Senior Payroll Administrator

Responsibilities

• Provide functional oversight of full-cycle payroll operations, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and adherence to timelines.
• Review and approve pre-payroll change reports, including employee status changes, compensation updates, and benefit deductions.
• Establish and maintain routine payroll data reconciliation processes to ensure the integrity of payroll transactions.
• Reconcile payroll registers, earnings, and deductions against HRIS and timekeeping systems.
• Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, specifically California wage and hour laws.
• Oversee timely payroll tax filings, deposits, and government reporting in coordination with third-party providers.
• Develop and maintain detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) and payroll documentation.
• Partner with Human Resources and Finance to ensure alignment between payroll, HRIS, and financial reporting.
• Lead cross-training initiatives to strengthen team capability and ensure operational continuity.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible payroll experience.
• Demonstrated experience with payroll data reconciliation, reporting, and compliance.
• Proven experience working with integrated payroll and HRIS systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education payroll operations.
• Experience supporting payroll audits and regulatory reporting.
• Experience with enterprise payroll systems such as ADP or Ellucian Colleague.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or similar certification.

About the Company

California Lutheran University is a private institution located in beautiful Ventura County. Our mission is to educate leaders for a global society who are strong in character and judgment, confident in their identity and vocation, and committed to service and justice. As a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution, we are committed to an inclusive learning and work environment that values individual differences and respects each person’s dignity.