Payroll & Benefits Specialist

An opportunity to Inspire, Challenge, and Empower!  

Job Summary:

The Payroll & Benefits Specialist works collaboratively with Human Resources and Financial Services staff as well as other stakeholders to support the onboarding, benefits, payroll, and offboarding for staff.

Posting Information:

This posting will be used to fill one Payroll & Benefits Specialist with an effective date of February 1, 2025 to allow for training through March 31, 2025, at which time the current person filling the role will retire. This position will be open until filled.

Schedule:

Full Time: M-F; 8:00-4:30; 260 days per school year. Occasional overtime may be required to meet deadlines.

Salary:

$36.18 - $42.97 per hour, depending on experience.

FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt (overtime eligible)

Benefits:

12 sick leave days; 15-25 vacation days; 5 bereavement leave days per occurrence; 13 paid holidays; Longevity stipend; Health insurance through the School Employees’ Benefit Board including medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance for employee and eligible dependents; State retirement through the Department of Retirement Systems; Other fringe benefits as allowed under School Board Policies and Procedures.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher or equivalent years of experience in an applicable financial position.
• Experience in Skyward (preferred, not required).
• Successful experience processing payroll in a public education setting (preferred, not required).
• Ability to effectively use Microsoft Office applications to complete tasks.
• Ability to work in an environment with hard deadlines and the flexibility, organization, and attention to detail to complete tasks accurately and on time.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and staff as a team to accomplish goals.
• Ability to develop and maintain positive, professional relationships with other staff.
• Willingness to maintain an upbeat, positive, and collaborative demeanor.
• Willingness to maintain confidentiality and tact in all aspects of employment.
• Willingness to incorporate lightheartedness and humor into the workplace.
• Willingness to grow in interpersonal and technical skills with the held belief of being a lifelong learner.
• Willingness to admit faults, learn from mistakes, and take calculated risks.
• Willingness to serve as a think-partner and use critical thinking skills to perform tasks and make decisions.
• Ability to interpret and apply collective bargaining agreements, policies, procedures, statutes, and regulations accurately.
• Ability to perform all the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.

Essential Functions:

• Manages contract pay for staff ensuring accuracy and timeliness of payroll in alignment with negotiated contracts, laws pertaining to the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, Employment Security Department, Labor and Industries, garnishments, and liens.
• Prepares and submits payments and required reports to the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, Employment Security Department, Education Services Districts, Department of Social and Health Services, and other agencies as appropriate or directed.
• Coordinates with Human Resources and administration for personnel changes to ensure they are accurately reflected in payroll records.
• Balances deductions to statements (i.e., taxes, dues, garnishments, etc.).
• Performs special payroll processing activities such as retroactive pay adjustments, fiscal year start and close, contractual changes, fiscal end of year wage garnishments, etc., to maintain compliance with all applicable policies, procedures, statutes, regulations, timelines, agreements, and guidelines.
• Research, analyze, and compile payroll information to meet district management needs and to provide information as requested by other department and organizations.
• Prepares and generates various documents and reports for disseminating information to employees and outside agencies.
• Maintains knowledge of all union and non-union personnel agreements for compliance with payroll processes.
• Processes and distributes W-2’s in compliance with Internal Revenue Service regulations.
• Manages W-4 and direct deposit forms including providing forms to staff and inputting for new staff and making changes for existing staff in Skyward.
• Determines eligibility for health and retirement benefits and provides information and support related to said benefits to all employees.
• Facilitates open enrollment for health insurance.
• Enrolls new employees in health insurance through SEBB and assists them in enrolling in benefits as well as updating benefit change requests as needed.
• Reconciles invoice and submits payment to SEBB monthly.
• Ensures retirement benefits are properly reported to the Department of Retirement Systems and reconciles errors when received.
• Supports the onboarding and offboarding of employees with Human Resources and other relevant departments including providing payroll and benefit information as well as benefit start and end dates.
• Manages employee leaves including FMLA, PFML, Workers’ Compensation, leave without pay, parental, shared leave, and any other leave benefits available to employees.
• Coordinates with ESD 113 to manage Workers’ Compensation claims for employees.
• Coordinates with and delegates work to the Payroll Assistant.
• Attends trainings and meetings as appropriate or directed.
• Other duties as assigned.