Payroll & Benefits Manager

Job Summary:

The Payroll & Benefits Manager serves as the primary technical subject matter expert responsible for the accurate, compliant, and timely processing of all school-wide payroll and employee benefits programs. Reporting directly to the Controller, this role ensures complete integrity across our payroll/HRIS platform, tax withholdings, retirement plan administration, leaves of absence calculations, and employee insurance workflows. This is a systems-focused, numerical compliance position designed to deliver precise financial data and high-touch customer support to all faculty and staff.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Payroll Operations & System Integrity

• Own and execute the end-to-end processing of bi-weekly, seasonal, and stipended payrolls for all full-time, part-time, coaching, and auxiliary staff.
• Maintain complete accuracy of employee records, compensation rates, tax deductions, court orders, and direct deposits in the payroll system.
• Audit time cards, leave requests, and PTO allocations, ensuring compliance with institutional policies and labor standards.
• Reconcile payroll registers post-run and partner with the Controller for general ledger postings and bank transfers.

Benefits & Leave Financial Administration

• Manage day-to-day administration of group benefits (medical, dental, vision, life, disability, 403(b) retirement plans, and flexible spending accounts).
• Execute the financial mechanics of employee leaves (FMLA, Disability, Paid Family Leave), configuring paid/unpaid status, PTO top-offs, and benefits premium billing arrears.
• Lead the annual Open Enrollment process, including vendor coordination, system configuration, communication, and employee assistance.
• Reconcile monthly benefit billing invoices against active payroll rosters to ensure accurate carrier payments and payroll deductions.

Compliance, Auditing, and Reporting

• Ensure strict adherence to federal, state, and local payroll and employment tax regulations (including W-2s, 1095-Cs, 941s, and state filings).
• Coordinate the annual 403(b) plan audit, worker’s compensation audit, and assist the Controller with fiscal year-end financial audits.
• Manage Worker’s Compensation claims, OSHA logging, and state disability/FMLA tracking.

Employee Services & Support

• Serve as the first-line, responsive contact for faculty and staff regarding payroll inquiries, tax updates, benefit claims, and retirement enrollments.
• Conduct individual benefits orientation for newly onboarded personnel.
• Performs other general administrative duties as assigned in support of overall Business Office objectives.

Qualifications & Core Competencies

• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or Human Resources preferred. Minimum 3–5 years of hands-on payroll and benefits administration experience (independent school or non-profit experience is a plus).
• Technical Skills: Advanced proficiency in modern HRIS/Payroll platforms, Microsoft Office Suite, and Google Workspace.
• Competencies: Exceptional attention to detail, strict commitment to confidentiality, high numerical literacy, and customer-service orientation.