Payroll & Benefits Specialist - PT

About the job

General Description of Position

Under the general direction and supervision of the Administrative Director of Payroll, the Payroll & Benefits Specialist is responsible for accurate, timely, and compliant payroll and benefits administration. Responsibilities include processing biweekly and monthly payrolls; generating paychecks and direct deposit advices; administering benefit payments and leave accruals, rollovers, corrections, and Catastrophic Leave Bank transactions; responding to employee benefit inquiries; and processing payroll adjustments, stop-payment requests, and replacement W-2 forms.

The Specialist also prepares and files required federal, state, labor, and unemployment reports; maintains secure and organized payroll records and supporting documentation; and operates payroll systems, office equipment, and document management systems. The position requires accuracy, confidentiality, strong organizational skills, and effective customer service, and may require assignments across multiple campus locations. This is a part-time regular position.

Essential Functions

Payroll

• Verify payroll documentation and data-entry forms for accuracy, completeness, and policy compliance prior to processing.

• Review I-9 and W-4 forms for IRS compliance; verify federal and state tax deductions; and reconcile payroll data to ensure accuracy across all records.

• Enter new-hire demographic, tax, benefits, and payroll-deduction information; generate employee identification numbers; and process employee status changes as needed.

• Process garnishments and court-ordered deductions, including child support and tax levies, accurately and on schedule.

• Monitor unapproved timecards and follow up with supervisors to secure approvals before payroll processing.

• Prepare and transmit ACH direct deposit files for biweekly and monthly payroll cycles.

• Reconcile employee deductions for retirement, life, health, and reimbursement accounts; prepare unemployment and labor reports; and forward payroll annuities to Accounts Payable and Accounting.

Benefits

• Support employee benefits enrollment and terminations; reconcile provider billings; and process payments to benefit providers on time.

• Monitor 403(b) and 457(b) plan contributions for IRS compliance.

• Administer leave plan enrollment, monthly and annual accruals, fiscal year-end procedures, leave corrections, and Catastrophic Leave Bank donations.

Imaging & Records Management

• Scan, index, and archive bi-weekly and monthly payroll files and benefit provider billings, ensuring records are secure, organized, and readily retrievable.

Payroll Procedures & Cross-Training

• Assist in maintaining the Payroll Procedures Manual and participate in cross-training to support operational continuity across payroll functions.

Communication & Customer Service

• Serve as a professional point of contact for students, faculty, staff, and the public on payroll and benefits inquiries, including phone calls related to payroll deductions.

• Deliver consistent, accurate, and courteous customer service in all interactions.

Promote a Culture of Belonging

Support and promote an environment of belonging where all students, faculty members, and college employees feel welcomed, valued, and empowered to contribute. Foster a community where each individual and their varied perspectives enrich the educational experience and create a safe and respectful environment. Support the College’s policies and programming related to access, fair employment, and equal opportunities for all.

Marginal Functions

• Perform additional payroll and benefits-related duties within the division as assigned to support departmental needs and operational continuity.

• Provide cross-divisional support as needed, contributing to College-wide functions and priorities flexibly and professionally.

• May be required to perform associated duties, functions, or assignments in other divisions/programs/areas as required.

• Perform other College functions and duties as assigned.

• Maintain scheduling flexibility to work varied days, hours, shifts, and campus locations as determined by the College’s operational needs. Work schedules are subject to modification, and occasional hours outside the regular workweek may be required to support emergencies or special College activities.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong numerical aptitude with demonstrated accuracy in financial data entry, reconciliation, and recordkeeping within payroll or related financial operations.

• Strong attention to detail with the ability to proof, edit, sort, and verify complex payroll and benefits data with a high degree of precision.

• Proficient in the use of payroll platforms (such as Ellucian, Colleague, ADP, or similar systems), along with spreadsheet, database, word processing, and imaging software; ability to navigate and learn new payroll-related technology as required.

• Effective oral and written business communication skills, with the ability to communicate professionally across phone, email, and digital platforms; ability to engage clearly and courteously with a diverse population of students, faculty, staff, and the public.

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate professionally across departments and maintain positive working relationships in a team-oriented environment.

• Demonstrated understanding of payroll-related processes, including ACH processing, account reconciliation, vendor billing, and basic banking practices.

• Ability to perform repetitive physical tasks associated with data entry, filing, collating, and document handling; must be able to lift up to 10 pounds regularly as required by the position.

• Flexibility to work at various campus locations and adapt to shifting schedules and priorities as determined by College needs.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing, in person, and on the phone.

• Ability to use basic computer skills.

• Ability to lift and carry up to fifty (50) pounds for short distances and move tables, chairs, and media equipment when necessary.

• The individual must possess the above skills and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or a directly related field of study, OR two (2) years of post-secondary coursework in Accounting, Finance, or Business*

• Three (3) years of work experience in an Accounting, Finance, Payroll, Benefits, Compensation, or Business capacity relating to the area of work responsibilities

*** Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Management, or Public Administration may substitute for up to two (2) years of required work experience.**

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) may be substituted for two (2) years of the required work experience.

**Qualifying related work experience (beyond the required three (3) years minimum work experience), in an Accounting, Finance, Payroll, Compensation, Benefits, or Business capacity, may be substituted for the listed educational requirements on a year-for-year basis.

Desired Qualifications

• Certification as a Payroll Professional (CPP)

• Payroll/Accounting work experience in a higher education institution

• Knowledge of the College’s payroll and accounting software and programs

Benefits

Part-time regular employees are eligible to participate in the TIAA retirement plan through a Roth, SRA, or 457(B) account, with no match provided by the College. Additionally, part-time regular employees may enroll in supplemental benefits and the group vision plan through employee-paid premiums.

Schedule

Normal hours of work for this part-time regular position are generally scheduled by the College, Monday through Friday, based on a 29-hour workweek and a 260-day work calendar. Scheduled special activities, emergencies, or temporary schedule changes may require hours outside of the regular workday or workweek.

Veterans Preference

This position is subject to Nebraska veterans preference. Preference may be available to qualifying veterans, disabled veterans, certain spouses of veterans, and spouses of servicemembers as provided by Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 48-225 through 48-231. Applicants who wish to claim veterans preference must indicate their claim on the employment application and provide the required documentation to Human Resources.

Special Instructions to Applicants

This position is open on an as-needed basis. Applications will remain in the open pool, and applicants will be contacted based on the department’s needs at the time of submission. If accommodation or assistance is needed to complete an application, contact Human Resources at 402-323-3392.