Payroll Administrator

About Our Organization:

Youth Guidance is a leading provider of outcomes-driven programs and capacity-building initiatives for youth. In 2001, the Becoming a Man (BAM) program was launched at Youth Guidance to help young men navigate difficult circumstances that threaten their future. In 2011, the Working on Womanhood (WOW) program was launched at Youth Guidance as a response to the urgent need of young women of color who have been exposed to traumatic stressors and face social, behavioral, cognitive, or emotional challenges.

Both programs are school-based counseling and mentoring programs that guide young men and women in 7th-12th grades to learn, internalize and practice social cognitive skills, make responsible decisions for their future, and become positive members of their school and community. Both programs integrate clinical theory and practice, rites of passage work, and a dynamic approach to youth engagement. Each session is built around a lesson plan designed to develop a specific skill through stories, role-playing and group exercises. Students learn and practice impulse control, emotional self-regulation, recognition of social cues and interpreting intentions of others, raising aspirations for the future and developing a sense of personal responsibility and integrity.

Position Summary:

As a Payroll subject matter expert, you have a lot to offer and at Youth Guidance, we want you to know... we know that. This is why you'll work in a collaborative manner with all of Human Resources (Services and Sourcing) to bring a wholistic approach to analyzing, preparing, reporting, recording and ensuring the timely and accurate transmission of bi-weekly payroll data and reports. You'll learn and maximize Youth Guidance’s grant allocation protocols to produce General Ledger data in accordance with Federal, State and Local labor and payroll laws.

When you join our team, you will:

• Lead the organization’s payroll process from start to finish. You will be involved throughout the entire employment life-cycle.

• Partner with Human Resources Operations, Benefits Administration, and Finance to ensure employee changes and updates (i.e. hires, terminations, benefit enrollment, allocation and status changes, etc.), are entered into systems timely and accurately.

• Lead or collaborate with the Finance department in the registration, scheduled monitoring, updating and communication of multi-geographical State Withholding and Unemployment information.

• Be the dedicated resource for timely updates of employee payroll data, including direct deposits, tax and wage garnishment information. Be responsible for scheduling distribution of live/paper checks as well as staff enrollment within alternative payment programs.

• Lead payroll system education and training and research/resolve employee payroll concerns.

• Thoroughly translate data into understandable reports (standard and custom) including pre and post payroll, monthly, quarterly, and annual. Produce ad hoc reports and audit documentation as requested.

• Be responsible for monthly benefit reconciliations and updates.

• Assist in the development, creation and implementation of new processes and process-improvements geared toward increased efficiencies and service levels.

• Responsible for the coordination of year-end W-2 processing and uploading the annual holiday calendar to payroll systems.

• Collaborate with the Benefits Administrator to complete annual 1095 and 1094 forms.

• Responsible for providing excellent customer service in responding to staff and vendor concerns.

• Other duties as assigned.

Our Payroll Administrator has been equipped for this impactful work with at least:

• Associates Degree in Accounting, Finance or Human Resources. (Bachelor’s Degree preferred).
• 3 - 5 years of experience of total payroll processing within a fast-paced work environment. (Allocation-based, exempt and non-exempt, nonprofit payroll experience preferred).
• Strong knowledge of payroll processing systems and solutions. (ADP and Bamboo preferred).
• Knowledge of the General Ledger, Federal, State and local laws governing payroll processing, taxes and wage garnishments. (Multi-State, Multi-Geography experience a strong plus).

CPP, SHRM or HRCI Certifications, a strong plus

Skills/Abilities

• Strong yet compassionate customer service skills required.

• Strong emotional intelligence and desire to seek, obtain and apply knowledge and understanding to the work.

• Demonstrated ability to work well with confidential information, work under pressure and work within tight deadlines - especially during audit season.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively (verbally and in writing), with all levels of the organization, utilizing positive assumption as a communication strategy.

• Demonstrated ability to critically assess situations and identify upstream, downstream, and lateral effects, making data-driven recommendations.

• Demonstrated flexibility in thinking and ability to work well within a high-performing, cross-functional team, serving as and learning from subject matter expert(s).

• Strong analytical skills with attention to details, accuracy and integrity.

• Highly proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint applications.

• Self-efficacy and the ability to admit and address errors, the ability to receive and give feed back and the ability to understand grace toward others and yourself.

Our Payroll Administrator exemplifies:

• Communication: Uses effective written and oral communication with internal staff, teams, and communities served; demonstrates empathetic listening.
• Client orientation: Recognizes needs of diverse stakeholders and approaches relationships with a service orientation, to ultimately maximize impact.
• Equity mindset: Understands and is committed to goals of equity; consistently brings an equity mindset to the organization’s work and workplace.
• Growth mindset: Views growth as important for personal and professional development; seeks out opportunities to expand skills, even if change is required; demonstrates curiosity and eagerness to learn.
• Ownership and quality of work: Effectively manages own work ensuring delivery of high-quality work.
• Mission driven: Demonstrates commitment to the mission of the organization as a whole and alignment with organizational values.

What you will love about us:

• Opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of the youth we serve, buy serving those who serve them.
• On-going professional development and access to our Learning Management System (LMS).
• Medical, dental and vision insurance.
• Life Insurance.
• Health and wellness programs including an Employee Assistance Program.
• Medical expense reimbursement programs.
• Work groups and committees to help satisfy your desire to give back/volunteer.
• Continuous opportunities to learn, grow and develop your career.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Ability to spend extended time on a computer in a workstation.

*The duties performed are primarily in an office setting/utilizing a hybrid work model and vaccination is required.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.

DEI Statement

At Youth Guidance, we understand that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are fundamental to realizing our vision of bright and successful futures for all young people. We celebrate the diversity of youth and recognize them as empowered leaders, problem-solvers, and experts of their own experiences. At the same time, we acknowledge that many systems and institutions meant to support youth are inequitable and unjust.

As such, we are committed to advancing DE&I through our words and our actions, both internally and externally, by:

• Strengthening cultural competence as well as policies, practices, and organizational structures that foster belonging and leverage the unique backgrounds and talents of staff;
• Offering youth-centered programs that are accessible and responsive to people from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, abilities, sexual identity, gender identity and expression, language, and cultural and religious beliefs and practices;
• Influencing systems that youth, their families and communities are impacted by, such as schools, organizational networks, governmental bodies, researchers, and the funding community, to apply approaches that embrace DEI in addressing the needs and supporting the aspirations of young people.

Youth Guidance is an equal opportunity employer and proudly values diversity. Youth Guidance does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law and is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity along all of these lines. People of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

EOE/M/F/D/V/SO