Payroll Manager

Wofford College•Spartanburg, SC

About The Position

Wofford College seeks an experienced, detail-oriented Payroll Manager to administer accurate, timely, and compliant student, biweekly, and monthly payrolls. The role oversees payroll processing, tax withholding and reporting, reconciliations, required payments and filings, and payroll record maintenance. It works with Human Resources, Finance, and external service providers to maintain payroll data in Workday and related systems, resolve discrepancies, support audits, and improve payroll processes and technology. This is a full-time, exempt position with a normal schedule of 37.5 hours per week. Limited evening and weekend work may occasionally be required. The Payroll Manager maintains confidential employee payroll and tax information and performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

Associate degree in accounting, business administration, human resources, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
At least three years of progressively responsible experience in payroll processing and administration.
Experience with payroll tax reporting and compliance, quarterly payroll reconciliations, and year-end payroll processing, including W-2 reporting.
Working knowledge of federal and state payroll tax requirements and applicable employment regulations.
Experience using payroll systems and spreadsheet applications to review data, reconcile reports, research discrepancies, and maintain accurate records.
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
Ability to manage multiple deadlines while maintaining accuracy and confidentiality.
Effective communication and problem-solving skills, including the ability to collaborate with HR, Finance, employees, and external service providers.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, human resources, or a related field.
Five or more years of progressively responsible payroll experience, preferably in higher education or a similarly complex organization.
Experience with Workday Payroll or another enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
Experience administering payroll tax requirements for student employees, international employees, and nonresident aliens.
Experience coordinating payroll funding, retirement plan contributions, benefit deductions, and involuntary deductions.
Experience supporting payroll audits, including workers’ compensation audits.
Demonstrated ability to evaluate payroll processes, strengthen internal controls, and recommend improvements to systems and procedures.

Responsibilities

Manage accurate and timely processing of student, biweekly, and monthly payrolls in accordance with college policies and applicable federal and state requirements.
Review payroll changes, including new hires, compensation changes, special payments, bonuses, and Wofford gift payments; process retroactive adjustments and other corrections.
Review timekeeping uploads and coordinate with Human Resources to resolve errors or missing information.
Monitor leave activity and calculate and process termination payments.
Review payroll records and reports, research discrepancies, and maintain current and complete payroll databases.
Run reports to identify missing or inaccurate employee information, including Social Security numbers and direct-deposit details.
Calculate and verify federal and state tax withholdings and ensure payroll tax records are accurate before payroll is finalized.
Coordinate with the third-party payroll provider on quarterly federal Form 941 filings, state withholding reports, unemployment insurance reports, and other required tax filings.
Reconcile wages, deductions, taxable wages, and withholding amounts to quarterly tax reports and maintain supporting records.
Review third-party reports for W-2 errors and discrepancies and coordinate corrections.
Review new-hire contracts and job profiles for appropriate Standard Occupational Classification codes for unemployment insurance reporting.
Maintain appropriate tax-exempt and withholding statuses for student employees, including applicable unemployment insurance and FICA/Medicare exemptions.
Coordinate tax treaty setup and payroll tax treatment for international employees and nonresident aliens.
Complete employment verification requests involving payroll history.
Provide the Controller with net payroll totals to support ACH processing and funding; use banking systems as needed for payroll fraud-control balance verification and funding confirmation.
Prepare payroll breakdowns and coordinate TIAA wire-transfer requests as required.
Provide the HR Manager with payroll-related benefit amounts for FSA and TIAA 403(b) processing.
Enter and remit involuntary deductions and other required payments, including child support, state and federal levies, United Way contributions, and unemployment insurance claims.
Maintain records and reports supporting accounting for wages, salaries, deductions, and other payroll transactions.
Partner with the Controller and Finance staff to ensure cost centers, grants, gifts, programs, and one-time payments are properly established and recorded in Workday and the general ledger.
Collaborate with HR staff to ensure employee and position data related to payroll are set up accurately in Workday.
Participate in HR and Finance coordination meetings about payroll and setup changes during fall, spring, summer, and camp operations.
Work with the HR Operations Specialist and HR Manager to research and resolve retroactive adjustments associated with timekeeping or benefit changes.
Identify benefit deductions in arrears and coordinate resolution with the HR Manager.
Coordinate with the third-party payroll provider to address processing questions, correct discrepancies, and maintain accurate payroll and tax information.
Prepare quarterly workers’ compensation audit reports and supporting spreadsheets, and coordinate with the Controller during the annual audit period as needed.
Coordinate annual personal-use/lease automobile processing and submit required information to the Associate Vice President of Finance for approval.
Coordinate annual W-2 processing with the third-party payroll provider and review payroll tax reporting for accuracy.
Prepare year-end payroll schedules and supporting spreadsheets and coordinate loading applicable year-end information into Workday with the HR Operations Specialist.
Review and update W-2 box information as needed.
Stay current on changes to federal and state laws, regulations, and college policies affecting payroll, and evaluate payroll technology and processes.
Recommend and implement improvements to payroll procedures, controls, reporting, and systems.
Maintain confidentiality and security of employee payroll and tax information.
Develop and maintain accurate payroll documentation, records, and procedures.
Perform other related duties as assigned.