SENIOR PAYROLL MANAGER

Lawrence Public Schools • Lawrence, MA

73d • $73,892 - $94,176

About The Position

The Senior Payroll Manager controls every facet of district payroll to guarantee timely, accurate compensation for all employees. Leading a team of two Payroll Specialists, the manager oversees bi-weekly payroll processing in MUNIS, ensures compliance with tax and retirement regulations, and partners with school and district leaders to resolve payroll matters swiftly and professionally.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or a minimum of five (5) years of progressive payroll management experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in payroll law, tax compliance, and internal controls.
• In-depth knowledge of automated payroll systems (MUNIS preferred) and related accounting controls.
• Ability to design, document, and enforce payroll procedures.
• Strong analytical skills for data review, reconciliation, and budget projections.
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills for collaboration with employees, vendors, and administrators.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and other payroll/reporting software.

Nice To Haves

• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Alternatives to the above qualifications may be considered at the discretion of the Superintendent.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, audit, and finalize bi-weekly payroll for all school employees.
• Review, verify, and process employee timesheets and action workflows.
• Generate and import time and attendance files into MUNIS.
• Monitor adherence to federal, state, and local tax laws.
• Submit retirement contribution reports to the Massachusetts Teachers Retirement System.
• Prepare periodic payroll reports for the Chief Financial Officer and other leaders.
• Evaluate payroll procedures and implement changes to enhance efficiency and internal controls.
• Maintain payroll tables, codes, and annual salary updates within MUNIS.
• Serve as primary liaison to the City Payroll Department.
• Respond to employee inquiries and support principals, department heads, and staff with payroll issues.
• Assist collective bargaining teams by providing cost analyses of salary proposals.
• Contribute to compensation budget development and salary projections.
• Perform bi-weekly payroll reconciliations and monitor batch accuracy and coding.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees