Business and Finance - Payroll Accountant

Title: Payroll Accountant

Department: Finance and Business

Employment Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Organizational Relationship: Reports to the Payroll Manager

Work Location: Staten Island, New York (On-Site)

Salary Range: $40,000-$50,000 per year (depending on work & systems experience)

Job Purpose: The Finance and Business Office is responsible for safeguarding the integrity of the College’s fiscal operations. The Office delivers timely and accurate financial information to key stakeholders, protects the College’s tangible and intangible assets, and ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local tax regulations.

Reporting directly to the Payroll Manager, the Payroll Accountant supports the management, processing, and control of the College’s payroll and related financial operations. This on-site position is based at the College’s Staten Island, New York campus and plays a key role in ensuring that all College employees are paid accurately and on time.

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Essential Functions

• Support the Payroll Manager in the preparation, review, and processing of all College payrolls.
• Manage the payroll email inbox and phone line, maintaining a log of inquiries and issues and escalating them to the Payroll Manager or routing them to the appropriate Finance team member.
• Administer student timecards, ensuring student employees are supported and paid accurately and on time.
• Review weekly timecards and perform rotating sample testing to verify accuracy and policy compliance.
• Support internal and external payroll audits, including insurance, union, and year-end audits, by gathering data and supporting documentation from Oracle and responding promptly to auditor requests.
• Ensure accurate calculation, withholding, and remittance of federal, New York State, and local payroll taxes; research and help resolve tax notices and discrepancies.
• Prepare weekly and monthly union reports and process the corresponding remittances for four (4) collective bargaining units.
• Assist the Payroll Manager with monthly, quarterly, and annual deliverables, including payroll tax reconciliations, payroll balance reports, quarterly tax filings, and W-2 preparation.
• Compile compensation files for the Payroll Manager’s review and upload into Oracle.
• Partner with College departments to support accurate and timely timecard management for their employees.
• Generate Oracle reports and perform data audits to ensure the integrity and accuracy of payroll information.
• Prepare weekly and monthly payroll journal entries for union remittances and other payroll transactions.
• Monitor Oracle for uncosted positions and collaborate with the Payroll Manager and Assistant Controller to ensure all positions are accurately costed.
• Build and maintain Excel-based reconciliations, analyses, and reports to support payroll accuracy and the month-end close.

Non-Essential Functions

• Assist with departmental projects and additional assignments as requested.
• Serve as a point of contact for College administrators, employees, and outside agencies (in person, by phone, and by email), providing clear and professional responses to payroll and general financial inquiries.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance and a minimum of three (3) years of relevant payroll or accounting experience
• Experience in a higher education or non-profit finance environment is highly desirable

Certifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC), a plus

Desired Work Traits

• Solid working knowledge of payroll tax regulations, including federal, New York State, and local withholding, reporting, and filing requirements
• Demonstrated experience supporting payroll audits, including preparing reconciliations and supporting documentation and responding to auditor inquiries
• Exceptional attention to detail, with strong organizational and analytical skills
• Self-motivated, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Proven ability to complete work accurately and on schedule

Computer Skills

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (e.g., XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and data reconciliation), along with strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications
• Experience with Oracle, a plus

Communication/Interpersonal Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain payroll matters clearly and to build effective working relationships with campus departments, employees, and outside organizations
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion and professionalism

Location Requirement

• This is an on-site position at the College’s Staten Island, New York campus; candidates must live within a reasonable commuting distance of Staten Island

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Management reserves the right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time.

Wagner College, founded in 1883, seamlessly blends professional programs with a liberal arts grounding for a comprehensive, experiential-forward education that fosters well-rounded, adaptable graduates. The college’s verdant residential campus offers a traditional college experience on New York City’s Staten Island.

Wagner prides itself on robust student support services, including personalized academic advising, comprehensive career counseling, and a wide array of wellness programs. Students are prepared not only for professional success but also for meaningful lives through the faculty’s dedication to promoting scholarship, achievement, leadership and citizenship.

Wagner College offers a generous benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, pension and paid time off benefits to all full-time employees. The Wagner College Office of Human Resources partners with all members of the College community to cultivate a work environment that values equal opportunity, diversity equity inclusion and access, professional development and individual excellence.

Wagner College provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Wagner College complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.