Senior Accountant, Payroll (2788)

Idaho State University•Pocatello, ID

16h•Onsite

About The Position

The Payroll Accountant provides accounting, financial, and administrative support to Idaho State University’s payroll operations. The role assists with processing biweekly payroll and prepares and maintains accurate records in compliance with federal, state, and local payroll and wage laws. It is housed in the Office of Human Resources and reports directly to the AVP of Finance, with a dotted-line report to the AVP of Human Resources. The position works closely with the Payroll Manager, Personnel Technician for Payroll Processing, and Benefits Coordinator. The Payroll Accountant and Payroll Manager are cross-trained to run payroll and provide redundancy and flexibility for biweekly payroll operations. The schedule must be consistent with the university’s needs and payroll cycle. The position is on campus in Pocatello and is not eligible for remote work. It is not eligible for new visa sponsorship; candidates with valid U.S. work authorization may be considered.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field from an accredited institution, or six years of equivalent professional experience.
At least four years of experience in accounting, finance, or a related field, including at least one year of direct experience in payroll-related functions.
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills for effective interaction with leadership, faculty, and staff at all organizational levels.
Strong problem-solving, financial-analysis, and investigative-research skills.
Excellent organizational, prioritization, and multitasking capabilities, with close attention to detail in a dynamic and complex environment.
Ability to work a regular schedule consistent with university needs and the biweekly payroll cycle.
Valid U.S. work authorization; the position is not eligible for new visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
Accounting experience in higher education.
At least two years of direct experience in payroll accounting functions.

Responsibilities

Support the administration and processing of biweekly payroll in coordination with the University Controller, Payroll Manager, Personnel Technician for Payroll Processing, and Senior Accountant in Finance.
Prepare and maintain accurate payroll transaction records and reports, and facilitate audits by producing ad-hoc payroll reports and analyzing salary transactions.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll, wage, and hour laws and best practices.
Process payroll and salary funding redistributions and advise on best practices.
Cross-train with the Payroll Manager on payroll operations and occasionally run biweekly payroll.
Reconcile payroll vendor and levy checks.
Process payroll journal vouchers.
Prepare the prior-month calculation for Box 12 DD and collaborate with the Benefits Coordinator as needed.
Prepare the ADP file and reconcile state accounts for out-of-state tax compliance.
Collaborate with the HR Associate and Personnel Technician to support processing of the Education Tax by reviewing and auditing employees using the Employee credit benefit.
Manage and process employee tuition waivers each semester.
Complete routine daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual payroll-processing tasks.
Support projects and process improvements related to changes affecting Payroll or Benefits programs, as directed by the University Controller or Payroll Manager and in collaboration with other university units.