Payroll Accounting Analyst I

The Opportunity

Responsibilities

This role, currently managed by a two-person team (down from three due to the ASPIRE project), is responsible for the end-to-end financial integrity and accounting lifecycle of payroll operations. The responsibilities can be summarized into four core pillars:

• Payroll Cycle Execution & Banking Settlements
  
  

Manages the financial workflow for semi-monthly, bi-weekly, and frequent off-cycle payrolls. This includes running technical simulations, executing General Ledger (GL) postings, and managing the settlement interface with Citibank to ensure funds are moved accurately and timely.

• Financial Reconciliation & Auditing
  
  

Ensures high-level data integrity through "3-way match" reconciliations and Level 1 approvals.

This involves auditing suspense accounts, performing daily bank reconciliations (BAI2), and partnering closely with Finance teams to resolve discrepancies and finalize month-end reviews.

• Compliance & Asset Management
  
  

Oversees Complex Regulatory And Specialized Financial Processes, Such As

• Escheatment: Managing the legal due diligence and transfer of unclaimed property
  
  

(outstanding checks) to appropriate state authorities.

• Third-Party Payments: Executing disbursements for vendors like Benevity and
  
  

GenPAC.

• Transactional Controls: Managing reversals, stop payments, and the manual
  
  

logging/printing of physical checks.

• System Stability & Project Support
  
  

Acts as a technical gatekeeper for payroll accounting systems through extensive Workday regression testing for new releases and pay components. The role also provides critical accounting support for company acquisitions and manages the internal scheduling for all payroll postings and settlements. The estimated end of the project is March 2028, the anticipated end of hypercare, after the overall project's final phase.

The following are the normal day-to-day job responsibilities for Jesse’s position, normally shared between 3 team members; however, with Jesse’s participation in the ASPIRE project, it is shared with 2 team members, causing a significant strain on resources.

• Semi-monthly payroll simulations (2 times per payroll cycle)
• Semi-monthly payroll postings (General Ledger Postings)
• Semi-monthly payroll settlements (Interface with Citibank)
• Semi-monthly payroll 3-way match reconciliation, including Level 1 approvals
• Bi-weekly payroll simulations (2 times per payroll cycle)
• Bi-weekly payroll postings (General Ledger Postings)
• Bi-weekly payroll settlements (Interface with Citibank)
• Bi-weekly payroll 3-way match reconciliation, including Level 1 approvals
• Off-cycle payroll simulations (2 times per week for full off-cycles, 3 times per week for Same-day
  
  

off-cycles)

• Off-cycle payroll postings (General Ledger Postings)
• Off-cycle payroll settlements (Interface with Citibank)
• Off-cycle payroll 3-way match reconciliation, including Level 1 approvals
• Partner with Finance teams to reconcile any discrepancies
• 3rd Party Vendor payments (Benevity, GenPAC)
• Acquisition participation for the accounting team
• Workday regression testing (Workday Releases, Polaris/Boreal, New pay components, Tax Jurisdictions)
• Maintains accounting team scheduling payroll settlements/postings
• Biweekly reconciliation of all payroll postings to the general ledger
• Escheatment process, including identification of outstanding checks -due diligence notifications to the payee, partner with the production team to reissue checks where possible, if not possible, partner with the finance team to escheat the payments to the appropriate state. Update both Citibank & Workday with the Escheated status
• Printing & Logging Checks, and Coordination with the Mail Room
• Reversals
• Reversal postings to SAP
• Stop Payments
• Daily Citibank reports
• Change Request Testing
• Auditing Suspense accounts during all payroll cycles
• Project work, as it arises
• Month-end process to do a final review of postings to g/l
• Citibank return reconciliation
• BAI2 Bank Reconciliation -maintain check status and correct incorrectly reconciled items
• Etc.
  
  

Key Attributes/Skills

Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills to resolve a variety of routine complex issues.

Strong stakeholder management, communication, and change management skills.

Strong customer service and interpersonal skills.

Experience in a shared service center, preferably in an HR services environment

Proven track record of being able to deliver in a matrix organization

Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment and to handle multiple, competing priorities

Ability to navigate complex HR data structure

Ability to identify, drive and/or participate in implementing process improvement activities.

Bachelor's degree in business administration or a related field

U.S. Workday Payroll System Experience (highly Preferred).

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) preferred

Experience With Service Now Case Management System Preferred

Advanced Excel skills (pivot table, v-lookup, etc.)