Payroll Specialist Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• At least 5 years of payroll experience.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel and Word.
• Strong knowledge of UKG software.
• Strong communication and organizational skills, flexibility, and the ability to promote positive communication.
• Knowledge of federal and California labor laws and general knowledge of payroll functions.
• Ability to handle highly sensitive information.
• Strong time management, follow-up, and attention to detail.
• Ability to quickly learn new software packages.
• Ability to balance compliance needs with a strong commitment to customer service.

Nice To Haves

• Associate’s degree preferred.
• APA certification desired but not required.
• Experience or strong interest in K-12 public education.

Responsibilities

• Lead, monitor, guide, and supervise the payroll team under the Director of Payroll’s guidance, help the team meet goals and targets, and provide feedback.
• Oversee and/or run bi-monthly payroll processes as directed by the Director of Payroll, and lead team meetings when the Director is absent.
• Lead payroll audits, oversee their completion and accuracy, and assist the Retirement Manager with retirement-related audits as needed.
• Work with the Retirement Manager to ensure new-hire reports include retirement placement and prepare retirement import files for new hires and status changes.
• Work with the Director of Payroll to train payroll team members on compliance items and processes.
• Ensure approval of semi-monthly timesheets from all school sites and communicate with Principals and Business Managers about pending timesheets or errors.
• Ensure payroll documents are accurate for processing, including teacher calculations and retroactive pay, and audit HR-submitted status changes and new hires.
• Calculate and enter blended overtime; correct partial time-off entries; enter timesheets, time-off forms, and pay adjustments; and process off-cycle checks.
• Lead and maintain garnishments and garnishment payments through UKG payment services.
• Calculate teacher final payouts and PTO or sick time for leaves of absence; complete employment verifications and sick-time transfers.
• Support or assign payroll requests for information from HR and Finance, and respond to payroll Zendesk and phone requests in a timely manner.
• Prepare year-end tax filings, including tax liability reporting, negative wage adjustments, and quarterly and year-end files; assign the U.S. Department of Labor headcount statistics report; and complete the wage portion of benefit audits for EDD.
• Follow up on stale-dated checks, collect teacher work calendars, maintain payroll files, and ensure terminated employees are paid on time.
• Provide excellent customer service.
• Support Aspire Public Schools’ mission, vision, and values, including antiracism, and uphold confidentiality standards and the code of ethical behavior.
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.
• Support the new service-level agreement under which Aspire NorCal will provide finance, accounting, and payroll services to Aspire LA.

Benefits

• Eligible for Aspire health benefits.
• Retirement through CalSTRS or CalPERS, depending on the role’s credential requirements, with a 403(b) option.
• Paid time off and additional teammate benefits to be determined in accordance with an updated employee value proposition.