payroll and accounting principles, payroll methods, Department of Labor regulations, and federal and state tax regulations
• Demonstrated experience working autonomously and managing deadlines effectively
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; Strong ability to maintain effective working relationships with all levels of the university and external partners
• Excellent time management skills; Ability to multitask while maintaining accuracy and precision

Why Lesley

Located in the heart of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Lesley University is highly regarded for its graduate and undergraduate programs in the human arts of education, the arts, and applied social sciences. Lesley fosters a highly creative environment in which innovative ideas thrive, theory is integrated with practice and its 6,400 students and 90,000 alumni are empowered to improve and enrich communities.

We offer a competitive benefits package that includes health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance. In addition, we offer significant paid time off, a generous retirement plan, and tuition programs that enable employees and their dependents to expand their knowledge and skills.

• health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance
• significant paid time off
• a generous retirement plan
• tuition programs that enable employees and their dependents to expand their knowledge and skills

Lesley is committed to the ongoing pursuit of strategic diversity initiatives that help to position diversity, equity, and inclusion as fundamental to institutional and academic excellence at Lesley. In doing so, Lesley strives for a campus culture and community that fosters a true sense of belonging for all, provides opportunity for everyone to participate equally and fully in the Lesley experience, and helps to develop each individual's capacity to confidently and competently engage within and across difference. Given an evolving national context and the rapid change in the demographic profile of our country, the University has made a significant commitment to addressing and enhancing its campus climate and diversity capabilities as an institution.

At Lesley University we strive for a supportive and equitable environment where people -- regardless of race, ethnicity, color, sex, physical ability, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, veteran or military status, membership in uniformed services, and all other categories protected by applicable state and federal laws -- can participate equally and fully as their true selves in all aspects of university life. Accordingly, the University prohibits discrimination based on these protected categories in any education program or activity that it operates, including in admission and in employment. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the fabric of our institution. Individuals may submit concerns or questions related to discrimination to the University's Director of Equal Opportunity. Please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity's webpage for the University's entire notice of nondiscrimination and for additi