Senior Payroll & Benefits Administrator

Senior Payroll & Benefits Administrator

Job Requirements:

• Minimum 4 years of payroll, benefits administration, accounting operations or related experience; experience with executive benefit or non-qualified benefit plans desired
• Undergraduate degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration or related field preferred or equivalent payroll, benefits or accounting experience
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) desired
• Working knowledge of payroll and benefit accounting concepts, reconciliations, journal entries, payment processing and supporting documentation
• Applied knowledge of state and federal regulations pertaining to payroll
• Experience with Workday Financials or Workday HCM, UltiPro/UKG, or similar payroll, HRIS or financial systems desired
• Strong analytical, organizational and follow-up skills with excellent attention to detail and ability to manage recurring deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive compensation, benefits, employee, executive and retiree information with discretion and confidentiality
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to coordinate effectively with Accounting, Human Resources, Legal, Payroll, external vendors and auditors
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; Specifically Excel, Word, and Outlook
• Ability to maintain accurate schedules, reconciliations and records

Core Competencies:

• Collaborative Communications and Behavior: Develops and maintains effective working relationships as a team member and across divisions; readily collaborates and shares information, seeks and provides constructive feedback, and supports a respectful workplace
• Initiative and Accountability: Proactively addresses opportunities to enhance the firm’s people, processes, products, and services, takes ownership for one’s responsibilities by acting with integrity and in the best interest of the organization and stakeholders
• Quality-Focused: Demonstrates a solution-focus, displays thoroughness and accuracy through quality deliverables, and demonstrates persistence and perseverance in achieving concrete and tangible outcomes
• Service-Oriented: Conveys a genuine desire and ability to anticipate and meet customer needs and creates and nurtures mutually beneficial relationships within the firm and with firm members and brokers

Essential Job Functions:

Data Management and Reporting

• Maintain payroll tax compliance, including federal, state and local withholding requirements
• Prepare and maintain recurring schedules, reconciliations and supporting analyses for payroll, benefits, pension, SERP, COLI and other executive benefit-related accounting activities
• Assist with monthly payroll and benefit accounting entries, research reconciliation differences and prepare support for manager review
• Support annual and recurring benefit plan valuation, audit and reporting processes by compiling census, compensation, account balance, payout and plan information for vendors, auditors and internal stakeholders
• Maintain assigned participant, payout, policy, account and payment tracking reports related to SERP, frozen Option Plan, COLI, AYCO financial counseling and other benefit programs administered through Accounting

Communication and Documentation

• Coordinate documentation and support for COLI policy payments, policy value reporting, death benefit claims and accounting tax reporting support, including preparation of required forms and correspondence for review
• Prepare, compile and/or route Workday payment requests, payroll gross-up support, invoice documentation, vendor payment support, e-signature requests and related accounting documentation, subject to required approvals
• Assist with vendor coordination and information exchange involving benefit plan providers, payroll vendors, auditors and internal stakeholders like Human Resources; maintain accurate contact lists and historical documentation

Program/Project Management and Support

• Maintain payroll configuration within Workday when setting up and testing new states
• Provide backup support to the Payroll Administrator and other team members for payroll funding support, selected vendor reconciliations, Workday entries and employee payroll inquiries as assigned
• Support preparation of budget estimates, year-end accruals, audit request support and other special projects for the Payroll and Benefits Accounting team
• Balance recurring payroll and benefit accounting deadlines with ad hoc audit, vendor, executive benefit and retiree-related requests

Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement

• Identify process improvement opportunities, strengthen documentation and help maintain effective controls over sensitive payroll and benefits processes
• Maintain strict confidentiality while coordinating with multiple internal divisions and external service providers
• Develop sufficient technical knowledge of executive benefit arrangements, COLI, SERP, non-qualified plans and related accounting impacts
• Ensure accuracy and completeness of data used for payment processing, gross-ups, benefit valuations, reconciliations and reporting
• Support improved documentation, cross-training and continuity within a lean Payroll and Benefits Accounting team