The Payroll Specialist is responsible for processing payroll and maintaining the employee database regarding compensation and related employee benefit contributions for Strada Education Network, Inc., (“Strada”) and organizations owned by Strada. This position requires knowledge and experience with payroll processing, payroll income taxes, and deductions. This person must be able to work with sensitive information and exercise the highest level of excellent communication, and the ability to problem-solve in real time.
Context:
Strada Education Foundation is a national nonprofit social impact organization that supports programs, policies, and organizations that strengthen connections between education and employment in the U.S., with a special focus on helping those who have faced the greatest challenges securing economic opportunity through postsecondary education or training (PSET). Our new strategic plan focuses on five strategic pillars: clear outcomes, quality coaching, affordable PSET, work-based learning, and employer alignment. We work with partners in education and training, nonprofit organizations, industry, startups, and public policy.
We leverage strategic philanthropy, investments, research, communications, advocacy, and collaborating organizations as tools to help advance equitable pathways to opportunity. Strada aspires to be a nonprofit partner of choice working with education and training providers and leaders, policymakers, and peer organizations. Strada offers a dynamic, collaborative, and inspiring professional environment that provides learning and professional development opportunities, both within the organization and with external partners.
Four core responsibility areas, listed below with the approximate time required for execution.
1. Processing biweekly payrolls for EAW, WBA and RTN with efficiency and accuracy. 2. Training within the ADP system to improve performance when processing payroll.3. Assisting the payroll manager with projects for the other entities under the Strada Education Foundation consolidation.4. Supporting the HR departments within the Strada organization with questions from employees, employee changes, and employment verifications.
Duties
- Processing biweekly payrolls for different payroll company codes using the company’s ADP Workforce Now human capital management system.
- Responsible for the timely maintenance and update of employee and company records in the various HRIS/Payroll systems (which includes payroll accruals, 401(k) administration, taxes and garnishments).
- Oversee the accuracy and completion of salary change and employee payroll deductions with the ADP WFN system
- Respond to payroll-related inquiries and resolve concerns.
- Audit and process annual payroll tax notices to employees such as the annual W2s.
- Audit and verify employee payroll contributions for employee benefit enrollments and changes to benefit elections. Work with human resources to complete retroactive employee payroll deductions for missed contributions or missed payrolls during employee leaves of absences.
- Coordinate activation and deactivation of leave benefits and process and calculate employee short-term disability paid benefits during approved disability leaves for Strada employees.
- Work closely with payroll department team members to ensure timely processing of biweekly payrolls and backup coverage for team members as needed.
- Incumbent will work closely and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders on payroll-related projects and reports, as needed.
- Work closely with ADP service team members on payroll service requests and tickets in order to resolve payroll issues.
- Coordinate and oversee payroll tax amendments and corrections as needed.
- Serve as the main point of contact for third-party vendors.
- Support HR representatives from Strada organizations with responses to questions and request to audit and/or correct payroll issues , as needed.
- Maintain compliance with multiple local, state, and federal regulations and wage and hour laws; respond to inquiries, as requested.
- Reconciling payroll accounts and preparing journal entries.
- Perform related duties, as requested, and assigned.
The Person: Qualifications and Experience
- One to three years payroll processing experience.
- Experience working with ADP Workforce Now system, preferred.
- Strong analytical skills.
- Strong mathematical aptitude and ability to work on payroll and finance projects with detail and limited errors.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, meet tight deadlines, and function well under pressure.
- Ability to successfully manage complex projects and competing priorities.
- Knowledge of local, state, and federal wage and tax laws.
- Strong technical skills: experience with Google Suite tools and applications, preferred.
- Strong working knowledge and skills using Google Sheets and/or Excel; knowledge of Excel pivot tables, v-lookup, etc.
- Ability to generate reports using multiple data sources.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Strong decision-making/critical thinking skills.
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Good people skills with proven ability to cultivate and manage relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- Must comply with all company procedures and policies, including company privacy and security policies.
- Preferred: Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) a plus
$57,400 - $68,150 a yearplus annual bonusThe pay range listed is based on national compensation benchmark data and may vary depending on skills, experience, job-related knowledge, variations in cost of labor, and in some cases, geographic location. The exact job offer will be determined based on several factors such as the candidate’s individual skills, qualifications and experience relative to the requirements of the role. The range displayed with the job posting represents the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across the U.S. The organization also reviews and considers internal equity (current employee salary) when hiring new employees to the organization. The range is the expected starting base salary for someone hired into this position with room to grow professionally, including increased earning potential beyond the starting pay range. Beyond a new hire’s base salary, Strada also offers all full-time employees a comprehensive employee benefit package.
Mission and Values Alignment
: Committed to providing equitable pathways to opportunity through PSET, particularly for individuals who have faced significant barriers. Demonstrated alignment with Strada's guiding values, commitment to building a strong and healthy workplace culture, and working in a collaborative environment.
Strategy and Innovation Leadership:
Adept at operationalizing strategy and effectively communicating strategic endeavors within the organization and in external contexts, both verbally and in writing. Particular skill in designing annual plans, monitoring progress, and refining plans as needed. Adaptable with tolerance for ambiguity. Able to problem-solve and navigate varied viewpoints. Capacity to refine efforts based on evidence that change is needed. Ability to lead efforts to visualize and monitor change. Capability to see and support innovative ideas and opportunities across the organization, and to embed innovation within operational plans.
Capabilities in taking the perspective of others and adapting an agenda and approach – toward a shared aim - accordingly.
Strategic Problem Solving:
Ability to effectively utilize a hypothesis-driven approach to problem solving, with effective quantitative and communication skills. Ability to take on broad-reaching and sometimes ambiguous questions while working collaboratively and cross-functionally with Strada team members across the organization.
Execution and Operations Leadership
: Ability to translate innovative, strategic ideas into tangible, actionable steps, as well as to effectively monitor progress and partner with others on identifying improvements during implementation to increase the likelihood of successful execution.
DEI Commitment:
Commitment and professional experience advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within and organization, including incorporating stakeholder perspectives in the design, implementation, and evaluation of strategic efforts.
Relationship Building and Collaborative Capabilities
:Demonstrated ability to cultivate, grow, and manage positive, mutually beneficial relationships at all levels of an organization and with partners outside the organization. Strong communication, interpersonal and relationship management skills—including identifying and working through challenges—underscored by strong judgment and emotional intelligence. Proven collaborator, able to work with colleagues at all levels in the organization. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to Strada’s organizational vibrancy, employee experience, and mission.
Strada is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workplace-certified by Diversity for Social Impact, a strategic professional and organization development company dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion to drive social impact worldwide. We strongly encourage applicants from people of color/the global majority, immigrant, bilingual, and bicultural individuals; people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA2S+ and gender nonconforming communities; and people with other diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.
We believe every member on the team enriches our workplace by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and discover, design, and deliver critical insights and solutions.Apply for this job
