Payroll Specialist

Location: Brandeis – Waltham Campus
Time Type: Full Time

Make an Impact Where Accuracy, Service, and Community Intersect

Brandeis University is seeking a detail-oriented and service-driven Payroll Specialist to join our collaborative payroll team. This is an excellent opportunity for a payroll professional who thrives in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment and takes pride in delivering accurate, timely pay while providing exceptional support to a diverse employee population.

In this role, you won’t just process payroll—You will play a critical part in ensuring employees across the university are paid correctly and supported with expertise, care, and responsiveness. If you enjoy problem-solving, working with data, and being a trusted resource for others, this role offers both challenge and meaningful impact.

What You will Do

Own Payroll Operations (~25%)

• Support end-to-end processing for weekly and semi-monthly payrolls

• Process off-cycle payments and manual adjustments with precision

• Ensure payroll deadlines are met consistently and accurately

Leverage Data & Analytics (~25%)

• Audit payroll data and analyze reports to ensure accuracy

• Run and review retroactive payroll processes

• Partner with HR and campus stakeholders to identify and resolve discrepancies

Deliver Exceptional Customer Service (~30%)

• Serve as a responsive, knowledgeable resource for payroll-related questions

• Investigate and resolve issues from multiple channels (queue, phone, in person)

• Support Foreign National payroll processes, including use of Sprintax Calculus

• Proactively audit time entry, payment elections, and check registers

Drive Continuous Improvement (~15%)

• Contribute to process enhancements and reporting improvements

• Support special projects that strengthen payroll operations

Support Cashiering Functions (~5%)

• Provide backup support for cashiering activities, including in-person service and transaction handling

What You Bring

• Associate’s degree (Bachelor’s preferred)

• 3-5 years of relevant payroll or related experience (A Bachelor's degree can substitute the required years of experiene).

• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail

• Ability to manage sensitive, confidential information with integrity

• Excellent customer service and communication skills

• Comfort working across systems, data, and diverse employee populations

Why Join Brandeis?

• Be part of a mission-driven academic community

• Work in a collaborative, supportive environment

• Grow your expertise in a complex, multi-population payroll setting

• Make a direct impact on employee experience across the university

Compensation

The salary range for the position is $56 - 62K (annualized, will be paid hourly).

The University's pay ranges represent a good faith estimate of what Brandeis reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of posting. The pay offered to a selected candidate during hiring will be based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience and education/training, internal peer equity, and applicable legal requirements.

Brandeis University is an equal opportunity employer which does not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religious creed, gender identity and expression, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, genetic information, disability, caste, military or veteran status or any other category protected by law (also known as membership in a "protected class").