Senior Payroll Accountant
Salary: $65,283.00 – $84,867.00 Annually
Location: Remote – Office of the Chancellor, PA
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: OOC 25-05
Division: Office of the Chancellor
Department: A&F Payroll Accounting
Closing Date:
Bargaining Unit: Management
Classification: Management/180
Pay Group:
Job Summary
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) is seeking a Senior Payroll Accountant. This critical position reports to the Manager of Payroll Accounting and Operations and is responsible for the bi-weekly transfer of cash from the universities to the Office of the Chancellor to fund the State System’s payroll, which exceeds $1.4 billion annually. The Senior Payroll Accountant ensures that the salaries and benefits of the employees and students of each university are reconciled and correctly posted from the SAP Payroll system to the SAP Finance (FI) system.
The Senior Payroll Accountant has primary responsibility for managing the annual audit of payroll information by the State System’s independent auditors. The payroll audit is integral to the audit of State System’s consolidated financial statements and must be completed successfully to ensure an unmodified opinion.
This position operates under strict deadlines, as the window for performing many functions is restricted to a few days and further limited around holidays. This position’s tasks must be accurately completed before payroll can be finalized and tax payments can be made.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Manages the annual audit of State System’s payroll operations, working directly with the State System’s independent auditors to ensure the audit is completed efficiently and management comments and audit adjustments are kept to a minimum.
- Manages the SAP program that creates the journal entries for standard payroll. Audits, reconciles, and posts the entries to the Universities no later than the Tuesday morning before payday. Provides reconciliations and supporting analysis to the Universities. (FI/3rd party).
- Prepares monthly bank reconciliations for Net DD and 3rd party bank accounts for review and signature by the Manager of Payroll Accounting and Operations.
- Initiate transfers between the Universities and the Office of the Chancellor to fund payroll, benefits, taxes, and other transactions by the Thursday morning before payday. Posts related entries to the Universities’ general ledgers.
- Reconciles and makes payments for 3rd party tax, deduction, and benefits, including SERS/TIAA/PSERS.
- Primarily responsible for reconciling, on a monthly, quarterly and/or annual basis, as appropriate, the System-level payroll general ledger accounts to payroll tax reports, SAP Payroll Tax Reporter, University activity, and all other relevant information.
- Primarily responsible for preparing all necessary adjusting and correcting journal entries and related transactions to maintain accurate payroll general ledger cash accounts, third-party liability accounts, and University payables and receivables.
- Primarily responsible for all issues related to the payroll bank accounts, including account setup and closing, positive pay requirements and all payroll transactions. Primary liaison with the State System’s bank on all payroll banking issues such as stop checks, void checks, positive pay communications, etc.
- Ensures all payroll/FI processes comply with the schedule of interface/postings from the payroll system to the general ledger.
- Recommends and implements general ledger changes resulting from State System policy changes, process changes, benefit changes, etc. Identifies and recommends enhancements to the systems, policies, and procedures that affect Payroll Accounting.
- Provides payroll-related training to university finance and payroll staff. Develops end-user training material on policies, procedures, and forms that affect the Payroll Accounting area.
- Performs user acceptance testing of SAP system upgrades and configuration changes.
- Reviews and analyzes federal and state tax legislation; collective bargaining agreements, side letters and arbitration awards; Commonwealth Management Directives, Administrative Circulars and other publications; Board of Governors’ policies; tax laws; court rulings; third-party correspondence; and payroll research software to determine the potential effect of these issues on State System payroll operations.
- Establish and manage out of state telework and tax payments and filings.
- Serves as primary contact for University payroll, human resources, Office of the Chancellor, and Vartan Shared Administrative Services (SAS) staff on the above-listed issues.
- Serves as primary Payroll Accounting contact with respective technical and functional counterparts for management of the integration of payroll to FI/3rd party.
- Serve as backup to the Manager of Payroll Accounting and Operations and the Payroll Accountant
Work Environment:
This position is remote but occasional travel to System headquarters in Harrisburg or other locations for meetings may be required, so the successful candidate will be a resident of Pennsylvania.
Minimum Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree in accounting, or a related field.
- Five to seven years of progressively responsible accounting experience within a general accounting, payroll, or human resources information system environment.
- In lieu of a degree, ten (10) plus years of higher-level accounting experience is acceptable. Any equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Knowledge and understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
- Knowledge and demonstrated experience working with an automated accounting system(s).
- Knowledge and understanding of accounting and other processes related to complex payroll operations in large organizations.
- Knowledge and understanding of payroll and accounts payable posting and reconciliation, particularly as it relates to payroll.
- Experience working with taxing authorities (federal, state and/or local).
- Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, detailed, high volume environment.
- Proficiency in Excel.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Proficiency in use of personal computer and various software packages to analyze payroll and financial data and to prepare a broad variety of reports.
- Ability to maintain necessary knowledge base in payroll-related areas in order to communicate with third-party vendors and advise University payroll staff.
- Ability to handle sensitive issues and human resources data and correspondence with confidentiality and discretion.
Preferred Qualifications
Higher education or public sector experience in a similarly complex payroll accounting environment. Experience with SAP.
Supplemental Information
Please note, this position is with the Office of the Chancellor at the PA State System of Higher Ed, not Kutztown University.
Applications & Resumes will be accepted until position is filled but for earliest consideration, applications must be submitted by Monday, March 10, 2025.
All applications for this position must be submitted via our online application/resume system ONLY. Please do not fax, mail, or e-mail any documentation.
Successful interview, reference checks, background clearances (PA Criminal, Child Abuse Clearance & FBI Clearance), and demonstration of ability are requisite qualifications for all positions.
Citizenship or work authorization to work in the United States required.
Non-Discrimination Statement
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex, race, color, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, marital or family status, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, or disability in any decision regarding admissions, employment, or participation in a University program or activity in accordance with the letter and spirit of federal, state, and local non-discrimination and equal opportunity laws, such as Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and ADA Amendments Act, the Equal Pay Act, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. For information regarding civil rights or grievance procedures and for inquiries concerning the application of Title IX and its implementing regulation, contact Christa Cobb, State System Title IX Coordinator, 2300 Vartan Way, Suite 207, Harrisburg, PA 17110; Phone: (717)720.4167; Email: [email protected]. Additionally, inquiries concerning Title IX and its implementing regulation can be made to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, Region III, The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East – Suite 505, Philadelphia, PA 19107; Phone: (215) 656-6010; Fax: (215) 656-6020.
To apply, please visit https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/kutztownedu/jobs/4845446/senior-payroll-accountant
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