Who We Are:
Buffalo Promise Neighborhood (BPN) is a dynamic, integrated team of engaged professionals — an extension of M&T Bank’s longstanding dedication to strengthening our community — focused on revitalization through education. Our mission is to provide education, resources, and connections to empower our students and their families to succeed. We are part of M&T Bank’s 30-year partnership with Westminster Community Charter School, proudly providing resources to ensure students receive a rigorous and holistic education and a safe and caring learning environment so that every child can grow to meet their full potential.
The Opportunity:
We’re seeking a detail-oriented and mission-driven Payroll Specialist to administer all activities of payroll for Westminster Community Charter School and provide support to Buffalo Promise Neighborhood’s and Westminster Community Charter School’s HR, operations and accounting functions. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a collaborative environment, enjoys solving complex financial challenges, and is passionate about education and community impact.
Primary Responsibilities:- Responsible for Westminster Community Charter School’s payroll administration. This includes biweekly processing, maintaining personnel payroll records within the payroll and all other systems, ensuring payroll system functionality for compliance with Collective Bargaining Agreements, governance and retirement reporting and full compliance with mandated reporting.
- Complete all necessary payroll activities as assigned independently and based on procedure; suggest and update procedures as needed.
- Ensure the accurate preparation, documentation, distribution, and reconciliation of biweekly payroll.
- Utilize, update, and sign off on daily payroll checklists confirming payroll tasks are completed.
- Develop and maintain an organized data record ensuring that payroll audits are recorded, preserved and in compliance with applicable policies and regulations.
- Complete daily audit of payroll manual entries ensuring compliance with audit policy and applicable regulations.
- Partner with HR team on complex employee cases and on the administration of benefits.
- Resolve day to day and complex issues while keeping leadership informed of matters of significance; serve as escalation point.
- Sort and distribute payroll mail items.
- Respond to and complete requests from internal and external auditors.
- Maintain a comprehensive knowledge of the regulations and policies affecting the payroll process. Keep abreast of changes and trends.
- Collaborate with Payroll team members to drive operational excellence.
- Assist with projects and system testing as assigned.
- Support payroll reporting requests, data and issue analysis, and monthly, quarter/year-end tasks as assigned.
- Verify completion of work to the payroll team.
- Provide support to Buffalo Promise Neighborhood and Westminster Community Charter School’s HR, operations and accounting functions.
- Understand and adhere to the Company’s risk and regulatory standards, policies and controls in accordance with the Company’s Risk Appetite. Identify risk-related issues needing escalation to management.
- Promote an environment that supports a culture of belonging and reflects the M&T Bank brand.
- Maintain M&T internal control standards, including timely implementation of internal and external audit points together with any issues raised by external regulators as applicable.
- Complete other related duties as assigned.
No Supervisory Responsibilities
Education and Experience Required:
Associate’s degree and a minimum of 4 years’ payroll experience, or in lieu of a degree, a minimum of 6 years’ higher education and/or work experience, including a minimum of 2 years’ multi-state large company payroll experience
Minimum of 3 years' proven relevant customer experience
Experience working under pressure
Detail-oriented
Proficiency working in pertinent word processing and spreadsheet applications
Prior experience working in a collaborative/team environment
Strong time management skills
Strong organizational skills
Proven training or mentorship experience
Prior leadership and/or work oversight experience
Education and Experience Preferred:
Associate’s Degree in Accounting or Finance
Minimum of 4 years’ large company payroll experience (>50 employees)
Previous pertinent payroll software experience Previous time and leave experience
Demonstrated understanding of the end-to-end payroll process
Proven analytical skills
Proven problem-solving skills
Proven verbal and written communication skills Ability to interact with all levels of personnel
Strong mathematical skills
Experience with working with Collective Bargaining Agreements
Has a demonstrated interest in education; especially issues surrounding poverty and urban school districts
Highly proficient in Microsoft Office and PC Competencies
Working Model/Location:
· This is a hybrid position requiring four days in office per week
· Eligible candidates must live within commuting distance to our M&T Bank office, located at 465 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203
Skills Required
- Associate's degree and at least 4 years of payroll experience, or at least 6 years of higher education and/or work experience including 2 years of multi-state large-company payroll experience
- At least 3 years of relevant customer experience
- Experience working under pressure
- Detail-oriented work style
- Proficiency with word-processing and spreadsheet applications
- Experience working in a collaborative team environment
- Strong time-management skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Training or mentorship experience
- Leadership and/or work oversight experience
- Associate's degree in Accounting or Finance
- At least 4 years of large-company payroll experience involving more than 50 employees
- Experience with payroll software
- Experience with time and leave systems
- Understanding of the end-to-end payroll process
- Analytical skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to interact with all levels of personnel
- Strong mathematical skills
- Experience working with Collective Bargaining Agreements
- Interest in education, poverty, and urban school district issues
- High proficiency in Microsoft Office and PC applications
M&T Bank Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about M&T Bank and has not been reviewed or approved by M&T Bank.
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Retirement Support — Retirement benefits are positioned as a strong pillar, including a 401(k) match and the possibility of an additional employer contribution, plus access to an employee stock purchase plan.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off offerings are framed as competitive, with a flexible PTO approach and paid volunteer time called out as a meaningful add-on to standard leave.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Wellbeing support appears comparatively robust, highlighted by mental-health therapy/coaching sessions and broader wellness programming alongside community-oriented perks.
M&T Bank Insights
What We Do
M&T Bank is a multi-state community-focused bank serving New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Founded in 1856, the company provides banking, investment, insurance and mortgage financial services to more than 3.6 million consumer, business and government clients.
