Payroll and Accounting Specialist

VenuWorks of Rochester New York • Rochester, New York • Full Time

Posted on Tue, Aug 4, 2026

SUMMARY The Accounting & Payroll Specialist works closely with Director of Finance to foster an engaging, positive, and productive workplace culture and environment. The specialist is primarily responsible for providing onsite operational support for the finance and payroll department, to ensure the facility has the resources needed to operate smoothly and efficiently. Support functions include coordination, execution and/or oversite of a diverse set of support tasks; collaborates with other departments to facilitate consistent, efficient, and compliant administrative services, completion of daily and monthly accounting tasks, coordinating and processing payroll, new hires, and organizing and processing employment data in high volume.  The position requires a high level of attention to detail and ability to focus on the work given interruptions that can occur.  The specialist must be highly motivated, have the ability to work in a dynamic team environment, exhibit effective communication and organizational skills, and have a strong client and customer service mentality. The work hours are generally standard office hours, Monday – Friday but could vary according to departmental needs, which may occasionally include evening or weekend work.  
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following.  Other duties may be assigned.1.    AP/AR: Perform Accounts Payable functions including processing check requests on a regular basis; accurately review, code, and process vendor invoices; review and reconcile invoice discrepancies; address and respond to vendor inquiries; produce annual 1099 forms.  Reconcile A/R ledger monthly and create invoices as needed. Initiate collections conversations with appropriate department, management, or customer regarding past-due accounts.2.    BANKING: Ensure all deposits and disbursements are posted accurately and follow up on any discrepancy or questions.  Analyze, process, and reconcile all cash-related transactions to monthly bank reconciliations and financial reports.3.    JOURNAL ENTRIES: Prepare and post journal entries after Director review and approval; determine appropriate accruals to be made monthly.4.    PAYROLL: Process employee payroll on time and through the appropriate channels with strict attention to detail. Manage external time keeping software to ensure accuracy and ease of use and functionality. Maintain general ledger with regard to payroll transactions, including multiple allocations to departments, and events.  Verify accurate reporting of payroll hours with the appropriate management personnel prior to processing payroll.5.    HR: Onboard staff, oversee the completion of paperwork, create files, upload to Paychex Oasis, follow-up with employee if needed.
Finance and Accounting1.    Accurately review, code, and process vendor invoices. 2.    Review, reconcile, and address invoice discrepancies.  3.    Respond to vendor inquiries.4.    Reconcile A/R ledger monthly and create invoices as needed5.    Initiate collections conversations with appropriate department, management, or customer regarding past-due accounts.6.    Processes daily deposits through bank deposits. Enters finalized cash receipts into accounting records and updates accounts receivable ledger by client for all facility users.7.    Analyze, process, and reconcile all cash-related transactions to monthly bank activity and financial reports.8.    Review and research bank account discrepancies and differences.9.    Prepare and post journal entries after Director review and approval.10.  Assist in month-end and year-end financial reporting which includes various bank account and GL account reconciliations.11.  Processes petty cash reimbursements. Completes month end reconciliations and petty cash fund reimbursement.12.  Assist with gathering data for financial audits. 
Human Resources
  1. Maintaining current HR files and databases.
  2. Updating and maintaining employee benefits, employment status, and similar records.
  3. Manage new employee onboarding and applicable functions.
  4. First resource for personnel changes, e.g. address, direct deposit.
  5. Customer service - Answering employee questions, concerns, and providing timely follow-up.
  6. Participating in recruitment efforts, posting job ads and organizing resumes/applications, and scheduling candidate interviews.
  7. Coordinate logistics for new hire orientations and support employee training sessions.
  8. Preparing new employee files and confirming data has been entered into the PEO database.
  9. Overseeing the completion of all employment documentation.
 Payroll Administration
  1. Processing weekly payroll, which includes ensuring vacation and sick time are tracked in the system.
  2. Maintain general ledger with regard to payroll transactions, including multiple allocations to departments, and events.  
  3. Verify accurate reporting of payroll hours with the appropriate management personnel prior to processing payroll.
  4. Answering payroll questions and facilitating resolutions to any payroll errors.
  5. Track and update employee leaves of absence.
6.    Prepares, communicates, and tracks incident and injury reports, safety, and policy training to all employees for compliance.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES This position does not have any supervisory responsibility. 
QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE 1.    Associate degree and enrolled in an accredited program in pursuit of bachelor’s degree in finance, or Accounting, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.2.    3+ years of solid payroll and accounting experience3.    Experience working in a computer network environment utilizing Microsoft Office programs. Must have at least an intermediate Excel skill level and be familiar with pivot tables, VLOOKUP’s, and basic formulas. 4.    Experience with Paychex Oasis payroll process platform a plus.5.    Familiarity with unions and collective bargaining agreements a plus.
LANGUAGE SKILLS 1.    Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.2.    Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.3.    Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.4.    Ability to speak and understand English.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS Ability to add, subtract, multiple and divide in simple and complex equations.  Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages.
REASONING ABILITY Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form;  ability to remember previously learned material such as specifics, criteria, techniques, principles, and procedures ;  ability to grasp and interpret the meaning of material;  ability to use learned material in new and concrete situations;  ability to break down material into its component parts so that its organizational structure can be understood; ability to recognize casual relationships, disseminate between behavior mechanisms, and identify elements that are relevant to the validation of a judgment;  ability to put parts together to form a new whole or proposed set of operations; ability to relate ideas and formulate hypotheses;  ability to judge the value of material for a given purpose on the basis of consistency, logical accuracy, and comparison to standards; ability to appraise judgments involved in the selection of a course of action; ability to identify choices and potential outcomes, determine importance of outcomes, combine information to prioritize options and make decision based on best and most important choice.  
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS Applicant must possess current, valid driver’s license and a current working telephone with a number that can be accessed by building management personnel for business contact purposes.  Must have excellent computer skills, including experience with the Microsoft Office programs.  
PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 
1.    While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.2.    The employee frequently is required to sit and reach with hands and arms.3.    The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.4.    The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.5.    Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENTThe work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 
1.    While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts and fumes or airborne particles.2.    The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.

More live accounting_specialist roles

Browse all live jobs · Accounting & finance salary data

View the interactive listing →