HR/Payroll Specialist with ADP Experience

Collegiate Charter School of Lowell•Lowell, MA

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Payroll Specialist owns full-service payroll operations for Collegiate Charter School of Lowell (CCSL), a K–12 Commonwealth Charter School serving approximately 1,200 students and 240 staff. This senior individual-contributor role is responsible for end-to-end payroll administration in ADP, general ledger and accounts payable work in QuickBooks, and reporting and reconciliation with the Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System (MTRS). The specialist operates with minimal oversight, serves as a technical authority on payroll compliance, and partners with the Business Office and Human Resources on budget, audit, and year-end close. The position is based on-site at CCSL's central administrative offices in Lowell, Massachusetts, with standard business-office hours aligned to the school's 12-month calendar. Payroll processing deadlines and fiscal year-end close may require adjusted hours.

Requirements

At least 5 years of full-cycle payroll experience, including ownership of compliance and reconciliation.
Deep, hands-on expertise with ADP payroll platforms, such as ADP Workforce Now, including configuration and troubleshooting.
Strong working proficiency with QuickBooks Online or Desktop.
Advanced Excel skills, including VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and complex reconciliations.
Ability to work independently, manage competing fiscal-year deadlines, and serve as the go-to payroll expert in a school business office.

Nice To Haves

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
School district or charter school experience.
Direct experience with Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System reporting and contribution processes.
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC).
Experience with PowerSchool or a similar student information system.

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end ADP payroll processing for approximately 240 staff, including new hires, terminations, leave, stipends, overtime, retroactive pay, and off-cycle runs, with minimal supervision.
Serve as the school's technical lead for ADP configuration, pay policies, deduction codes, and system troubleshooting.
Own monthly MTRS reporting and contribution submissions, reconcile remittances against payroll deductions, and resolve discrepancies directly with MTRS.
Administer retirement contributions for non-certified staff and coordinate with the applicable Massachusetts retirement or pension system.
Reconcile payroll registers against budgeted positions and the CCSL salary scale, and investigate and resolve variances.
Own monthly payroll-related general ledger reconciliations in QuickBooks, including payroll clearing, accrued liabilities, and benefits withholdings; support broader accounts payable and general ledger entries and month-end and year-end close.
Lead preparation of quarterly and annual payroll tax filings, including Forms 941 and W-2, and serve as the primary payroll contact for auditors.
Process and track garnishments, levies, benefit deductions, and other third-party payroll liabilities.
Serve as the senior point of contact for staff questions about pay, deductions, and MTRS or retirement, exercising discretion with sensitive compensation data.
Partner with the Director of Finance and Director of Human Resources on annual budget development, audit preparation, and Uniform Financial Statement (UFR/EOY) reporting.
Maintain organized, audit-ready payroll and accounting files in compliance with state public records and retention requirements.
Recommend and help implement process improvements as payroll volume and complexity grow.