Payroll Professional

Job Description

CLASSIFICATION TITLE: Payroll Professional

UNION CODE: R09

FT/PT: Full-time

PAY PLAN: 12-month

WORKPLACE TYPE: On-site (work in-person at business location)

ANTICIPATED HIRING RANGE: Step 1 $5,178 - Step 4 $5,495

• However, offer amount will be commensurate with candidate’s experience, education, skills, and training.

CSU CLASSIFICATION SALARY RANGE: Step 1 $5,178 - Step 20 $7,543

PAY BASIS: Monthly

BENEFITS: CSUB offers a best-in-class benefit package for eligible employees that includes an array of medical plans, choice of dental plans, vision coverage, retirement participation in CalPERS, CSU tuition waiver, up to 24 vacation days per year, sick leave with unlimited accrual, 15 paid holidays per year and more! See our benefits website for additional information.

CANDIDATES ELIGIBLE TO APPLY: Open to all qualified applicants

POSITION PURPOSE: Within the division of People & Culture, Payroll Services is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payroll and the reconciliation of time and attendance records for CSU Bakersfield employees and employees of campus-affiliated auxiliary organizations.

Under general supervision of the HRIS & Payroll Manager, the Payroll Professional performs professional payroll activities of moderate technical scope and complexity. The position administers assigned functions in the PeopleSoft Absence Management and Time and Labor modules; processes semi-monthly payroll for the CSUB Auxiliary for Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) and the CSUB Foundation; performs payroll and leave reconciliations; and provides backup payroll processing support. The position independently completes most day-to-day assignments using established university, CSU, state, and federal requirements; analyzes discrepancies; makes payroll corrections; recommends process improvements; and provides training and guidance to campus partners on established payroll procedures. New assignments, projects, and unusual or highly complex matters receive general supervision to ensure alignment with objectives.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Absence Management and Time & Labor
Run established queries and recurring processes that support monthly Absence Management and Time and Labor functions, including Absence Management reports and Time Administration. Notify campus users of reporting deadlines, follow up on missing approvals, and verify that processing is completed within applicable university, CSU, state, and federal requirements. Process adjustments to reported time and leave balances, including catastrophic leave donations, docks, and corrections. Coordinate the transfer of leave balances and state service for employees transferring to or from other qualified state agencies. Administer assigned day-to-day functions within the Absence Management and Time and Labor modules. Maintain established tables, workweek schedules, summer schedules, processing calendars, and year-end configuration data in accordance with approved procedures. Download and analyze PeopleSoft data to monitor processing results, identify discrepancies, research causes, and complete corrections within established guidelines. Refer unusual, unprecedented, or policy-sensitive issues to the appropriate administrator or technical resource. Participate in testing PeopleSoft releases, application patches, tools updates, and system enhancements affecting Absence Management and Time and Labor. Execute approved test scripts, document results, identify defects, and communicate findings to Payroll management and the IT PeopleSoft support team. Provide input and recommendations regarding updates to payroll procedures, user guides, system processes, and quality-improvement initiatives. Assist with implementing approved changes. Provide training and guidance to timekeepers, absence approvers, employees, managers, and other campus partners on established Absence Management and Time and Labor procedures and transaction requirements. Perform annual and periodic reconciliations of compensatory time off, holiday compensatory time, excess or deficit hours, and vacation maximums in accordance with CSU policies, state requirements, and collective bargaining agreements. Generate and analyze recurring reports to identify balances requiring action; process required pay or balance adjustments; and notify employees and department managers of established deadlines, required actions, and documented budget impacts. Review monthly excess or deficit reports for non-exempt employees on alternate or compressed work schedules. Provide guidance and training on established reporting procedures and refer questions involving schedule interpretation or exceptions to the appropriate administrator. Prepare the annual Table of Workdays report for submission to the Chancellor's Office and process approved compensatory time or vacation adjustments.
Auxiliary Organization Payroll Processing - SPA & Foundation
Perform end-to-end semi-monthly payroll processing for the CSUB Auxiliary for Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) and the CSUB Foundation using ADP, ensuring payroll transactions are timely, accurate, complete, and compliant with applicable requirements. Review, document, and process transactions for hourly and salaried employees and one-time payments. Validate payroll data, deductions, tax treatment, leave accruals, and supporting documentation before payroll is finalized. Research and correct payroll discrepancies and pay issues, including manual checks, account corrections, and transfers of funds. Escalate highly unusual or unresolved issues as appropriate. Process wage garnishments and year-end fringe-benefit tax reporting in accordance with established procedures and applicable requirements. Run queries and prepare recurring reports for SPA and Foundation accounting teams, including semi-monthly bank reconciliations, labor distribution reports, payroll registers, and statistical summaries. Reconcile leave accounting balances semi-monthly and reconcile quarterly Form 941 information to semi-monthly payroll records. Maintain leave accrual records and provide documentation for annual audits and year-end processing. Prepare and update annual auxiliary payroll calendars and coordinate with ADP to resolve routine system or processing matters. Respond to employee and campus-partner inquiries regarding pay, vacation and sick leave accruals, Social Security and Medicare taxes, pay periods, holidays, and other established payroll requirements. Support unemployment-benefit audits, employment verifications, data requests, and other inquiries related to pay and employment. Provide recurring payroll information and reports to campus grants analysts and other authorized stakeholders.
Backup Payroll Processing
Provide backup payroll processing support as requested including but not limited to, during peak workload periods, staff absences, semester processing, and special pay projects by reviewing documentation and processing assigned pay actions in accordance with established procedures. Process assigned payroll transactions for hourly employees, student assistants, final settlements, academic adjustments, overtime, shift differential, stipends, excess hours, and other compensation required by the Fair Labor Standards Act and collective bargaining agreements. Review regular pay generated for salaried employees for accuracy and completeness before release and research discrepancies identified through payroll reports or transaction review. Correct assigned pay issues through established methods, including accounts receivable, transfers of funds, and supplemental pay requests. Review detailed payroll records and transactions, identify deviations from applicable requirements, trace errors, and complete or coordinate appropriate corrections. Provide customer service by responding to payroll inquiries and giving general explanations regarding CalPERS eligibility, leave accruals, Social Security and Medicare taxes, pay periods, holidays, and established payroll processes.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE - Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in a related field and two (2) years of relevant experience. Additional experience which demonstrates acquired and successfully applied knowledge and abilities shown may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis. An advanced degree in a related field may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES (SKA’s) -

• Regular and reliable attendance is required.
• Working skills and knowledge of accounting, finance, business administration, and/or related roles.
• Working knowledge and understanding in the appropriate use of payroll principles, practices, and regulations, including tax withholding, benefits and retirement administration, and payroll compliance.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and resolve complex payroll discrepancies.
• Knowledge of relevant laws, regulations, and compliance requirements related to payroll, including in-depth knowledge of payroll laws and regulations in the higher education industry.
• High level of integrity and ethical conduct in handling financial transactions and sensitive information.
• Ability to train others on new skills and procedures and provide lead work direction.
• Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
• Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner.
• Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Ability to interpret, communicate and apply policies and procedures.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
• Excellent computer skills and competence with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line systems, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
• Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn University infrastructure.
• Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
• Must be able to work occasional holidays and adjust working hours to meet special jobs. May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with PeopleSoft Absence Management, Time and Labor, Workforce Administration, or comparable payroll and time-reporting systems.
• Experience preparing and processing payroll or personnel documentation, preferably in a California State University or public-sector environment.
• Experience processing payroll through ADP or a comparable payroll platform.
• Experience creating or maintaining user guides, executing system test scripts, and providing training to end users.
• Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment possessing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: SEDENTARY WORK - involves mainly sitting; minimal walking and standing; lifting light weight objects limited to 15 pounds.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS:N/A

SPECIAL CONDITIONS:

SCREENING: Only those applicants possessing experience most directly related to the immediate needs of the office will be invited to appear before a Qualifications Appraisal Board for the purpose of appraising training, experience, and interest in the position.

BACKGROUND CHECK: Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. CSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

Education Code 89521 Requirements: Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last seven years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

SENSITIVE POSITION: Sensitive positions are designated by the CSU as requiring heightened scrutiny of individuals holding the position, based on potential for harm to children, concerns for the safety and security of the people, animals, or property, or heightened risk of financial loss to the CSU or individuals in the university community.

GENERAL INFORMATION: It is the policy of California State University, Bakersfield to hire only United States citizens and aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States. All new employees will be required to present documentation verifying their right to accept employment. You will also be requested to present a social security card at the time of initial appointment in compliance with state payroll regulations. State regulations require that every state employee sign the Oath of Allegiance prior to commencing the duties of his/her State employment, except legally employed non-citizens. These individuals are required to sign the Declaration of Permission to Work.

The California State University (“CSU”), including California State University, Bakersfield is committed to an inclusive and equitable community that values diversity and fosters mutual respect. All students and employees have the right to participate fully in CSU programs, activities, admission, and employment free from discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking and retaliation. The CSU Nondiscrimination Policy prohibits discrimination and harassment based on any protected status, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, prohibited consensual relationships, and retaliation.

Campus contact for our Nondiscrimination policy is Allan Williams, Associate Vice President of Civil Rights & Compliance, (661) 654-2713.

Advertised: Oct 19 2026 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close: Nov 02 2026 Pacific Standard Time