Payroll Manager

University of Washington Medical Center • Seattle, WA

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

Housing & Food Services is hiring a Payroll Manager for Business and Finance Services. The role manages end-to-end payroll operations and related business processes, ensuring payroll data integrity in financial systems and the accuracy of resulting financial statements. The position oversees payroll for a department of 500 professional and classified employees and 900 student employees.

The manager serves as HFS's Workday subject matter expert, provides leadership and guidance to payroll staff, and partners with HFS units and campus stakeholders to resolve issues and improve operations. The position reports to the Assistant Director for Accounting Operations. Up to two days of remote work is available; work outside regular Monday through Friday business hours may be required to meet payroll deadlines and support critical operations. This is a regular, 100% FTE position.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or a closely related field and four years of experience in a payroll or accounting environment; equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except where legal requirements apply.
• Experience managing payroll using an HRIS or equivalent.
• Effective administration of state and federal laws related to payroll compliance.
• Experience administering payroll for overtime-eligible and overtime-exempt staff.
• Effective communication and problem solving with employees.
• Effective organization, planning, and scheduling of work.
• Successful prioritization of complex and often competing priorities.
• Effective communication, adaptation, and visualization of data for a diverse audience.
• Curiosity and eagerness to learn and adapt to new technologies.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with Workday or other comparable payroll systems.
• Experience in payroll management or related fields at a public institution of higher education.
• Successful completion of training and testing required to execute a Workday security role within one month of hire.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end payroll processing, including payroll administration, time and leave reconciliation, and compliance with federal, state, university, and collective bargaining agreement requirements.
• Develop and maintain audit schedules and monitoring processes for semi-monthly payroll processing and monthly leave accruals.
• Serve as the Workday subject matter expert for HFS and provide guidance on payroll, time tracking, absence management, and related business processes.
• Research, analyze, and resolve payroll issues; collaborate with the ISC and campus partners to investigate and escalate complex problems.
• Develop, maintain, and analyze reports, dashboards, and metrics to support payroll operations, compliance, and process improvements.
• Model behaviors that promote a positive, respectful, and collaborative work environment.
• Serve as a member of the Business and Finance leadership team.
• Build and maintain partnerships with HFS units, UW Payroll, Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, and other campus stakeholders.
• Serve as the primary liaison between HFS and the ISC; identify trends, communicate recurring issues, and develop strategies to improve operations.
• Collaborate with HFS Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, UW Payroll, and other campus partners to coordinate processes and resolve issues.
• Supervise and direct Payroll staff to ensure quality, accuracy, and timely completion of work.
• Provide coaching, feedback, and performance management to support employee success and development.
• Promote cross-training, knowledge sharing, and professional development opportunities to strengthen team capability and continuity.
• Plan, prioritize, and assign work to meet operational needs and competing priorities.
• Foster an environment that encourages learning, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Benefits

• The posting refers applicants to the UW staff benefits website for information about benefits.
• Opportunities for professional growth.
• A diverse and intellectually exciting work environment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager