Payroll & Benefits Specialist

PeopleAdmin•Lincoln, NE

About The Position

The Payroll & Benefits Specialist supports accurate payroll processing, employee benefits administration, payroll records management, and customer service. The role reviews payroll documentation and employee data for accuracy and compliance; enters new-hire and status-change information; processes deductions and direct deposits; reconciles payroll and benefits records; and prepares related reports. It also supports benefits enrollment and leave administration, maintains secure and accessible payroll and benefits records, and assists with payroll procedures and cross-training. The Specialist serves as a professional point of contact for students, faculty, staff, and the public on payroll and benefits questions. The position also supports a welcoming, respectful culture of belonging and the College’s policies and programming related to access, fair employment, and equal opportunity.

Requirements

Associate’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or a directly related field, or two years of post-secondary coursework in Accounting, Finance, or Business.
Three years of work experience in Accounting, Finance, Payroll, Benefits, Compensation, or Business work related to the responsibilities.
A bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Management, or Public Administration may substitute for up to two years of required work experience.
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification may substitute for two years of required work experience.
Qualifying related work experience beyond the required three-year minimum may substitute for the listed educational requirements on a year-for-year basis.

Responsibilities

Verify payroll documentation and data-entry forms for accuracy, completeness, and policy compliance before processing.
Review I-9 and W-4 forms for IRS compliance, verify federal and state tax deductions, and reconcile payroll data across records.
Enter new-hire demographic, tax, benefits, and payroll-deduction information; generate employee identification numbers; and process employee status changes.
Process garnishments and court-ordered deductions, including child support and tax levies, accurately and on schedule.
Monitor unapproved timecards and follow up with supervisors to obtain approvals before payroll processing.
Prepare and transmit ACH direct deposit files for biweekly and monthly payroll cycles.
Reconcile employee deductions for retirement, life, health, and reimbursement accounts; prepare unemployment and labor reports; and forward payroll annuities to Accounts Payable and Accounting.
Support employee benefits enrollment and terminations, reconcile provider billings, and process timely payments to benefit providers.
Monitor 403(b) and 457(b) plan contributions for IRS compliance.
Administer leave plan enrollment, monthly and annual accruals, fiscal year-end procedures, leave corrections, and Catastrophic Leave Bank donations.
Scan, index, and archive biweekly and monthly payroll files and benefit provider billings, ensuring records are secure, organized, and readily retrievable.
Assist in maintaining the Payroll Procedures Manual and participate in cross-training to support operational continuity across payroll functions.
Respond professionally to payroll and benefits inquiries from students, faculty, staff, and the public, including calls about payroll deductions.
Provide consistent, accurate, and courteous customer service.
Promote belonging and help foster a welcoming, valued, empowered, safe, and respectful environment for students, faculty, and College employees.
Support the College’s policies and programming related to access, fair employment, and equal opportunities.