Team Success Generalist (Payroll & Operations)

Summary of Responsibilities:

The Team Success Generalist (Payroll & Operations) supports the mission of Highlands College by stewarding key operations across the teammate lifecycle, including payroll, HR systems, onboarding, offboarding, compliance, and teammate changes.

This role serves as a trusted partner to Team Success, Accounting, and campus leadership, ensuring processes are accurate, efficient, and life-giving for every teammate. With a strong focus on systems, data integrity, and operational excellence, this role helps create clarity, consistency, and health across Highlands College.

This position operates as a generalist across Team Success functions, supporting teammate care, development, compliance, and recruitment efforts as needed.

Primary Responsibilities

Payroll & Compensation Operations:

• Process accurate and timely payroll for all eligible teammates in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Serve as the primary administrator for payroll functionality within the HRIS (e.g., BambooHR or related systems).
• Support payroll system implementations, upgrades, audits, and testing, including documentation of workflows and controls.
• Maintain payroll records, reports, and reconciliations in partnership with Accounting.
• Ensure accurate setup and maintenance of pay rates, job changes, stipends, deductions, and earnings codes.
• Support year-end payroll processes, including W-2 preparation and reconciliation.
• Partner with Team Success leadership to identify opportunities for improved payroll efficiency, automation, and compliance.

HR Operations & Compliance: 

• Support compliance initiatives, including I-9 management, personnel file accuracy, and audit readiness.
• Maintain HR documentation and records in alignment with internal standards and accreditation expectations.
• Assist with policy implementation and updates, including the Team Handbook and operational procedures.
• Support reporting needs such as EEO-1, internal audits, and Team Success scorecards.
• Ensure adherence to federal, state, and institutional employment practices and guidelines.

HR Systems & Data Integrity:

• Maintain accurate teammate data within HR systems related to compensation, job status, and payroll eligibility.
• Audit payroll and HR data regularly to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Create and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), guides, and internal documentation across Team Success functions.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, automate processes, and increase operational efficiency within HR systems.
• Respond to teammate questions related to payroll, systems, and records with clarity, professionalism, and care.

Teammate Lifecycle Support:

• Support administrative onboarding tasks, including system setup, payroll enrollment, and documentation tracking.
• Ensure new teammates are fully prepared in HR systems prior to their start date, including completion of required documentation.
• Support coordination of onboarding checklists, forms, and required acknowledgements.
• Assist with hiring coordination processes, including offer preparation and pre-boarding readiness.
• Support administrative offboarding tasks, including payroll adjustments, final pay processing, and system updates.
• Ensure timely and accurate execution of final pay in accordance with state and federal requirements.
• Support documentation and checklist completion related to teammate transitions.
• Partner with Team Success and Accounting to ensure smooth, compliant, and lifegiving onboarding and offboarding experiences.

HR Generalist Support & Change Management:

• Serve as the primary Team Success partner for teammate change requests, including job changes, compensation updates, status changes, and organizational transitions.
• Ensure all teammate changes are processed accurately and timely within HR systems, including appropriate documentation and approvals.
• Partner with Team Leads and campus leadership to guide and execute changes clearly, compliant, and aligned with Highlands College processes.
• Maintain and update records related to teammate changes, ensuring data integrity across payroll and HR systems.
• Support communication and coordination of teammate changes, helping create a smooth and life-giving experience during transitions.
• Identify opportunities to streamline and improve change request workflows, documentation, and system processes.

Team Success Support & Culture:

• Support Team Success initiatives such as onboarding experiences, Team Time, and teammate engagement efforts.
• Assist with teammate care touchpoints, ensuring meaningful and consistent communication and support.
• Contribute to a healthy, mission-aligned team culture through responsive and service-oriented support.
• Provide administrative and operational support to Team Success projects and initiatives as needed.

Collaboration & Communication:

• Partner closely with Accounting, Team Success, and campus leaders to ensure alignment with budgets, policies, and processes.
• Communicate timelines, deadlines, and updates clearly to teammates and stakeholders.
• Support cross-functional initiatives by providing accurate data, reporting, and process insight.

Other Duties:

• Participate in ministry at Church of the Highlands and Highlands College by leading small groups.
• Affirm and uphold the Statement of Faith and the Core Values and DNA of the College, exemplifying all by word and lifestyle. 

Qualifications & Skills:

• High attention to detail with strong organizational and documentation skills.
• Working knowledge of payroll regulations, wage and hour compliance, and HR best practices.
• Broad understanding of HR practices across the teammate lifecycle.
• Experience with HRIS and payroll systems preferred.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and integrity.
• Strong communication skills with a service-oriented mindset.
• Ability to balance detail-oriented execution with relational teammate support.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Alignment with the mission, values, and culture of Highlands College.

Strong working knowledge of payroll operations, wage and hour laws, exempt/non-exempt classifications, taxes, deductions, audits, and year-end processing. Broad understanding of HR practices across the teammate lifecycle, including onboarding, offboarding, records management, I-9 compliance, leave processes, and performance support. Proficiency in HRIS/payroll systems such as BambooHR, reporting, spreadsheets, data accuracy, and workflow improvement. Understanding of confidentiality, employment compliance, internal controls, and cross-functional partnership with Finance and leadership. Ability to apply policy with clarity, care, and sound judgment.

Education Level:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Organizational Leadership, or a related field
• Equivalent professional experience in payroll, HR operations, or people systems may substitute for formal education

HR or payroll certifications preferred, such as:

• SHRM-CP / SHRM-SCP
• PHR / SPHR
• FPC (Fundamental Payroll Certification)
• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional)

Preferred Experience:

• Payroll processing experience in a nonprofit, education, or ministry environment.
• Experience supporting HR onboarding and offboarding workflows.
• Familiarity with payroll audits, implementations, or system migrations.
• Experience supporting broader HR operations, compliance, or people systems.

Extent of Public Contact:

• High

Physical Demands:

• Moderate exposure to physical risk.