Payroll Coordinator

 

Description:

The purpose of this job is to direct accounting and other fiscal services and perform managerial level accounting and supervisory functions to ensure that accounting, budgeting, and payroll records are maintained accurately and in accordance with generally accepted governmental accounting standards. Major areas of responsibility include coordinating fiscal services operations for the school system, interpreting and implementing fiscal policies and procedures, establishing internal controls for the district for payroll, reconciling and balancing accounts, preparing financial statements and reports, preparing and analyzing the payroll budget, records management, supervision of payroll staff, analysis of data and advanced problem solving.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

 

The following duties are normal for this job. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned.

 

Prepares and analyzes a wide variety of materials (e.g., reports for auditors, department administrators, and State Department of Education, etc.) for the purpose of documenting activities and issues, meeting compliance requirements, and/or providing supporting materials for requested actions.

 

Researches financial topics (e.g., discrepancies, payroll and accounting guidelines, state guidelines, IRS guidelines etc.) for the purpose of evaluating compliance requirements and potential implications on district operations.

 

Participates as a member of the departmental leadership team. Makes recommendations regarding the establishment of payroll policies, procedures and internal controls for the district.

 

Assists in directing payroll operations, the maintenance of services and the implementation of new programs and/or processes for the purpose of achieving organizational objectives and ensuring compliance with legal, financial and district requirements within established timeframes.

 

Works with the Payroll Manager to guarantee disbursement of bi-weekly payrolls and monthly payrolls for varying groups of exempt and non-exempt employees with multiple contract calendars for a payroll budget over $400 million. Critically reviews and analyzes current payroll procedures in order to recommend and implement changes leading to best-practice operations.

 

Directly oversees and approves the payment of additional pay and stipends as submitted to the department ensuring that payments are within budget. Communicates actively with program managers to resolve any discrepancies and ensure the accuracy of payments, account codes and the timeliness of payment.

 

Collects, reviews, and reports the Tennessee Parental Leave to the state in order to receive reimbursement for eligible expenditures. Works with HR to ensure processes are followed and recommends process improvements if necessary. Communicates with the department leadership any issues regarding this process.

 

Supervises and directs the daily work for the Payroll Accountant.

 

Reviews and analyzes the FTE reconciliations and payroll/benefit projections performed by the Administrative Analytical Specialist.

 

Directly involved in the annual preparation of Health Care Information Forms for Individuals (Form 1095-C). 

 

Ensures accuracy of payroll data by analyzing data for every payroll run. 

 

Calculates, analyzes, and reports to department leadership the payroll budget for general purpose, child nutrition, transportation, and insurance trust funds. Assists the CFO and Finance Director in the preparation of the payroll annual budget. Continuously monitors payroll budgets during the year for all payrolls.

 

Interprets and implements applicable district, state, and federal policies, laws and regulations regarding payroll.

 

Acts as liaison between department end-users and information technology in the transition of information to new payroll software applications.

 

Maintains a comprehensive working knowledge of the district’s enterprise resource planning system (MUNIS). Performs a significant role in MUNIS system analysis, problem identification, and the recommendation of solutions to senior management and information technology.

 

Imports data into MUNIS system as necessary to maximize efficiency. Exports data from MUNIS system to use in data analysis.

 

Responsible for year-end close out procedures to include but not limited to:

verifying that all payroll entries have been made using appropriate expense recognition principles
ensuring all supporting payroll documentation for year-end information is accurate and maintained
ensuring that all reports for auditors are prepared and maintained
validating the accrued payroll and benefit accounts are reconciled and balanced
validating the accrued compensated leave spreadsheet is reconciled and balanced
settling accounts between funds for summer distribution and salary advancements
creating invoices to charge insurance trust or schools for the benefits for applicable certain employee benefits 
ensuring any Tennessee Parental Leave is report and reimbursed (and potentially accrued) for the fiscal year and communicating to team members the status
perform detail analysis of payroll accounts to ensure there are no errors
verifying any “return to work” retirees eligible for retirement have been invoiced by TCRS and paid