Payroll and Benefits Coordinator

Payroll and Benefits Coordinator

Company:
The University of Olivet

Job Location:

Category:
Human Resources

Type:
Full-Time

Under the Business Office operating model, the Payroll and Benefits Coordinator is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of employee payroll and the day-to-day administration of employee benefit programs for University of Olivet. Reporting to the Director of Human Resources, this position serves as the primary point of contact for employees regarding payroll, benefits enrollment, and retirement plan participation. The Coordinator partners closely with Human Resources Director on employee lifecycle events and ensures compliance with federal, state, and institutional requirements. This role is critical to the integrity of employee compensation data, benefit reconciliations, and related general ledger activity within the Business Office.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Payroll Processing

• Accountable for the accurate and timely processing of employee payroll on established pay cycles.
• Reviews and audits timesheets, earnings, deductions, and tax withholdings prior to each payroll run.
• Processes garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, and other court-ordered deductions in compliance with applicable law.
• Reconciles payroll to the general ledger in partnership with the Business Office and prepares associated journal entries.
• Communicates with the college community regarding employee self-service payroll processes and pay-related inquiries.
• Provides training to new employees and supervisors on payroll vendor functions, including account setup and time sheet approval.
• Maintains an accurate, easy to follow, and up-to-date payroll processing schedule.

Benefits Administration

• Administers employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and voluntary benefits.
• Coordinates annual open enrollment; communicates plan changes to employees and ensures timely, accurate enrollment in payroll processing system.
• Processes new hire benefit enrollments, qualifying life event changes, and terminations in accordance with plan documents.
• Reconciles monthly carrier invoices to enrollment records and prepares invoices for payment by the Business Office.
• Serves as the primary employee contact for benefit questions, claims assistance, and carrier escalations.
• Administers leave programs, including FMLA, short-term and long-term disability, and college-specific leave policies.
• Prepares and submits the annual ACA (1094/1095) report and ensures ongoing ACA compliance tracking.
• Manages COBRA notifications and administration in coordination with the third-party administrator.

Retirement Plan

• Responsible for submitting 403(b) retirement contributions in a timely fashion via ACH.
• Reconciles contributions between ADP, the retirement plan recordkeeper, and the general ledger.
• Serves as the primary contact for the annual 403(b) audit and provides all necessary documentation to auditors.
• Assists employees with enrollment, deferral changes, and general questions regarding the retirement plan.

HRIS / Payroll Administration

• Maintains employee data in the 3rd party payroll system and HRIS system, including new hires, status changes, and terminations.
• Serves as the primary contact for the payroll vendor relationship and manages service requests.
• Completes federal, state, legal, and internal reporting requests associated with payroll and benefits information (e.g., EADA, worker's compensation wage data, census data, salary history, paid leave balances).
• Produces accurate and timely reports to support executive data-driven decision-making (e.g., salary and compensation reports, benefits cost analyses).
• Recommends new modules, workflows, and automation opportunities to improve payroll and benefits operations.

Student Employment Support

• Processes payroll for student employees and ensures required onboarding documentation is complete and on file.
• Partners with the Financial Aid and Human Resources offices on student employment postings and contracts in payroll system.
• Tracks departmental student employment budgets and notifies supervisors of budget variances.

Compliance, Reporting & Audit Support

• Ensures compliance with federal and state payroll tax laws, wage and hour regulations, and benefits-related regulations (ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, COBRA).
• Supports the annual financial audit, single audit, and retirement plan audit by preparing schedules and responding to auditor requests.
• Assists the Accounting Manager with position budgeting by providing salary data that reflects reduced contracts, salary increase history, additional earnings, benefits enrollment, and deductions.
• Maintains strict confidentiality of employee and institutional data.

Other

• Identifies opportunities for process improvement and resolves problems as they arise.
• Participates in continuing education to stay informed on developments in payroll, benefits, and related compliance areas.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

Required

• Associate’s degree.
• Minimum of one (1) year of progressively responsible experience in payroll processing and benefits administration.
• Working knowledge of federal and state payroll tax regulations, ACA, ERISA, FMLA, and COBRA.
• Strong proficiency in MS Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to maintain the confidentiality of highly sensitive information.
• Detail oriented, with excellent organizational skills and the ability to make sound decisions independently.
• Ability to handle stressful situations, including payroll deadlines and competing priorities, in a professional manner.

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field (Accounting preferred).
• Experience in a higher education setting.
• Experience with ADP (Workforce Now or similar).
• FPC (Fundamental Payroll Certification) or CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) certification.
• Experience with general ledger reconciliation and support of financial audits.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

Salary is commensurate with education, experience, and certifications. University of Olivet offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance; employer-paid life and disability coverage; generous paid time off; and tuition benefits for employees and eligible dependents.

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