Payroll/Benefits Department Specialist

Job

Description

Job

Title:

Payroll

&

Benefits

Department

Specialist

Classification:

Classified

Salary

Schedule:

XC7

Department:

Finance

Reports

To:

Payroll

Supervisor

FLSA

Status:

Exempt

Date:

September

2026

Approved

by

:

Northwest

Local

School

District

Board

of

Education

Job

Summary:

The

Payroll

&

Benefits

Department

Specialist

manages

the

full

lifecycle

of

district

payroll

processing

and

benefits

management

for

both

certified

and

classified

staff.

Operating

independently

with

minimal

supervision,

this

position

is

responsible

for

keeping

the

district

in

full

compliance

with

federal,

state,

and

local

laws,

board

policies,

and

auditing

standards.

The

ideal

candidate

verifies

all

employee

contract

payments

for

accuracy,

handles

local

tax

filings,

manages

state

retirement

systems

(STRS/SERS),

and

executes

a

detailed

monthly

reconciliation

process

with

vendor

and

district

deductions-ensuring

all

adjustments

and

corrections

are

completed

prior

to

the

next

billing

cycle.

Essential

Duties

&

Responsibilities:

1.

Compliance,

Legal

Adherence

&

Audits

a.

Regulatory

Compliance:

Maintain

full

district

compliance

with

all

local,

state,

and

federal

payroll,

tax,

labor,

and

benefit

laws

(including

FLSA,

FMLA,

ACA,

COBRA,

Workers'

Compensation,

local

municipality/school

district

income

tax

withholdings,

and

STRS/SERS

mandates).

b.

Policy

Interpretation:

Continuously

review,

interpret,

and

follow

Board

Policies,

Administrative

Guidelines,

Auditor

of

State

bulletins,

legal

directives,

and

financial

memorandums

applicable

to

certified

and

classified

positions.

c.

Audit

Preparation:

Prepare

and

provide

all

required

payroll,

benefit,

spousal/dependent,

and

financial

documentation

for

annual

school

district

audits

and

regulatory

reviews.

2.

Payroll

Operations

&

Tax

Filings

a.

Contract

&

Rate

Verification:

Review

and

audit

all

Salary

Contracts,

Salary

Notices,

Supplemental

Contracts,

and

Work

Calendars

for

certified

and

classified

personnel

(including

teachers,

support

staff,

coaches,

and

sponsors)

to

verify

pay

rate

and

schedule

accuracy

prior

to

payroll

runs.

--------------

Educating

Tomorrow's

Leaders

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------------------

b.

Deduction

Calculations:

Calculate

and

prorate

initial

payroll

deductions

and

benefit

withholdings

accurately

based

on

employee

start

dates

and

effective

hire

dates.

c.

Payroll

Processing

&

Tax

Filings:

Execute

full-cycle

regular,

special,

and

calendar/fiscal

year-end

payrolls;

generate

and

submit

W-2s,

1095s

(ACA),

federal,

state,

and

local

municipal/school

district

income

tax

filings

and

reconciliations.

d.

Reconciliation

&

Records:

Perform

monthly

payroll

bank

reconciliations,

process

adjustments/refunds,

and

maintain

electronic

attendance

and

time-reporting

records

for

both

certified

and

classified

groups.

Benefits

&

Onboarding

o

Onboarding

&

Leave

Management:

Conduct

payroll

and

benefits

onboarding

sessions

for

new

certified

and

classified

hires,

complete

offboarding

processing

for

departing

personnel,

and

calculate

employee

benefit

contributions,

arrears,

and

premium

billing

for

staff

on

unpaid

leave

status

due

to

FMLA

or

approved

medical

leave.

o

Benefits

Management:

Organize

annual

Open

Enrollment,

maintain

electronic

benefit

records

(Health,

Dental,

Vision,

Life),

and

serve

as

primary

liaison

for

TSA

vendors,

FMLA,

FLSA,

COBRA,

Workers'

Comp,

STRS

(certified),

and

SERS

(classified).

o

Monthly

Reconciliation

Process:

Execute

the

monthly

reconciliation

process

between

vendor

statements

and

district

payroll

deductions

to

balance

accounts,

ensuring

all

necessary

adjustments

and

corrections

are

processed

before

the

next

billing

cycle.

Communication

&

Support

o

Serve

as

the

central

point

of

contact

for

district

staff

regarding

pay,

local/state

tax

withholdings,

and

benefit

inquiries.

o

Provide

annual

payroll

cycle

calendars

and

timesheet

deadline

notifications

for

certified

and

classified

schedules.

o

Execute

additional

reporting

and

administrative

requests

from

the

Payroll

Supervisor,

Superintendent,

Assistant

Superintendent,

or

Treasurer.

Qualifications

&

Competencies

Independence

&

Initiative:

Demonstrated

ability

to

work

independently,

manage

workload

priorities,

solve

problems,

and

drive

complex

tasks

to

completion

without

direct

supervision.

Legal

&

Tax

Compliance

Standards:

Thorough

understanding

of

federal,

state,

and

local

income

tax

filing

requirements,

STRS/SERS

regulations,

FMLA/leave

benefit

continuation

policies,

and

labor

laws.

Software

&

Systems:

Hands-on

experience

with

state

fund

accounting

software,

payroll

databases,

and

advanced

Microsoft

Excel

skills

(spreadsheets,

charts,

data

manipulation).

Mathematical

Proficiency:

Strong

computational

skills

with

the

ability

to

calculate

percentages,

proportions,

rates,

and

basic

algebraic

formulas

with

high

accuracy.

--------------

Educating

Tomorrow's

Leaders

Today

------------------

Adaptability

&

Confidentiality:

Demonstrated

ability

to

manage

competing

priorities

in

a

high-interruption

environment

while

maintaining

strict

confidentiality

regarding

privileged

employee

and

financial

data.

Physical

Requirements:

Physical

and

emotional

ability

and

dexterity

to

perform

required

work

and

move

about

as

needed

in

a

fast

paced,

highly

intensive

work

environment.

Reasonable

accommodations

may

be

made

to

enable

individuals

with

disabilities

to

perform

the

essential

functions.

Terms

of

Employment:

247

days

--------------

Educating

Tomorrow's

Leaders

Today

------------------

Title :

Payroll

&

Benefits

Department

Specialist

Employee:

(print

name)

This

job

description

in

no

manner

states

or

implies

that

these

are

the

only

duties

and

responsibilities

to

be

performed

by

the

employee

of

this

job.

The

employee

will

be

required

to

follow

the

instructions

and

perform

the

duties

required

by

the

positions

supervisor,

appointing

authority,

or

designee.

____

____

(Superintendent

or

designee)

(Date)

My

signature

below

signifies

that

I

have

reviewed

the

contents

of

my

job

description

and

that

I

am

aware

of

the

requirements

of

my

position.

I

am

able

to

perform

the

key

functions

of

the

position.

____

____

(Signature)

(Date)

--------------

Educating

Tomorrow's

Leaders

Today

------------------