The Company

At Unity, sustainability isn’t a buzzword. It’s the foundation of our entire approach and has been for more than 50 years.

We apply sustainability principles to everything we do, from our properties around the State of Maine, to our online degrees offered to students everywhere, to our enrichment experiences and entrepreneurial endeavors at locations from northern Maine to Arizona to Brazil.

Engage with Unity College and you’ll start to ask tough questions, challenge the status quo, and envision new possibilities. If taking the lead in creating a more sustainable future sounds like the future you want, we can make it happen.

The Position 

The Payroll and Benefits Specialist is an Enterprise position that is responsible for benefits administration and processing payroll. The position works closely with the Chief Human Resources Officer in support of the Enterprise, and Unity College’s Sustainable Education Business Units (SEBUs). The Payroll and Benefits Specialist carries out responsibilities in the following functional areas: benefits administration, payroll and onboarding; training and employment law compliance.

• Manages Unity College’s Worker’s Compensation program.
• Processes bi-weekly payroll. Verifies payroll documents and distributes payroll checks.
• Ensures compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
• Manages the Time and Attendance System and acts as point of contact for payroll and timekeeping system.
• Manage annual W-2 reporting.
• Monitors PTO in timekeeping system to ensure accuracy. Creates reports as required.
• Reviews quarterly 941 reporting for accuracy.
• Participates in developing unit goals, objectives and systems.
• Manages transfer of Unity College DC Retirement Plan contributions to Carrier.
• Performs benefits administration, including claims resolution, change reporting, and communicating benefits information to employees. Maintains all employment and employee benefit records in a legal and confidential manner. Reconciles monthly billing.
• Maintains compliance with federal, state and local employment and benefits laws and regulations.
• Conducts reference checks, and applicant background checks for candidates as required.
• Conducts initial onboarding of all new hires and participates in new employee orientation. Distributes and collects new hire paperwork and ensures applicable information is updated in the HRIS system. Follows new hire checklist to ensure all records are updated with new hire information.
• Conducts exit interviews for non-exempt employees, records and brings concerns to Director of Human Resources. 
• Responds to requests for employee information from employees, auditors, regulatory agencies, credit bureaus, unemployment, and finance companies and those requesting confirmation of an employee’s employment, providing only authorized information.
• Provides accurate and timely data entry and tracking of employee information in HRIS. Creates reports as needed.
• Prepares and distributes reports and correspondence as needed including providing information for organizational chart maintenance.
• Travels to all Enterprise locations to conduct HR Business as required.
• Pro-actively communicate challenges, successes, and failures with leadership.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management or Business with at least 1 - 3 years of job-related experience or any similar combination of education and experience.
• Basic computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft products. Knowledge of payroll systems.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers, students, parents and the general public.
• Ability to calculate figures and to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to maintain the highest level of confidentiality in all matters concerning personnel records, payroll, investigations and reporting.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to multi-task and establish priorities for meeting deadlines, using time efficiently.
• Ability to function effectively within a matrix organizational structure, maintaining open lines of communication while being discreet, courteous and well poised.

Preferred:

• SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP).