Payroll Coordinator

Primary Location: Office of Senior University Dean for Academic Affairs

About the Role

The Personnel Services unit within the Office of Academic Affairs Fiscal Administration Department seeks a motivated, detail-oriented Payroll Coordinator to support payroll, personnel, and fiscal administration for Academic Affairs programs. Reporting to the Interim Supervisor of Personnel Services, the Payroll Coordinator will help ensure accurate and timely OneRF/Workday payroll processing, time and leave review, payroll reporting, data reconciliation, employee support, and coordination with RFCUNY Payroll, HR, Finance, supervisors, timekeepers, and program staff.

Responsibilities

• Payroll Process and validate bi-weekly payroll activity in RFCUNY’s OneRF/Workday system, including time entry, leave usage, payroll inputs, salary changes, retroactive adjustments, and employee resignations/terminations.
• Review time tracking records, payroll input, and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness, required approvals, and alignment with payroll deadlines.
• Run and review payroll reports and related outputs to identify discrepancies before payroll completion.
• Research and resolve payroll exceptions related to hours worked, time off, pay changes, funding distributions, cost allocations, deductions, and employee data changes.
• Coordinate with RFCUNY Payroll, HR, Finance, program timekeepers, supervisors, and program staff to support timely payroll processing, corrections, and issue resolution.
• Prepare payroll-related data change requests, funding updates, journal entry information, personnel expense reports, and supporting documentation for payroll and fiscal operations.
• Monitor salary, fringe, retroactive payment, and payroll-related expense activity against approved funding allocations and personnel budgets.
• Provide guidance to employees, supervisors, and program staff on OneRF/Workday time entry, payroll deadlines, approval workflows, leave reporting, and payroll-related inquiries.

Data Tracking and Reporting

• Maintain accurate payroll, time and leave, funding, and personnel data in OneRF/Workday to support payroll processing, fiscal reporting, and program decision-making.
• Reconcile payroll data against approved personnel budgets, funding allocations, timesheets, salary changes, retroactive adjustments, and program records to ensure costs are accurate and properly charged.
• Prepare payroll-related data summaries, reports, and supporting documentation for supervisors, program and department leadership, HR, Payroll, Finance, audit requests, and compliance needs.
• Track reporting issues, corrections, and follow-up items to support timely resolution, accurate recordkeeping, and continuous process improvement.

Additional Duties

• Respond to employee, supervisor, and program staff inquiries regarding payroll procedures, time and leave approvals, required documentation, and related program processes.
• Provide coverage for team members during absences to support continuity of payroll, personnel, and fiscal administration functions.
• Participate in staff meetings, system trainings, and professional development activities to stay current on payroll, personnel, and OneRF/Workday procedures.
• Support special projects, process improvements, and cross-functional initiatives within the Personnel Services Unit as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Two or more years of experience in payroll administration, HR operations, personnel administration, fiscal administration, or a closely related administrative field.
• Working knowledge of payroll processing, time and leave reporting, employee data changes, payroll documentation, and deadline-driven administrative processes.
• Experience reviewing payroll, timekeeping, leave, personnel, or funding data for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with established procedures.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, including the ability to organize data, review reports, identify discrepancies, and support routine reconciliations.
• Ability to learn and accurately use OneRF/Workday or comparable HRIS, payroll, timekeeping, and reporting systems.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, follow-through, and ability to manage multiple assignments while meeting recurring payroll deadlines.
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills with a commitment to responsive, professional customer service.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, resolve routine payroll or personnel-related issues, escalate complex matters appropriately, and work collaboratively with diverse employees and internal partners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, accounting, public administration, higher education administration, or a related field.
• Experience using RFCUNY’s OneRF/Workday system or a comparable HRIS, payroll, timekeeping, or financial management system.
• Experience supporting payroll processing, timesheet review, time and leave tracking, employee data changes, salary adjustments, terminations, funding updates, or payroll-related documentation.
• Experience running payroll or personnel reports, reconciling discrepancies, and maintaining records for audit, compliance, grant, or fiscal reporting purposes.
• Intermediate Excel skills, including experience using spreadsheets to organize data, compare records, track transactions, and prepare summaries or reconciliations.
• Experience in a higher education, public sector, nonprofit, research foundation, or grant-funded environment.
• Experience assisting employees or supervisors with onboarding, payroll orientation, time entry, leave reporting, documentation, and approval workflows.

Schedule

This position follows a hybrid work schedule: 70% in-person (7 days) and 30% remote (3 days) during each two-week payroll cycle.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• This position is based in a professional office environment.
• A laptop and other necessary equipment may be provided to support remote work.
• While performing these duties, the employee may be required to:
  • Sit for extended periods
  • Use a computer and other office equipment
  • Occasionally lift or move items up to 20 pounds
• Reasonable accommodations will be provided to individuals with disabilities or other needs in accordance with RFCUNY policies and applicable laws.
• Ability to travel to other CUNY sites as needed.

Pay

$62,000 per year

Benefits

RFCUNY offers a comprehensive benefits package.