Payroll Specialist

Job description

Description
Codman Square Health Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center serving a diverse community in Dorchester, MA, and surrounding neighborhoods. CSHC offers a full continuum of services such as primary care, urgent care, behavioral health, care management, nutrition, family planning, optometry, dentistry, laboratory, pharmacy, radiology, and medical specialties including HIV care, substance use treatment, Hepatitis C, OB-GYN, Nephrology, and Cardiology alongside an on-site STI clinic.
CSHC is a teaching institution with academic affiliations at Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, and a member of the Boston Accountable Care Organization. Our mission is to be our community's first choice for comprehensive, holistic, and integrated services, and to empower individuals to lead healthy lives and build thriving communities.
Position Summary:
The Payroll Specialist is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payroll for approximately 300 employees and serves as the organization's primary payroll resource. This position is responsible for all payroll-related activities, including payroll processing, grant-funded payroll allocations, employee support, payroll compliance, payroll tax administration, benefits deduction processing, reporting, reconciliations, and Paylocity administration.
The successful candidate will combine strong technical payroll expertise with outstanding customer service skills and a commitment to accuracy, compliance, and continuous improvement. Working closely with Finance and Human Resources, the Payroll Specialist ensures employees are paid accurately and on time, payroll expenses are properly allocated across grants and funding sources, and payroll records are maintained in accordance with organizational policies and regulatory requirements.
Primary Responsibilities:
Payroll Administration
• Process accurate and timely bi-weekly payroll for approximately 300 employees.
• Review and audit payroll data, including new hires, terminations, pay rate changes, promotions, transfers, and employee status changes.
• Verify employee time records and ensure compliance with organizational policies.
• Process payroll adjustments, retroactive pay, bonuses, off-cycle payrolls, and manual checks as needed.
• Ensure proper administration of direct deposits, wage garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, and other payroll deductions.
• Maintain payroll records and supporting documentation.
• Review payroll registers and reconcile payroll information prior to processing to ensure accuracy and completeness.

Grant Payroll Administration
• Process and maintain payroll allocations for employees funded through federal, state, local, and private grants.
• Ensure payroll expenses are accurately distributed among grants, programs, departments, and funding sources.
• Review grant-funded payroll allocations for accuracy and compliance with funding requirements.
• Maintain supporting documentation related to grant-funded payroll expenditures.
• Assist with grant reporting, reimbursement requests, and budget monitoring activities.
• Support grant audits and compliance reviews through preparation of payroll-related schedules and documentation.
• Collaborate with Finance and Program leadership to ensure payroll allocations are accurately maintained and compliant with grant requirements.

Employee Support and Customer Service
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all employee payroll-related inquiries.
• Provide prompt, professional, and courteous customer service to employees and managers.
• Educate employees regarding pay statements, tax withholding elections, direct deposit changes, benefit deductions, and payroll procedures.
• Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies and employee concerns in a timely manner.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding employee and organizational information.
• Build positive working relationships across all levels of the organization through responsive and solution-oriented service.

Paylocity Administration
• Serve as the primary administrator for payroll functions within Paylocity.
• Maintain employee payroll records and system configurations.
• Troubleshoot payroll-related system issues and coordinate with Paylocity support when necessary.
• Assist with testing, implementation, and optimization of payroll processes and system enhancements.
• Train managers and employees on payroll-related self-service functionality.

Payroll Compliance
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations.
• Maintain current knowledge of payroll and wage-and-hour requirements.
• Process and monitor payroll tax withholdings and reporting requirements.
• Support year-end payroll activities, including W-2 preparation and verification.
• Maintain payroll records in accordance with regulatory requirements and organizational policies.

Benefits and Deduction Administration
• Process employee benefit deductions and payroll-related benefit changes.
• Ensure accurate administration of health insurance, retirement plans, flexible spending accounts, and other employee deductions.
• Coordinate payroll deduction changes with Human Resources and benefit providers.
• Reconcile payroll deductions and benefit-related liabilities

Financial Reporting and Reconciliation
• Reconcile payroll registers to the general ledger.
• Prepare payroll-related journal entries and supporting schedules.
• Assist with monthly, quarterly, and year-end close activities.
• Reconcile payroll liabilities, tax accounts, benefit deductions, and accrued paid leave balances.
• Prepare payroll reports and analyses for management.
• Support annual financial statement audits and grant-related audits by providing payroll documentation and reconciliations.

Process Improvement and Collaboration
• Work closely with Human Resources, Finance, and departmental leadership to ensure payroll accuracy.
• Assist in developing, documenting, and maintaining payroll procedures and internal controls.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, efficiency, and accuracy.
• Participate in special projects and other duties as assigned.

Requirements
Qualifications & Skills:
• Minimum of 3-5 years of payroll processing experience.
• Experience independently managing full-cycle payroll.
• Experience processing payroll for organizations with approximately 300 or more employees.
• Strong knowledge of payroll laws, tax regulations, and wage-and-hour compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to provide exceptional customer service and professionally resolve employee payroll concerns with accuracy, urgency, and discretion.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience with Paylocity payroll software preferred.
• Experience in a nonprofit, healthcare, or grant-funded environment preferred.
• Experience administering payroll allocations across multiple grants and funding sources.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation or willingness to obtain certification preferred.
• Knowledge of payroll accounting and general ledger reconciliations.

Physical Requirements:
• Must be able to stand or sit for prolonged periods (at least 50% of the time).
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds and load onto shelves.
• Visual acuity sufficient for frequent reading and computer use.

Benefits:
• CSHC offers a generous benefits package including:
• Competitive Medical and Dental Insurance
• Employer-paid Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Retirement-403(b) plan
• Vacation, Holiday, Personal and Sick Time Accruals
• Flexible Spending Reimbursement Accounts (Health and Dependent Care)
• Educational Assistance and Tuition Reimbursement Programs
• Commuter Benefits
• Opportunities for academic appointment at Boston University / Boston Medical Center