Payroll Accountant

Job Description

The Payroll Accountant is an individual contributor on the People, Culture, & Belonging (PCB) Finance team responsible for maintaining the integrity of the university's payroll and benefits accounting processes. The position will act as an integral link between the team members who process payroll and benefit transactions and central Finance, becoming a subject-matter expert on the university's chart of accounts (COA) and its application to individual payroll transactions. The payroll accountant will use that knowledge to create the accounting entries for PCB-initiated vendor payments and to reconcile payroll registers to the General Ledger, with the ultimate goal of ensuring accurate financial reporting for the university.

About the Department :

The Division of People, Culture, and Belonging brings together key operational activities that affect the Vanderbilt staff experience, including talent acquisition, professional development, workforce compensation and benefits, health and wellness initiatives, and the Vanderbilt Child & Family Centers. We strive to create an environment where individuals feel valued, understood, and integral to our collective success. Our approach emphasizes fostering genuine connections and upholding high standards of professionalism through our core beliefs of belonging, collaboration, self-direction, and growth.

The PCB Finance team supports the division in the areas of budgeting, financial reporting, procurement, and business processes. In addition, the team supports the entire University through stewardship of the payroll and benefit accounting processes.

Responsibilities :

Primary responsibilities include :

1. Preparation of all accounting entries related to payroll tax payments (FICA and income taxes), benefit vendor payments (healthcare, retirement, unemployment, etc.), partial period accruals, and paper check deposits within PCB.

2. Reconciliation of every payroll register to the general ledger (includes monthly, biweekly, and weekly payrolls, as well as retroactive costing and off-cycle processes).

3. Review of all incoming retroactive costing transfer requests to ensure both adherence to university policy and that employee costing is set to appropriate and valid COA combinations.

Additional responsibilities could include :

1. Partner with the payroll and benefit processing teams to resolve outstanding reconciliation issues between the Human Capital Management (HCM) module and the general ledger.

2. Partner with Research Finance department to research and troubleshoot payroll-related discrepancies on grants and contracts in Project Portfolio Management (PPM) module.

3. Assist in development and implementation of payroll accounting best practices, including continuous evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal controls and an eye towards process improvement.

4. Backup reviewer for payroll liability and clearing account reconciliations as needed.

5. Assist with month-end close processes as needed.

6. Assist with payroll-related ad-hoc reporting requests as needed.

Supervisory Relationships :

This position does not have supervisory responsibilities. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Business Officer, with dotted-line reporting to the Senior Director of Payroll.

Education, Experience, and Skills :

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education, or an equivalent combination of education, relevant military experience, and relevant skills, is required.
• Two years of relevant experience is required, experience requirement could be substituted by an advanced degree in a relevant field or a CPA license
• Advanced skills in MS Office (specifically Excel) are required
• Demonstrated knowledge of basic accounting principles
• Background in the use of financial, accounting, and HR systems, with a preference for experience using Oracle

The Ideal Candidate :

About Us

At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of "America's Best Large Employers" as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice.

We understand you have a choice when choosing where to work and pursue a career. We understand you are unique and have a story. We want to hear it. We encourage you to apply today so that you might become a part of our story.

Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.