Payroll Implementation Specialist

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is currently searching for a Payroll Implementation Specialist to join the Finance & Accounting Department.  This position is a temporary position with a payroll project specific focus.  This position will report to the Senior Director, Finance working closely with the Director, Accounting and Payroll Manager. This position will be a key voice and stakeholder integral to documenting & streamlining payroll for 1000+ employees, and integrating a best practice, payroll process into a new managed payroll system:  responsible for evaluating and re-engineering the current internal Institution payroll system and processes in order to streamline and facilitate a smooth and effective transition to a new external managed payroll business partner model.  Candidates for this role must have an in-depth understanding of, and extensive experience in payroll processing and improvement redesign – both in house and external models. This position can by on-site or hybrid.

• Experience with:
  • Integrating and maintaining database of personnel information and accurate payroll records
  • Time and attendance systems, biweekly integration to payroll, and ability to trouble shoot and resolve timecard variance as needed
  • Employee expense reimbursement
  • Computing wages, deductions, loans, accrued vacation and other benefits deductions
  • Ensuring compliance with US federal, state and local tax laws, including remittance of payroll taxes, to include initial set up where applicable
  • Ensuring compliance with foreign taxes and 1042S filings where applicable
  • Trouble shooting variances with various claims, payments, and garnishments as needed
• In depth review and evaluation of all current payroll business processes and systems
• Collaborate with payroll team, Finance & Accounting management, selected External Payroll Provider, and other internal stakeholders to gather end user feedback
• Identify best practices and industry leading improvement recommendations that would streamline work processes and drive increased automation, accuracy and speed
• Prepare documentation and communication materials including “as-is” and “to-be” process diagrams and models to support recommendations and present findings to internal stakeholders
• Work with selected External Payroll Provider and internal WHOI teams to ensure a smooth and effective transition to this new payroll model
• Develop, document, and provide guidance/training to internal teams to ensure future standardization and maintenance of new processes within this new model

Required Skills and Abilities:

• In-depth understanding of and extensive experience in Payroll processing, including process improvement redesign
• Experience guiding an organization through a Payroll implementation from an Internal to an External Provider model
• Hands on experience with payroll for employees of 1000+ (incorporating several pay types, company benefits, multi state withholding & other taxes, employee expenses, accrued vacation & other accrued leave types)
• A passion for challenging the status quo and improving existing systems with a collaborative, communicative and intelligent approach
• Proven ability to incorporate customer/stakeholder insights and translate them into technical deliverables for process re-engineering recommendations

Non-Essential Functions

Performs other duties as assigned 

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, with direct experience in the payroll field with at least 7-10 years’ experience.
• Certification in the payroll field: American Payroll Association (APA) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)
• Social skills necessary for teamwork and management
• Working knowledge of payroll management software for 1000+ employees
• Facilitate a respectful work environment
• Plan and prioritize assigned tasks
• Possess effective communication skills
• Possess intermediate to advance capabilities with Microsoft Office products
• Knowledge in compliance with payroll rules and regulations

WHOI has a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy in effect, where you must register your full vaccination status [vaccination plus booster] in order to begin your employment. The registration process is confidential and entails submitting your official vaccination records, or requesting to engage in the interactive exemption process for either a medical or religious reason. Evidence of full vaccination or request for an exemption process can be sent to our confidential email of careers@whoi.edu. All questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccination mandate must be emailed to careers@whoi.edu.

This position is mostly sedentary, and works with and around others as well as working alone at times.  We welcome all to apply to this position.