Director of Payroll & Student Employment

Controller's Office Job Description

Job Summary

Responsible for all aspects of payroll processing, compliance and related filings, and student employment. Supervise, mentor and evaluate payroll staff and work-study students. Manage bi-weekly payroll processes, including complex and disparate time submission, compensation and benefit structures. Implement ERP and process changes to ensure accuracy. Validate and submit quarterly and annual compliance and tax filings. Provide excellent customer service in support of the community, responding to inquiries, researching and solving problems, and designing and leading trainings. Develop and implement policies and procedures, to ensure compliance federal and state laws and regulations. Serve as a team leader in advancing the vision of the Controller's Office and the mission of College.

Take appropriate actions to support a diverse workforce and participates in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.

Essential Functions

Payroll (70%)

Manage all aspects of the bi-weekly payroll process and related filings. Supervise the audits of time and compensation information to verify the accuracy of the payroll prior to settlement. Collaborate with the provost’s office, human resources, dining and facilities, to ensure timely and accurate data is received and processed. Oversee Workday work tag architecture including payroll earnings, deductions and supervisory organizations. Serve as the Workday payroll lead in support of system optimization and the evaluation of periodic releases. Prepare and process periodic, quarterly and year-end tax filings (including W2s), reconcile discrepancies, and work with the OSV team to ensure all agency filings are accurate and timely. Audit payment requests for accuracy and proper authorization, and perform account reconciliations. Supervise the payroll team. Schedule and assign work, train and assess staff performance and counsel when necessary. Respond to inquiries and resolve complaints. Prepare and lead trainings, including the creation of job aids, presentations and videos. Manage wage garnishments and other court ordered deductions in addition to other payroll deductions such as rents, second mortgages, OneCard, and payment plans. Manage multi-state payroll filing responsibilities, including new state registrations.

Student Employment (15%)

Supervise the student employment team and all aspects of student hiring. Assist faculty, staff and students with the creation and posting of student positions and the hiring of student workers. Support students in onboarding in Workday and organize the intake process for first year students at Central Check-in. Lead student employment trainings for on and off-campus managers, including the creation of job aids, presentations and videos. Prepare individual training sessions for hiring managers. Work closely with student financial services and the international office to ensure work study and visa regulations are maintained. Audit payroll records to ensure compliance with college policy and federal and state laws. Serve as liaison to off-campus employment sites, including participation in the America Reads oversight group. Manage off-campus work study sites and positions to ensure they are within program budget. Maintain agreements with off-campus employers.

Other Functions

Other Duties (15%)

Ensure that the annual W-2 filings are completed timely and accurately. Support employee inquiries and file corrected forms if applicable. Lead the workers’ compensation audits. Participate in monthly, quarterly, and fiscal year-end closings, including general ledger account reviews and reconciliations. Partner with other departments to ensure that all foreign persons are taxed and paid properly. Provide guidance on forms W8Ben, 8233 (tax treaty), FNIF and W4. Verify that accurate working identification is presented and advise foreign students in the process to obtain tax identification. Assist in the production and filing of Forms 1042S. Prepare reports for management and other informational filings. Assist in special projects and other duties as assigned.

All employees are expected to participate in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.

Minimum Qualifications (knowledge, skills, education, experience, certifications, licenses)

Bachelors Degree and at least five years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and progressive experience. Supervisory and multi-state payroll processing experience required. Working knowledge of payroll systems and third party payroll service providers.

Experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

Advanced degree and/or payroll certification(s), experience with Workday, a union workforce, payments to foreign persons and tax treaty assessment, payroll amendments, financial accounting and reconciliations preferred.

Skills

Demonstrated payroll knowledge, excellent judgment and decision making, discretion with confidential information, excellent customer service, dependability, strong attention to detail and accuracy, ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, ability to work on a team and independently, excellent organizational and record keeping skills, demonstrated written and verbal and communication skills with the ability to positively interact with diverse constituencies. Excellent computer skills including proficiency with MS and Google suites, databases, and cloud-based complex financial systems.

Please attach BOTH a current resume and a cover letter in order for your application to be considered for this position . You may combine your resume and cover letter into a single file or attach multiple files to your application, but BE SURE you have provided all attachments BEFORE SUBMITTING your application. You will NOT be able to attach additional files after you have hit the Submit button.

Review of applications will begin

February 19, 2021

Compensation Grade:

Grade H

Position Type:

Regular

About Smith College

Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College is one of the largest women’s colleges in the country and is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts. A faculty of outstanding scholars interact with students in small classes, as advisors, and through student-faculty research projects. The College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students cross-enroll and faculty cross-teach across the Five Colleges.

Smith College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or veteran status in the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff, and the operation of any of its programs and activities, as specified by all applicable laws and regulations. Women, minorities, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.