Payroll and Benefits Coordinator

PAYROLL AND BENEFITS COORDINATOR POLICY NO. 1040 Sterling High School District Board of Education

PAYROLL AND BENEFITS COORDINATOR NO: 1040 Latest Revision: 10/15/26

Qualifications:

1. High school diploma required; associate degree in accounting, business administration, human resources, or a related field preferred.
2. Minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in payroll, employee benefits, bookkeeping, accounting, human resources, or a school business office preferred.
3. Experience with New Jersey public school payroll, pension reporting, employee benefits, collective bargaining agreements, and related state reporting strongly preferred.
4. Proficiency with payroll and financial software, Microsoft Excel, electronic records, and secure document management systems.
5. Ability to perform detailed reconciliations; interpret salary guides, contracts, Board-approved personnel actions, and benefit requirements; and maintain accurate records.
6. Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of payroll, personnel, medical, pension, banking, and employee benefit information.
7. Strong organizational, written communication, customer service, analytical, and deadline-management skills.
8. Required criminal history clearance and other employment approvals applicable to school district employees.
9. Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable.

Reports to: Business Administrator/Board Secretary Work Year: 12 Months Terms of Employment: Salary and work year established by the Board of Education.

Job Goal: To administer the District's payroll, pension, employee-benefit, and related reporting functions accurately, timely, confidentially, and in accordance with Board-approved personnel actions, collective bargaining agreements, district procedures, and applicable federal and state requirements. The position also supports position control, budget reconciliation, employee leave administration, audit compliance, and employee service.

Performance Responsibilities: Payroll Administration

1. Processes all District payrolls and related deductions, including applicable taxes, retirement contributions, employee organization dues, health and employee benefit contributions, garnishments, and other authorized deductions; verifies payroll amounts before and after processing.
2. Administers direct deposit, employee tax-withholding elections, salary and rate changes, stipends, overtime, substitutes, supplemental compensation, retroactive adjustments, off-cycle payments, corrections, and other payroll transactions as applicable.
3. Reviews timesheets, attendance information, payroll changes, and supporting documentation for completeness and proper authorization prior to processing.
4. Prepares, reconciles, files, and distributes applicable payroll tax forms and reports on required monthly, quarterly, and annual cycles, including year-end wage reporting and corrections.
5. Maintains a payroll calendar, processing deadlines, written payroll procedures, and documentation sufficient to support continuity and cross-training of a designated backup. PAYROLL AND BENEFITS COORDINATOR POLICY NO. 1040
6. Performs monthly payroll reconciliations of salaries, stipends, deductions, and payroll expenditures and provides results to the Business Administrator/Board Secretary for budget reconciliation and independent review.
7. Prepares payroll and related reconciliations for independent review and approval by the Business Administrator/Board Secretary or designee. The employee shall not serve as the sole approver of payroll changes, payroll disbursements, bank reconciliations, or adjustments initiated or processed by the employee.

Pension Administration

8. Enrolls eligible employees in applicable New Jersey pension systems, maintains required pension records, and monitors deductions and employer reporting.
9. Prepares, reconciles, and submits required pension reports, payments, account adjustments, and supporting documentation to the New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits.
10. Provides employees with general pension and retirement-process information and directs employees to appropriate State resources for individual benefit counseling and account services.

Health and Employee Benefits

11. Coordinates enrollment, changes, termination, and continuation of employee health and benefit coverage; collects required applications and supporting documentation and determines administrative completeness.
12. Maintains benefit contribution records and reconciles employee and employer contributions to payroll and benefit-provider invoices.
13. Reviews benefit invoices and enrollment records for accuracy and coordinates corrections with employees, carriers, brokers, third-party administrators, and other authorized representatives.
14. Coordinates benefit continuation and applicable continuation coverage for separating employees and retirees, including notices, billing, collection, and reconciliation when administered by the District.
15. Maintains and monitors flexible spending, dependent care, and other employee benefit accounts administered through payroll, as applicable.

Leave Administration

16. Coordinates employee leave administration, payroll and benefit adjustments, required notices, and supporting documentation in consultation with the Business Administrator/Board Secretary and other designated administrators.
17. Maintains leave and medical documentation separately from general personnel records and limits access in accordance with applicable confidentiality requirements and District procedures.
18. Consults with employees regarding the payroll and benefit implications of approved leaves, disability coverage, benefit continuation, and return-to-work processing, as applicable.

Workers' Compensation and Unemployment

19. Coordinates workers' compensation and unemployment records, claims, notices, supporting documentation, and communications with the District's third-party administrators or other authorized representatives.
20. Responds to unemployment claim requests within required deadlines, maintains related records, prepares required reports and payments, and assists with hearings when requested.
21. Maintains workers' compensation claim records and supports required occupational injury and illness reporting and postings.

Position Control and Budget Reconciliation PAYROLL AND BENEFITS COORDINATOR POLICY NO. 1040

22. Maintains position-control records and reconciles authorized positions, employee assignments, salaries, stipends, funding sources, benefit eligibility, and payroll expenditures to Board-approved personnel actions and the District budget.
23. Prepares payroll projections, salary schedules, scattergrams, benefit information, and factual cost- impact analyses in support of budget development and collective negotiations as directed by the Business Administrator/Board Secretary.

Compliance, Reporting, and Audit Support

24. Coordinates annual Affordable Care Act tracking and reporting, including preparation, reconciliation, electronic filing, correction, and furnishing of applicable employee forms.
25. Ensures payroll administration complies with applicable wage-and-hour requirements, collective bargaining agreements, employment contracts, Board-approved salary actions, and District procedures.
26. Prepares and maintains required employment, payroll, benefit, unemployment, workers' compensation, and related reports; submits external reports assigned to the position after confirming current reporting requirements.
27. Assists the Business Administrator/Board Secretary and auditors by providing payroll, pension, benefit, position-control, and other supporting records and responding to related inquiries.
28. Reconciles authorized employee organization dues and other payroll deductions to supporting records and remittances.

Employee Records and Customer Service

29. Prepares and updates payroll and benefit records related to hiring, transfer, promotion, salary changes, retirement, leave, and separation from employment and verifies required payroll and benefit documentation.
30. Provides employees with clear information concerning payroll, pension, deductions, benefits, and District procedures within the scope of the position and refers legal, contractual, or policy determinations to the appropriate administrator.
31. Responds to authorized employment and wage-verification requests and maintains supporting documentation.
32. Coordinates final payroll and benefit processing for separating employees and verify completion of applicable payroll, deduction, pension, and benefit procedures.
33. Maintains orderly and secure payroll, benefit, pension, leave, and related records in District-approved electronic and physical recordkeeping systems and follows applicable records-retention requirements.
34. Ensures that the Business Administrator/Board Secretary and designated backup personnel have appropriate access to payroll procedures and District-controlled payroll records necessary for continuity of operations.
35. Maintains effective working relationships with employees, administrators, auditors, benefit providers, State agencies, financial institutions, and other authorized organizations.
36. Performs other duties related to payroll, benefits, and Business Office operations as assigned by the Business Administrator/Board Secretary.

Physical Requirements: The position primarily requires standard office activities, including extended periods of computer use, handling records, communicating with employees and outside organizations, and performing other essential functions of the position, with reasonable accommodation as required by law.

Confidentiality: The employee shall maintain strict confidentiality of payroll, personnel, medical, pension, banking, benefit, tax, leave, and other protected or sensitive information and shall access or disclose such information only as authorized and necessary to perform assigned duties. PAYROLL AND BENEFITS COORDINATOR POLICY NO. 1040

Evaluation: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Board's policy on Evaluation of Support Services Personnel.