Sr Payroll Specialist

The University of Southern California (USC) is a leading private research university located in Los Angeles. USC is committed to excellence in teaching, research, and public service, and fosters a collaborative and inclusive work environment.

Location - Information Sciences Institute in Marina del Rey

Job Summary

This is a 6-month fixed-term position. The Senior Payroll Specialist serves in a lead role supporting the planning and delivery of payroll services. This position ensures the accurate and timely processing of payroll for faculty, staff, and students. The incumbent acts as a key liaison to assigned departments, resolving complex payroll issues and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and university regulations

Key Responsibilities

Sorts, prioritizes, reviews for accuracy, and processes incoming payroll and personnel documents
Leads payroll specialists in processing out-of-system payroll requests and audits calculations for termination and final pay
Coordinates final audits of hand-drawn checks to ensure compliance with university policies and applicable federal and state laws
Maintains payroll records and statistics and prepares reports.
Provides direction and guidance to staff on payroll processes, procedures, and best practices
Serves as a liaison to departments, resolving complex payroll issues in compliance with FLSA, California labor laws, and IRS regulations
Processes payroll-related transactions for new hires, transfers, and promotions, ensuring accurate system entry and proper documentation

Minimum Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent.

Minimum 3 years of payroll experience.

Strong knowledge of payroll processes and procedures.

Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Associate’s degree.

4 or more years of payroll experience.

Experience working in higher education or large, complex organizations.

The hourly rate range for this position is $38.31 - $41.55. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope of responsibilities, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal equity, applicable laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Minimum Education:
High school or equivalent

Minimum Experience:
3 years

Minimum Skills:
Payroll services experience.
Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills.


Preferred Education:
Associate's degree

Preferred Experience:
4 years

                                                  

USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying. 

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at uschr@usc.edu. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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• Employment Equity