MightyRecruiterBefore you start writing a payroll administrator job description, it’s recommended to research the job duties. Payroll administrators organize data for employee paychecks. They also calculate the number of hours worked and submit this information to the payroll processing company.
Your search should focus on candidates who have at least a high school diploma or an equivalency. It’s helpful to have experience in the field, but not necessarily a requirement. Additionally, some companies prefer to hire individuals who have taken college courses in finance, economics, business or advanced math.
Because of the nature of this work, the ideal candidate should be detail oriented. He or she also needs to understand how to use numbers and make complex math calculations. Below, you can get a taste of what this job posting could look like by looking at the payroll administrator job description template.
Payroll Administrator Job Summary
Get started in a rewarding career in human resources by joining our team as a payroll administrator. Our company is seeking motivated individuals who have a knack for numbers and a flair for details to join our payroll processing department. Payroll administrators review and process each department’s biweekly compensation schedule and ensure each staff member is paid accurately. In this position, you will work closely with other financial personnel to account for wage garnishments, employment taxes and retirement accounts within each employee’s paycheck. If you have the qualities we’re looking for and are committed to learning the business in our training program, we want to meet with you.
Job Responsibilities
- Administer paychecks, deduction summaries and earnings statements for a staff of 35 across different departments on a biweekly schedule
- Record hours worked, wage amounts and other data about each employee into a computerized payroll accounting system each week
- Evaluate the accuracy of timesheets submitted by each company department every week and contact supervisors or individual employees when there is a discrepancy
- Create new data files for new employees and submit hiring paperwork into the system to set up a payroll account
- Enter information into the payroll system about employee taxes, exemptions, transfers, firings and resignations as details change
- Respond to any errors in payroll by reviewing past records and making any wage corrections or adjustments when necessary
- Track employee absences through the payroll software and record details about personal days, sick leave, jury duty and extended leaves of absence
- Answer employee questions about payroll, leave amounts, tax forms and other compensation issues when asked
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- A high school diploma or a GED certificate
- Strong skills in mathematics
- Understanding of employment and payroll taxes
- Exceptional attention to detail
Preferred:
- College coursework in advanced math, business or a related field
- Experience working in a payroll department
Payroll Administrator Job Responsibilities
Creating a payroll administrator job description necessitates a list of payroll administrator job responsibilities. When compiling this information, focusing on the expected daily tasks of the position could prove useful to potential applicants. Be as thorough as possible when writing this section, tailor the information to fit the specific needs of your particular company and ensure the content is well written.
Bullet points are a useful way to share necessary information with qualified candidates in an easy-to-digest format. To avoid overwhelming potential hires, limit your list to eight bullet points or less. Also, try to get across the requirements of the position using as few words as possible. This will better clarify the position and help to eliminate any submissions of underqualified individuals.
The following are examples of responsibilities that often appear in a payroll administrator job description:
- Act as administrator of company timekeeping software
- Review and confirm correctness of employee timesheets
- Coordinate and process employee payroll in a timely manner
- Manage and track employee retirement contributions, overtime and paid/unpaid time off
- Foster communication and compliance between various departments of company as it pertains to payroll administration
- Create and update company and employee records in accordance with federal, state and local guidelines
Payroll Administrator Job Specifications
Like the job responsibilities section, the payroll administrator job specifications found within the job qualifications and skills section rule out underqualified applicants. While this particular area of the listing might seem generic, it will do most of the heavy lifting in terms of candidate application and selection because it sets the minimum standards of qualification for those seeking employment. Therefore, if the requirements are not clearly set forth in a payroll administrator job description, then you will spend more of your own time sorting through applications that don’t match the position’s criteria.
By discussing the position in thorough detail with the hiring manager or any other appropriate parties ahead of time, you can mitigate the risk of receiving resumes and/or cover letters from too many applicants who lack necessary skills or experience. During this process of gathering information, it might also benefit you to make a list of necessary qualifications and another list of preferred qualifications. This will not only save you time later on, but also help jobseekers quickly assess their own eligibility for the position.
The following is a list of job specifications that will help you determine what to include when creating a payroll administrator job description:
- Associate degree or higher in business administration, finance or accounting
- Three or more years’ experience in a similar position
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
- Experience using payroll accounting software
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- Ability to work well under pressure in a deadline-driven environment
