Payroll Customer Support Specialist

American University is a student-centered research institution located in Washington, DC, with highly-ranked schools and colleges, internationally-renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world. Learn more about American University

Department:

Payroll Operations

Time Type:

Full time

Work Modality:

Hybrid 01 (On Campus 3-4 Days/Week)

Union:

Excluded

Job Description:

Summary:

Serves as a primary point of contact for customers by answering routine calls, emails and inquiries routed through ServiceNow and the Payroll Help service line regarding  payroll, tax, timesheets, deductions and other related inquiries. Refers customers to other AU departmentswhen needed.

Essential Functions:

• Interacts with the customer(s) and gathers information to triage and determine details of the inquiry or problem. Creates appropriate service request tickets and/or handles incoming tickets. Uses the ServiceNow Knowledge Base, HR and Payroll management information systems to lookup, research and gather information and pertinent facts pertaining to the inquiry or problem.

• Provides first call resolution for a variety of inquiries or issues reported by the customer and escalates the more complicated problems through the appropriate channels. Communicates with customers in follows-up to calls or tickets, gathering details, providing information or answering questions.

• Interacts with Payroll and HR partners to gather additional information needed to answer inquiries, request assistance and/or refer issues for a response.

• Keeps abreast of HR and Payroll operational policies, processes and procedures.

• Identifies and recommends process or procedural changes to resolve recurring inquiries or problems.

• Assists in managing the human resources and payroll knowledge base library by developing and updating knowledge articles, job aids, consolidating duplicate articles, and retiring stale or inaccurate content after completing review and approval process by management . Ensures information is captured, categorized and easily accessible to a broad range of staff and campus customers.

• Serves as a team leader for part-time Payroll Help staff.

Work Environment:

• The worker normally performs their job indoors in an office environment.

• Work is accomplished with moderate supervision. 

• Follows established and detailed directions. 

• Work is reviewed for accuracy and overall adequacy.

• Refers unusual problems to supervisor or lead workers.

Eligibility Qualifications:

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Education and Experience:

• 1-3 years of experience providing HR and/or administrative customer support. Workday experience preferred

• Skilled in empathic listening techniques, critical thinking and problem solving.

• Skill using a personal computer including email, customer service, HR and/or knowledge base databases and applications.

• Ability to provide high levels of customer service and exercise tact and diplomacy while interacting with University staff and peers on sensitive and confidential personnel matters.

• Ability to gather, interpret and summarize information

• Diagnostic Information Gathering skills: Identifies the information needed to clarify a situation; seeks out knowledgeable people to obtain information; probes skillfully to get at the facts, when others are reluctant to disclose the full details; asks questions to clarify a situation; gets a complete and accurate picture by checking multiple sources.

• Oral Communication skills: Organizing and expressing thoughts and information orally in a clear, concise manner, me