Sr. Payroll Coordinator

University of Georgia; Kentucky; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Georgia is seeking a Sr. Payroll Coordinator to lead payroll operations for Auxiliary Services, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant processing for over 1,000 employees.

The role serves as primary contact for approvals, escalations, and audits, supervising the Auxiliary Payroll Coordinator and partnering with Auxiliary HR and central payroll to resolve issues. Responsibilities include overseeing full-cycle payroll, reconciliations, and process improvements while ensuring

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent and 5 years of professional experience.
• Advanced accuracy and attention to detail with analytical problem-solving.
• Strong communication and service orientation with discretion and confidentiality.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines in a high-volume environment.
• Leadership skills to train, supervise, and develop staff.

Responsibilities

• Oversees full-cycle biweekly and monthly payroll processing for 1000+ employees across units.
• Ensure accuracy of deductions, timesheet reporting codes, and special pay.
• Validate compliance with policy, regulatory requirements, and internal controls.
• Oversee payroll reconciliations, GL postings, and labor distribution.
• Troubleshoot payroll inquiries and communicate outcomes to employees and HR partners.
• Maintain payroll SOPs and support audit readiness and process improvements.

Skills

Attention to detail

Analytical problem-solving

Communication

Deadline management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Job description

Sr. Payroll Coordinator

Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions you should review before applying for the opening.

Posting Details

Posting Number S15555P Working Title Sr. Payroll Coordinator Department Auxiliary Finance About the University of Georgia Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state’s flagship university (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine. About the College/Unit/Department College/Unit/Department website auxiliary.uga.edu

Posting Type External Retirement Plan TRS Employment Type Employee Benefits Eligibility Benefits Eligible Full/Part time Full Time Work Schedule Additional Schedule Information This position offers a 40 hour work week. Typical schedules are 8 AM – 5 PM, Monday-Friday. Advertised Salary Commensurate with Experience Posting Date 08/03/2026 Open until filled Yes Closing Date Proposed Starting Date 09/01/2026 Special Instructions to Applicants Location of Vacancy Athens Area

EEO Policy Statement The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR ([e-mail]). USG Core Values Statement The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning, as well the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 08.02.18.01.02 . Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 06.05 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom .

Position Information

Classification Title Payroll Coord-Coll/Div III FLSA Exempt FTE 1.00 Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent and 5 years of professional experience

Position Summary

The Sr. Payroll Coordinator oversees payroll operations for Auxiliary Services, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing across multiple units. The role serves as the primary resource for approvals, escalations, and audit readiness; directly supervises the Auxiliary Payroll Coordinator; and partners with Auxiliary HR, central university payroll, and unit leadership to resolve issues, improve processes, and maintain strong internal controls.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

• Advanced accuracy and attention to detail; analytical problem-solving.
• Strong communication and service orientation with discretion/confidentiality.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines in a high-volume environment.
• Leadership skills to train, supervise, and develop staff.

Physical Demands

• Sit at a desk and work on a computer for extended periods.
• Lift/carry files up to 30 lbs.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Payroll Operations Management
  • Oversees and manages the full-cycle biweekly and monthly payroll processing in accordance with USG and UGA standards, deadlines, and procedures for all Auxiliary staff and students of over 1000 employees.
  • Oversee to ensure accurate and timely completion of payroll deductions, payroll adjustments, and proper use of timesheet reporting codes, absence management updates, timesheet corrections, supplemental pay, off-cycle payments, overpayment recovery, retroactivity, shift differentials, student ladder, and special pay.
  • Validate compliance with policy, regulatory requirements, and internal control expectations.
• Payroll Reconciliation & Transaction Analysis
  • Oversee all payroll reconciliation processes, ensuring accuracy across payroll registers, GL postings, funding distributions, and accounting adjustments.
  • Review earnings, deductions, leave reporting, and retroactivity to identify variances; research root causes and ensure timely resolution in accordance with UGA / USG policy.
  • Evaluate pre- and post-payroll transaction accuracy to ensure all payroll activity is properly documented, compliant, and aligned with financial and internal control standards.
• Issue Resolution & Customer Service
  • Troubleshoot and resolve payroll-related inquiries, including pay discrepancies, deductions, leave balances, taxation, and job data issues.
  • Communicate outcomes clearly with employees, supervisors, HR partners, and unit administrators.
• General Ledger, Systems & Reporting
  • Maintain payroll-related GL accuracy, including creating and updating combo codes for operating and grant funding sources and ensuring accurate labor distribution.
  • Use HCM queries, payroll reporting tools, and financial systems to validate payroll entries, monitor anomalies, and support decision-making.
  • Assist with payroll expense research and financial statement labor expense alignment, including level-of-effort and grant compliance expectations.
• Compliance & Internal Controls
  • Maintain, update and communicate payroll standard operating procedures to ensure compliance with USG , UGA , and regulatory requirements.
  • Monitor processes for invalid funding, suspense account resolution, and express retro activity; ensure documentation and approvals support audit readiness.
  • Implement updates from central HR/payroll and support continuous improvement of payroll internal controls.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Supervision
  • Coordinate with Auxiliary HR regarding job data changes, hiring actions, compensation adjustments, football pay, additional pay programs, shift differentials, and student promotions.
  • Assist Associate Director with taxable fringe benefit review and related compliance needs.
  • Provide daily direction, workload prioritization, and training to the Auxiliary Payroll Coordinator; ensure backup coverage and performance feedback.
• Budget Support
  • Assist with annual salary budget calculations for all Auxiliary Services units.
  • Monitor labor budgets, identify discrepancies, and assist with corrections of salary budget overdrafts as needed.
• Process Improvement
  • Identify opportunities to streamline payroll processes and recommend automation or workflow enhancements.
  • Document revised procedures and help implement efficiency improvements to increase accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.

Contact Information

Recruitment Contact Name Lisa Catanese Recruitment Contact Email [e-mail] Recruitment Contact Phone

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * How many years of experience do you have in this type of position?
  • 0-1
  • 1-3
  • 3-5
  • 5-7
  • 7+
• * How did you hear about this vacant position?
  • UGAJobs (UGA's job board)
  • LinkedIn
  • Handshake
  • Indeed.com
  • HigherEdJobs
  • A current UGA employee
  • Other (please provide resource)

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter
• List of References with Contact Information

Optional Documents