Director, Payroll

Location: Flexible within the US

Type: Full-time

Start Date: December 2023

Summary:

Relay Graduate School of Education (Relay) is an accredited not-for-profit institution of higher education serving thousands of educators from across the country, from pre-service teachers to system-level leaders. Our mission is to ensure that all students are taught by excellent educators, in order to build a more just world where every student has a clear path to a fulfilling life.

The Finance team oversees the recording of Relay’s financial information & modeling, leads budget planning & creation for Relay’s programs, provides critical financial analysis6, and ensures compliance with IRS and non-profit accounting regulations. By doing so, the Finance team ensures Relay GSE is positioned to create impactful strategic plans & make key business decisions and maintain its 501(c)3 designation.  The Director, Payroll, is specifically part of the team that provides institutional financial management in addition to student-facing billing for the overall organization. Reporting to the Vice President, Financial Operations and in close collaboration with the Talent Team, the director will lead the creation, implementation, and maintenance of compliant & efficient payroll operations to ensure the accurate and timely bi-monthly payroll process. A systems-minded and detail-oriented team player with an aptitude for continual improvement and compliance, this is a great opportunity for someone looking to provide exceptional support to our employees.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

Payroll Systems (45%)

• Set the vision for payroll operations for accuracy, efficiency, compliance, and outstanding customer service by optimizing systems and leveraging technology 
• Develop an understanding of Relay’s various payroll systems and processes in service of identifying & executing on continual improvements, automations, reports, and payroll processing efficiencies with the ERP and Talent teams 
• Set up and adopt the usage of new pay and withholding codes in ADP to comply with new pay laws and enable Finance & the Executive team to track and analyze payroll components in Relay’s general ledger.
• Project manage systems integration work and facilitate communication and meetings with Relay’s external vendors (ex: USI, Schwab, and ADP cross-collaborations).
• Serve as the payroll and finance expert in cross-team collaboration with HR to design and maintain payroll information systems; brainstorm and implement solutions to operational challenges.

Cyclical Semi-monthly Payroll Duties (40%)

• Process payroll and retirement plan employer match twice a month by utilizing recurring information and one-time & ongoing adjustments including but not limited to changes in pay rates or hours worked, promotions, new hires, terminations, expense reimbursements, garnishments, stipends, changes in benefits, etc.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues in ADP related to any system errors.
• Prepare relevant semi-monthly, monthly, quarterly and year-end reports including summaries of earnings, deductions, leave, disability, and nontaxable wages, and reconciliations as required.
• Track and classify payroll and 401k processing errors in order to develop, then implement and document internal controls to prevent future errors; make continuous improvements to payroll processing by the addition of cross-checks, tie-outs, better formats, formulas, etc.

Non-cyclical Payroll Duties (15%)

• Provide day-to-day communication with employees who email the finance team with payroll and retirement plan specific questions. Research and resolve all queries and requests.
• Maintain payroll guidelines and process manuals by writing and updating policies and procedures to ensure standard, equitable, and correct treatment for all payroll scenarios.
• Lead multiple external audits and provide all auditors and third parties with the information required to issue timely financial statements (401k audit) and support pricing (Worker’s Compensation audit).
• Collaborate with the Director, Business Operations, as required to ensure that Relay is compliant in its payroll tax withholdings and wage reporting for all locations in which Relay is operating. Reissue stale dated or voided checks as necessary throughout the year. 
• Adjust and prioritize fluctuating workstreams accordingly to time of year to ensure timely payroll process & key deadlines are met; manage the usage of payroll temps as needed
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops