Payroll & Compensation Systems Specialist

Applications will be accepted until May 14, 2025 - Apply on-line at www.wfec.com

SUMMARY: Under the supervision of the Supervisor, Human Resources, the Payroll & Compensation Systems Specialist administers the cooperative-wide automated Human Resources Information System (HRIS) modules relating to payroll and time and labor reporting. The incumbent coordinates the gathering of labor hours from the Cooperative's departments to ensure accurate and timely cost reporting to Financial Services. In addition, the incumbent ensures payroll processes and reporting systems meet deadlines and provide accurate pay information for all employees. The incumbent also acts as the departments contact and coordinator for issues with HR modules, upgrades, updates, testing, and implementation. The incumbent serves as the Cooperative's expert on pay and payroll questions, time submission, labor account and reporting system issues. The incumbent administers gathers, analyzes, and interprets job market data, comparing it against new and existing positions to ensure competitive pay practices. Incumbent uses job assessment guidelines to recommend the placement of jobs in the Cooperative's salary structure. Compares and reviews job duties to disseminate salary information in response to wage and salary surveys. Incumbent develops, maintains, updates, and distributes job descriptions for all positions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Include the following: other duties may be assigned. Applies extensive knowledge of Federal and State laws and regulations and the Cooperative's policies to the pay processes to ensure compliance. Areas of expertise include the determination of base pay, overtime pay, shift work pay, holiday pay, and paid and unpaid leave, and preparing and issuing W-2s and filing quarterly tax reports. Accurately process the bi-weekly payroll in a timely manner for all Cooperative employees. Identifies potential errors, enters data, and makes corrections as necessary. Runs queries and reports to evaluate and ensure pay accuracy. Ensures processes run to completion. Reports pay related data and statistics to management as required. Acts as the Cooperative's expert on pay and payroll questions. Administers the time and labor system to ensure that timekeepers accurately submit work time and labor allocations. Answers timekeeper questions and provides assistance to timekeepers when they encounter issues or unexpected results. Runs audit reports and makes corrections as necessary. Acts as the Cooperative's expert on time submission, labor account issues and questions. Ensures accurate application of pay rates for new employees, and step increases, progressions and pay changes for existing employees. Ensures that all pay changes are approved and documents application of changes. Identifies time reporting and pay processes that are industry best practices and recommends implementation plans. Acts as the department contact with IT Operations and Financial Services on issues, upgrades, updates, processes and functions of the automated Human Resources system and its information interfaces with other modules. Acts as central contact within the department for identifying and documenting issues, testing, and maintenance of the functional side of the HRIS system. Assists HR staff with issues and system testing. Works with internal assigned staff from other departments and outside consultants as necessary to add and test existing functionality and new functions as necessary. Recommends HRIS system design changes and upgrades based on efficiency of current system and user needs. Using the HRIS, prepares and applies mass changes in pay, bonuses, group payments and other non-regular pay adjustments. Maintains job codes, job titles, security access and pay administration setup, workflow, and testing in the automated Human Resources system. Responsible for maintaining the position management process in the HRIS system to ensure the company does not exceed authorized headcount. Ensures vacant positions are tracked and budget limitations are documented on new and existing positions. Ensures changes in employee status or deductions are accurately reflected in payroll and employee benefit costs, contributions, or withholding. Assists with the annual budget process by providing current compensation data to budget preparers, projections of pay and compensation costs, and assistance with pay and compensation questions. Responsible for calculating annual labor budgets for all departments including pay increases, position management and progressions, Administers automated performance data and applies annual pay adjustments using approved pay for performance guidelines. Assists supervisors with performance process issues. Ensures timely completion of performance evaluations. Evaluates and maintains processes to provide the Cooperative's responses to compensation surveys, analyze market data, assess compensation system effectiveness, and interpret compensation survey results. Assists in tracking, creating, developing, and modifying job descriptions.

COMPETENCIES: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

Analytical: Synthesizes complex or diverse information; collects and researches data; uses experience to complement data; designs work flows and procedures.

Problem Solving: Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem solving situations; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.

Professional Knowledge: Generates creative solutions; translates concepts and information into applications; uses feedback to modify recommendations; pursues training and development opportunities; strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; shares expertise with others.

Oral/Written Communication: Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions; demonstrates group presentation skills; participates in meetings; writes clearly and informatively; varies writing style to meet needs; presents numerical data effectively; able to read and interpret written information.

Teamwork: Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; gives and welcomes feedback; able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; supports everyone's efforts to succeed.

Planning/Organizing: Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; sets goals and objectives; develops realistic action plans.

Adaptability: Adapts to changes in the work environment; manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; able to deal with frequent change, delays or unexpected outcomes.

Professionalism: Approaches others in a tactful manner; reacts well under pressure; treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments.

Customer Service: Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; Responds promptly to customer needs; Solicits customer feedback to improve service; Responds to requests for service and assistance; Meets commitments to customers.

Cost Consciousness: Works within approved budget; Develops and implements cost saving measures; Conserves organizational resources.

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors required of this position.

Education and Experience: A high school diploma or equivalent and five years of progressively responsible experience in payroll administration, automated pay systems or compensation administration is required. Progressively responsible experience in pay analysis, job market analysis and interpretation, or pay structure design and review is preferred. Directly related education can be substituted for the experience requirement, at a rate of one year of education for one year of experience.

Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedures. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups, managers, employees, and outside professionals.

Math Skills: Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions or numerical information including fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions in practical situations.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of data and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Computer Skills: Ability to use a personal computer and Microsoft Office software including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook is required. Experience using PeopleSoft HR, Payroll, or Time and Labor or a human resource information system or automated pay administration system is required.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: This job requires a current driver's license.

WORK SCHEDULE REQUIREMENTS: May be asked to work additional hours to meet deadlines. May be required to travel on short notice.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The work is performed in an office environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually low.

MUST MEET ALL PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WFEC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER

MINORITIES, FEMALES, DISABILITY, AND

VETS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

EOE/AA/M/F/DISABILITY/VETS