The Role
Lead day-to-day payroll accounting and compliance for the university, manage payroll processing, reconciliations, journal entries, and reporting. Drive Oracle Fusion Payroll optimizations, ensure federal/state tax and GAAP compliance, oversee payroll staff hiring and performance, partner with Finance, HR and IT, support audits, month/year-end close, and implement process improvements and controls.
Summary Generated by Built In
Leads and oversees the University's payroll operations, payroll accounting functions, compliance, and process improvement initiatives. Partners with the Director of Payroll to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing while maintaining the financial integrity of payroll transactions and delivering exceptional customer service.
Responsibilities
Benefits Overview
- Manages the day-to-day operations of the University's payroll accounting function, ensuring the accurate and timely processing of payroll accounting activities, related financial transactions, reconciliations, general ledger balancing, payroll funding, journal entries, fringe benefit calculations, and payroll liability accounts.
- Ensures the accuracy, integrity, and compliance of payroll financial data by monitoring reconciliations, validating accounting transactions, and collaborating with Finance to resolve discrepancies in accordance with GAAP, University policies, University of Texas System policies, and internal controls.
- Ensures the accuracy and integrity of payroll financial data by monitoring reconciliations, validating accounting transactions, and collaborating with Finance to resolve discrepancies and maintain compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), University policies, and internal controls.
- Ensures compliance with federal and state tax regulations, IRS requirements, payroll accounting standards, and applicable University policies.
- Leads the evaluation, enhancement, and optimization of Oracle Fusion Payroll processes, including system testing, report development, automation, financial controls, operational efficiency improvements, and customer service enhancements.
- Partners with the Director of Payroll to support strategic initiatives, change management efforts, Oracle Fusion Payroll enhancements, regulatory updates, process improvements, and other organizational initiatives as appropriate.
- Leads and maintains standard operating procedures (SOPs), payroll accounting procedures, departmental policies, and operational standards, ensuring adherence to established requirements.
- Provides leadership and performance management for payroll staff through hiring, onboarding, coaching, cross-training, succession planning, employee development, regular one-on-one meetings, and efforts that promote accountability, performance, and team effectiveness.
- Establishes workload priorities, monitors performance metrics, oversees payroll reporting and financial analysis, and supports month-end and year-end close activities, tax reporting, budgeting, management decision-making, and the achievement of operational objectives.
- Collaborates with Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Information Technology, and other University departments; leads payroll-related audits and special projects; coordinates required documentation and corrective actions; resolves complex payroll and accounting issues; and performs collateral duties as assigned.
- Performs all other duties as assigned.
- Knowledge of payroll systems and compliance platforms, including Oracle Fusion Payroll and ADP SmartCompliance, with experience supporting system implementations, stabilization efforts, and process enhancements.
- Knowledge of federal and state wage and hour laws, payroll taxation, regulatory compliance requirements, payroll accounting principles, reconciliations, financial reporting, and the impact of payroll transactions on the general ledger.
- Skill in analyzing payroll, tax, accounting, and operational data to identify issues, solve complex problems, make sound decisions, and implement process improvements that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and internal controls.
- Skill in using Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office applications to support payroll operations, reporting, analysis, reconciliation activities, and organizational objectives.
- Ability to provide leadership and manage change by leading teams, establishing performance standards, measuring outcomes, supporting KPI initiatives, coaching staff, and fostering accountability and high performance.
- Ability to build and maintain effective cross-functional relationships and communicate complex payroll, tax, accounting, and compliance information to stakeholders across Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Information Technology, and other University departments.
- Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a dynamic environment while remaining self-motivated, highly organized, and focused on achieving departmental goals and facilitating issue resolution.
- Bachelor's Degree required.
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) is a nationally recognized, top-tier public research university that unites the power of higher education, biomedical discovery and healthcare within one visionary institution. As the third-largest research university in Texas and a Carnegie R1-designated institution, UT San Antonio is a model of access and excellence — advancing knowledge, social mobility and public health across South Texas and beyond. UT San Antonio serves approximately 42,000 students in 320 academic programs spanning science, engineering, medicine, health, liberal arts, AI, cybersecurity, business, education and more. With 17,000 faculty and staff, UT San Antonio has been recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers for Company Culture.
Benefits Overview
UT Health San Antonio offers an excellent benefits package for its employees. Employees who work at least 20 hours a week, with an appointment of at least 4.5 months, are eligible for benefits.
Medical - UT SELECT Medical insurance is offered free for employees and administered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. Family members can be added to the plan through payroll deduction. Employees and their dependents can also receive discounted copays and coinsurance when using UT Health Physicians, a network of 800 premier physicians including more than 100 specialists. Employees receive $50,000 of group term life insurance and $50,000 of basic accidental death and dismemberment insurance for free, with options to purchase additional employee and dependent coverage for both at group rates.
Dental - Three dental insurance plan options are available for employees and their families through Delta Dental Insurance Company, two PPOs and one dental HMO plan. Both PPO plans allow employees to choose any licensed dentist.
Vision - Fully insured Vision Care benefits are offered by Superior Vision Services. Two vision plan options that offer either standard or enhanced vision benefits.
Disability - Employees can enroll in the Disability Insurance which provides income if a non-work related illness or injury prevents you from working.
FSAs - Employees can enroll in flexible spending accounts (FSAs) to set aside money from earnings before taxes for qualifying dependent day care expenses or out-of-pocket health care expenses.
Retirement - Employees are eligible for either the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) or the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP). TRS is a defined benefit retirement plan which UT Health matches employee contributions. ORP is for eligible faculty staff employees. Voluntary retirement programs are also available to invest before- or after-tax dollars with the choice of five quality retirement plan providers.
Time Off - A generous leave program offers multiple paid leave options:
- Front-loaded Paid Time Off: 128 to 208 hours (16 to 26 days) of Paid Time Off based on years of service, given at the start of each fiscal year. PTO may be prorated in year one based on date of hire.
- Extended Illness Bank: 8 hours (1 day) accrued per month which can be used for illness or injury after one day of Paid Time Off is taken.
- Paid Family Leave: Up to 240 hours (6 weeks) to care for a spouse, child, or parent after 6 months of consecutive employment.
- Holidays: 12 set paid holidays each year.
Discounts - Employees enjoy a range of discounts on services, tickets, and gym membership.
EEO Statement
UT Health San Antonio is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. It is our policy to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity for all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's Degree
- Experience with Oracle Fusion Payroll
- Experience with ADP SmartCompliance
- Knowledge of federal and state wage and hour laws and payroll taxation
- Payroll accounting experience including reconciliations, journal entries, fringe benefit calculations, and GAAP
- Experience supporting payroll system implementations, testing, report development, and process improvements
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office
- Leadership and people management experience (hiring, coaching, performance management, succession planning)
- Ability to analyze payroll/tax/accounting data to resolve issues and improve controls and efficiency
- Ability to build cross-functional relationships and communicate payroll and compliance matters to stakeholders
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The Company
What We Do
UT Health San Antonio™, one of the country’s leading health sciences universities, is the leader in south/central Texas funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The university’s schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions and graduate biomedical sciences have produced more than 33,000 alumni. The $806.6 million operating budget supports four campuses in San Antonio and Laredo, and is the primary driver of its community’s $37 billion biomedical and health care industry. For more information on the many ways “We make lives better®,” visit uthealthsa.org.
