Payroll Operations Coordinator, Penn GSE

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Job Profile Title

Job Description Summary

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Oversees end-to-end payroll processing for both weekly and bi-weekly employee populations, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely execution of all payroll cycles. This role is responsible for reviewing and approving a broad range of payroll transactions — including new hires, terminations, compensation adjustments, retroactive pay, job changes, period activity payments, and one-time payments — while also monitoring leave compensation to ensure proper handling. The Payroll Coordinator will serve as a key system administrator within Workday, performing thorough reviews, submissions, and approvals across multiple functional roles, including Budget Partner, HR Requisitioner, HR Manager, and Academic Partner, to support seamless cross-functional collaboration and adherence to all payroll deadlines.
• Ensure compliance regarding federal I-9 and employment eligibility requirements by guiding new hires and supervisors through the onboarding process, reviewing required documentation, and supporting adherence to institutional hiring policies and procedures.
• Maintains compliance across all payroll operations, ensuring adherence to University policies as well as applicable federal and state regulations governing labor, compensation, and hiring practices. This role will support internal and external audits by maintaining thorough and accurate documentation, serving as a reliable resource for compliance verification and reporting. By proactively monitoring regulatory requirements and internal controls, the Payroll Coordinator will help mitigate risk and uphold the integrity of the University's payroll function.
• Responsible for the ongoing monitoring of payroll reports to ensure accuracy and consistency across all pay cycles. This includes performing regular reconciliations and processing payroll reallocations as needed to correct discrepancies and maintain the integrity of payroll data.
• Serves as a primary point of contact for payroll-related inquiries, providing timely and accurate resolutions to employee and stakeholder concerns. This role will also manage hiring requests coordinated through temporary staffing agencies, ensuring a smooth and efficient process from requisition through onboarding.
• Provides dedicated support for international employment needs, including the preparation and completion of J-1 and H-1B visa applications in accordance with federal requirements. This role will also oversee the onboarding process for Visiting Scholars, ensuring a seamless and compliant transition into the University's payroll and administrative systems.

Qualifications

ESSENTIAL:

• A Bachelor's degree and 2-3 years of payroll or financial operations experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong attention to detail and compliance knowledge
• Strong communication and organizational skills

PREFERRED:

• Three to five years of payroll or financial operations experience
• Experience with Workday
• Experience in higher education payroll
• Knowledge of grant-funded payroll processes
• Knowledge of grant-funded payroll processes

Expected Salary: $27.00 - $28.00 per hour, commensurate with experience.

Job Location - City, State

Department / School

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements 
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay