Payroll Operations Coordinator, Penn GSE

Job Description Summary

The Payroll Operations Coordinator manages and executes payroll processes for weekly and monthly paid populations and ensures compliance with hiring practices within the GSE. This role ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll operations while supporting program and departmental stakeholders, along with suggesting process improvements. The position operates with a hands-on focus and collaborates closely with HR, Finance, and departmental stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversees end-to-end payroll processing for both weekly and bi-weekly employee populations, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely execution of all payroll cycles. This role is responsible for reviewing and approving a broad range of payroll transactions - including new hires, terminations, compensation adjustments, retroactive pay, job changes, period activity payments, and one-time payments - while also monitoring leave compensation to ensure proper handling. The Payroll Coordinator will serve as a key system administrator within Workday, performing thorough reviews, submissions, and approvals across multiple functional roles, including Budget Partner, HR Requisitioner, HR Manager, and Academic Partner, to support seamless cross-functional collaboration and adherence to all payroll deadlines.
• Ensure compliance regarding federal I-9 and employment eligibility requirements by guiding new hires and supervisors through the onboarding process, reviewing required documentation, and supporting adherence to institutional hiring policies and procedures.
• Maintains compliance across all payroll operations, ensuring adherence to University policies as well as applicable federal and state regulations governing labor, compensation, and hiring practices. This role will support internal and external audits by maintaining thorough and accurate documentation, serving as a reliable resource for compliance verification and reporting. By proactively monitoring regulatory requirements and internal controls, the Payroll Coordinator will help mitigate risk and uphold the integrity of the University's payroll function.
• Responsible for the ongoing monitoring of payroll reports to ensure accuracy and consistency across all pay cycles. This includes performing regular reconciliations and processing payroll reallocations as needed to correct discrepancies and maintain the integrity of payroll data.
• Serves as a primary point of contact for payroll-related inquiries, providing timely and accurate resolutions to employee and stakeholder concerns. This role will also manage hiring requests coordinated through temporary staffing agencies, ensuring a smooth and efficient process from requisition through onboarding.
• Provides dedicated support for international employment needs, including the preparation and completion of J-1 and H-1B visa applications in accordance with federal requirements. This role will also oversee the onboarding process for Visiting Scholars, ensuring a seamless and compliant transition into the University's payroll and administrative systems.

Qualifications

ESSENTIAL:

• A Bachelor's degree and 2-3 years of payroll or financial operations experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong attention to detail and compliance knowledge
• Strong communication and organizational skills

PREFERRED:

• Three to five years of payroll or financial operations experience
• Experience with Workday
• Experience in higher education payroll
• Knowledge of grant-funded payroll processes