Payroll Administrator IV

Job Description:

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, known as "The HARRIS CENTER," is seeking an experienced Payroll Administrator IV to join our team. The Payroll Administrator IV is the organization’s senior payroll technical specialist and operational team lead. The position is responsible for the accurate preparation, documentation, distribution, and reconciliation of payroll and supports the effective administration of payroll and timekeeping systems. Working with a high degree of independence, the position reviews complex pay calculations, deductions, adjustments, exceptions, payroll reports, reconciliations, and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness, and compliance.

The position serves as a specialist on complex payroll, tax, reporting, regulatory, systems, and business matters. It coordinates payroll-cycle activities, provides technical guidance and training, reviews work for accuracy, and leads the resolution of complex payroll issues. The position may coordinate workflow and provide operational coverage when the Manager of Payroll Services is unavailable but does not have formal supervisory responsibility.

Your role in action:

Payroll Administration and Cycle Coordination

• Coordinates payroll-cycle activities to support accurate and timely payment of exempt and non-exempt employees.

• Prepares, reviews, validates, and reconciles complex payroll transactions, including new hires, separations, pay adjustments, overtime, deductions, garnishments, leave-related entries, retroactive payments, and payroll exceptions.

• Reviews payroll registers, audit reports, reconciliations, and supporting documentation before payroll finalization.

• Coordinates workflow, monitors processing deadlines, and follows up on outstanding items.

• May coordinate payroll processing with an outside service provider, as applicable.

• Provides operational coverage and continuity support when the Manager, Payroll Services is unavailable.

Complex Issue Resolution and Customer Service

• Serves as the senior technical resource and initial escalation point for complex payroll inquiries, discrepancies, paycheck concerns, and reporting questions.

• Researches payroll issues, determines appropriate corrective action, coordinates resolution, and escalates material or high-risk matters to the Manager, Payroll Services.

• Responds to employees, leaders, timekeepers, and organizational stakeholders in a timely, accurate, and professional manner.

• Communicates payroll deadlines, requirements, procedures, and system changes to affected stakeholders.

Reporting, Reconciliation, Tax, and Compliance

· Prepares, analyzes, and distributes recurring and ad hoc payroll reports for management, Human Resources, Finance, governmental entities, auditors, and other stakeholders.

· Performs complex payroll and workforce analysis to identify discrepancies, trends, control risks, and improvement opportunities.

· Prepares or supports required payroll tax filings, governmental reporting, year-end processing, audits, and regulatory requests.

· Maintains current knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local payroll, tax, wage and hour, garnishment, and recordkeeping requirements.

· Ensures assigned payroll activities follow applicable laws, regulations, internal controls, and organizational policies and procedures.

· Maintains payroll records, reconciliations, workpapers, procedures, and compliance documentation.

Payroll Systems and Process Improvement

· Serves as a senior functional resource for payroll and timekeeping systems, reporting tools, interfaces, and related business processes.

· Supports system testing, upgrades, implementations, enhancements, integrations, and process automation.

· Investigates system and data issues, documents findings, and partners with stakeholders to support resolution.

· Develops and maintains payroll procedures, process documentation, job aids, control checklists, and training materials.

· Recommends improvements that strengthen accuracy, efficiency, internal controls, service delivery, and business continuity.

Team Leadership and Collaboration

• Provides day-to-day technical leadership, workflow coordination, and subject matter guidance without exercising formal supervisory authority.

• Reviews assigned work products for accuracy, completeness, compliance, and adherence to deadlines.

• Provides training, cross-training, coaching, and technical support to payroll staff, managers, and timekeepers.

• Collaborates with Human Resources, Finance, Benefits, managers, timekeepers, Information Technology, and other partners.

• Protects the confidentiality, integrity, and security of payroll and employee information.

• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field from an accredited college or university. Relevant combinations of education and progressively responsible payroll experience may be considered in accordance with organizational guidelines.

Experience:

• Seven or more years of progressively responsible payroll experience, including processing, reconciliations, reporting, taxation, audits, system administration, and complex issue resolution.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a senior technical resource, team lead, workflow coordinator, or subject matter expert in payroll.
• Experience supporting complex payroll operations and critical processing deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC).

• Experience with UKG Pro, UKG Ready, UKG Workforce Management, Kronos, or a related platform.

• Experience with interfaces, implementations, testing, automation, workforce analytics, dashboards, or business intelligence tools.

• Experience in healthcare, behavioral health, governmental, public sector, or a large multi-site organization.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced knowledge of payroll processes, taxation, wage and hour requirements, garnishments, deductions, payroll accounting concepts, controls, and recordkeeping.

• Strong analytical, reconciliation, reporting, research, and problem-solving skills.

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and large payroll data sets, audit files, and reporting tools.

• Ability to work highly independently, exercise sound judgment, organize priorities, and meet critical deadlines.

• Ability to coordinate work, review work products, provide technical guidance, and support consistent procedures.

• Ability to communicate complex payroll matters clearly and provide professional service at all organizational levels.

• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and protect sensitive payroll, tax, banking, and employee information.

• Ability to adapt to changing operational, system, organizational, and governmental requirements.

About us:

The Harris Center is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, The Harris Center provides care to over 90,000 people and has an annual budget of over $300 million.

As part of its mission to transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs in the third largest county in the United States, The Harris Center provides a full continuum of services at 80 different sites across Harris County. In addition, services are provided in more than 40 different languages as well as sign language in order to better serve what is one of the largest communities in the nation.

By utilizing the unique expertise of its more than 2,500 employees, The Harris Center is committed to meeting the behavioral health and IDD needs of Harris County residents and giving them hope to live to their fullest potential.

What else you should know:

• This posting is associated with position #1370

What we have to offer:

The Harris Center not only offers a competitive salary but also a suite of excellent benefits designed to enrich your life both professionally and personally. Imagine a future with a robust retirement plan complemented by our generous company matching – a testament to our investment in your long-term financial well-being. Experience the unique advantage of our prior service credit, accelerating your journey towards a more substantial Paid Time Off accrual, empowering you to enjoy well-deserved breaks.

Enjoy Cell Phone Discounts, exclusive entertainment deals through Tickets at Work, and a free Headspace subscription for mental wellness. Additionally, our Employee Assistance Program supports your overall well-being.

Take advantage of significant financial relief through student loan forgiveness as a valued member of The Harris Center team. As a qualifying entity, our employees are eligible for various student loan forgiveness programs, designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with higher education.

Contributes to suicide care and prevention by embracing our values and applying a trauma-informed approach rooted in safety, trust, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.