University Payroll & Benefits Specialist

WWU College of Business & Economics; Bellingham (WA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Western Washington University is seeking a Payroll and Benefits Coordinator to support accurate and timely university payroll processing. The role involves entering, auditing, reconciling, and correcting payroll data, administering deductions, and coordinating with payroll, benefits, HR, and finance to resolve issues.

The ideal candidate has a bachelor’s degree in a related field and 1–3 years of HR/payroll experience, with strong Excel/HRIS skills, attention to detail, and the ability to handle

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Accounting or related field OR equivalent education/work experience.
• 1–3 years of experience in payroll, benefits administration, or related HR support role.
• Familiarity with payroll and HRIS systems.
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to handle confidential information with integrity and discretion.

Responsibilities

• Perform assigned components of the university's regular payroll cycle for employees across multiple groups and bargaining units.
• Enter, retrieve, audit, reconcile, and validate payroll data in HR and payroll systems.
• Process and maintain payroll deductions including benefits and retirement contributions.
• Research payroll discrepancies and coordinate corrections.
• Provide backup support for payroll processing during deadlines and peak periods.
• Process and validate benefit/enrollment changes affecting payroll.
• Explain eligibility requirements and payroll impacts to employees.

Skills

Payroll systems familiarity

Attention to detail

Interpersonal skills

Discretion with confidential info

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field

Tools

HRIS systems

Job description

Western Washington University is seeking a Payroll and Benefits Coordinator to support accurate and timely university payroll processing. The role involves entering, auditing, reconciling, and correcting payroll data, administering deductions, and coordinating with payroll, benefits, HR, and finance to resolve issues.

The ideal candidate has a bachelor’s degree in a related field and 1–3 years of HR/payroll experience, with strong Excel/HRIS skills, attention to detail, and the ability to handle