Payroll Specialist

About the role

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 325,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 45,000 people. The Office of the Controller is responsible for the financial operations of Chicago Public Schools, including Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll, Internal Accounts, and Corporate Accounting.

Reporting to the Payroll Manager, the Payroll Specialist assists the Payroll team in reviewing payroll processes to ensure payments are accurate and timely. This is a full-time, exempt position paid on a salary basis.

Responsibilities

• Provide Tier II support for employee questions (20%)
• Review timesheets and attendance records for accuracy, making corrections as necessary (20%)
• Review compensation-related data including wages, retroactive payments, bonuses, and benefits (15%)
• Assist the payroll team in reviewing payroll transactions and running and/or reviewing related exception reports to ensure anomalies are researched, explained, and/or resolved (15%)
• Assist with researching and resolving pension and benefit-related issues (10%)
• Assist with audits of payroll procedures and records (10%)
• Assist with making improvements to business processes and systems (5%)
• Other duties as assigned (5%)

Requirements

Education

• High school diploma or GED equivalent is required
• Associate or Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is preferred

Experience

• Minimum of five (5) years of related professional work experience, including:
• Minimum of three (3) years of payroll experience
• Minimum of one (1) year of experience utilizing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) payroll application and working with customer service management (CRM) systems to ticket and track call volume
• Payroll experience in a large government organization is strongly preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of payroll processes
• Knowledge of state and federal payroll-related laws and regulations including tax regulations
• Ability to create and use spreadsheets to view data and validate calculations
• Proven ability to use payroll applications such as PeopleSoft, Oracle, and Kronos Timekeeping systems
• Ability to ensure data accuracy and identify and document any issues
• Able to write and clearly explain payroll procedures and policies
• Ability to provide superior customer service through all types of interactions by maintaining a positive, friendly, professional, and patient attitude
• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize tasks, and schedule to meet critical deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Benefits

Health & Wellness

• Comprehensive health coverage options for employees and eligible dependents, including medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, behavioral health, and EAP
• Employee Wellness Program

Financial Security

• Basic Life Insurance
• Life and Disability Insurance
• Pension Plans
• Supplemental Retirement Plans (403(b) and 457(b))
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Spot Pet Insurance

Work-Life Balance

• Paid Leave
• Sick Leave
• Vacation Days
• Parental Leaves
• Short-Term Disability
• Religious Holidays

Pay

Estimated Annual Salary Range: $47,297.00

Conditions of Employment

• Establish and maintain Chicago residency within six months of hire date and throughout employment (does not apply to temporary/part-time positions)
• All employees must be residents of Illinois

Primary Location: Southwest Side-501 W 35th St (Bridgeport)