Assistant Payroll Manager
Assistant Payroll Manager
About Eastern Washington University:
Eastern Washington University, a regional, comprehensive public university with an enrollment of over 10,000 students, is one of six state-funded four-year institutions of higher education in Washington, each governed by its own board of trustees. As the regions polytechnic, we are recognized for our distinctive approach to hands-on learning that leads to in-demand careers. EWUs 300-acre main campus is located in Cheney, a community of 12,000 residents 16 miles southwest of Washingtons second largest city, Spokane. Eastern also offers programs in downtown Spokane at the innovative, energy-efficient Catalyst building, the SIERR building which is a hub for research, development and advancement of health sciences, and at Riverpoint, a campus shared with Washington State University. In addition, EWU programs can be found at select locations throughout the state, aligned with the needs of the community. Eastern contributes to the vitality of the region and the state through its wide array of bachelors and masters degrees in over 100 fields of study, as well as applied doctorates in physical therapy and educational leadership, offering accessible pathways to career success and personal development to students of all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Eastern Washington University has been recognized for its commitment to helping undergraduate students learn, grow and succeed by Colleges of Distinction, a nationally trusted resource guide for college-bound students. The honor recognizes Eastern as a 24-25 College of Distinction (CoD). Tribal Land Acknowledgement
At Eastern Washington University, we are proud to recognize the land of the Spokane Tribe and other tribes that shared the land for fishing and trading. The Spokane Tribe, Coeur dAlene Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Kalispel Tribe, and the Nez Perce Tribe are integral to the cultural heritage and traditional ethnological knowledge of the land.
Native American heritage is woven into the fabric of our institution, enriching our community through tribal culture, historical teachings, and tribal language, and is embraced daily by students, staff, faculty, and the Eastern Washington community.
At EWU, we are committed to reflecting on and acknowledging the historical injustices of genocide and the forced removal of tribal peoples and all our relatives. EWU recognizes and honors tribal sovereignty and government to government relationships with tribes.
From here forward, EWU will remain committed to supporting, honoring, and recognizing the Native American community and the dynamic contributions that are shared with our university.
Job Summary:
We are currently seeking skilled and team-oriented applicants for the following position: Assistant Payroll Manager. This full-time, administrative exempt role is integral to ensuring the timely payment and accurate reporting of compensation for all university employees. Reporting directly to the Payroll Manager, the Assistant Payroll Manager will lead and mentor a dedicated payroll team, uphold and document internal controls and payroll procedures and contribute to the continuous improvement of payroll processes.
Key Responsibilities: - Team Leadership & Supervision: Oversee and guide payroll fiscal staff, fostering a collaborative and supportive team environment.
- Payroll Processing & Compliance: Assist in the preparation and processing of payroll, ensuring adherence to university policies and applicable state and federal regulations.
- Documentation & Internal Controls: Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation of payroll procedures and internal controls to ensure consistency and compliance.
- Training & Development: Provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities for payroll staff to enhance skills and knowledge.
- Problem Resolution & Support: Address and resolve payroll-related inquiries from employees and departments, ensuring timely and accurate responses.
EWU is committed to supporting and promoting a workforce that is welcoming to all and encourages applicants of all backgrounds to apply for this position.
The salary range for this position is $68,278 - $92,981, where the hired candidate will begin within this range is dependent on education, experience, and skills. In addition to salary, the university offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, life and disability insurance and retirement. In addition, EWU offers generous vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays per year and fringe benefits, such as tuition waiver for employees and eligible family members, discounted EWU sports tickets, full access to our campus workout facilities at a minimum fee and free transportation through STA buses. For additional information regarding insurance benefits please see our Benefits page: https://inside.ewu.edu/hr/benefits/insurance/ . Applications are open and accepted until recruitment is closed. Screening of applications will begin Immediately. A three-day notice will be provided prior to closure of recruitment. All materials will be held in strictest confidence; references will not be contacted until candidates have been notified. Eastern Washington University provides an inclusive, equitable, and transformative learning experience, driving the pursuit of knowledge with affordable academic excellence.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelors degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a closely related field
- Progressive responsibility in payroll processing or related field
- Ability to lead, guide, direct and develop departmental staff
- Ability to document procedures and internal controls
- Demonstrate and foster a culture of ethical leadership and encourage a supportive team-orientated work environment
- Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
- Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects within established deadlines
- Demonstrated ability to apply a responsive and flexible approach that is supportive to the needs of, including universal access, our students, faculty, staff and the public.
Preferred Qualifications:
We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the preferred experience below: - Master of Business Administration, Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or equivalent
- Specific experience working in the payroll operations of a college or university environment
- Extensive hands-on system administration experience with Ellucian Banner HR/Payroll module or similar ERP system
- Three years combined experience in payroll processes, automated ERP payroll processing, payroll deduction reporting and payroll account analysis for a large corporate or government entity
Other Skills and Abilities:
Ability to identify problems, develop solutions and implement change - Ability to use discretion, tact and good judgment when working with highly sensitive and confidential information
Note: The above job description is a general outline of the duties and responsibilities typically associated with this position. Specific tasks and responsibilities may vary based on the needs of the department and institution.
Job Duties:
Directing and Supervision of Payroll Staff Operations- Provide general supervision of fiscal staff
- Manage professional development of fiscal staff
- Responsible for training, with hands on work, and inventory development of staff abilities
- Develop training system (curriculum)
- Cross-training of staff
- Develop and maintain a critical task list of primary and secondary designees
- Develop forward-looking plans for the management of critical timelines and due dates
- Give adequate time for necessary research and performance
- Maintain payroll cycle knowledge
- Serve as backup for payroll staff during absences or peak data entry periods
- Collaborate with Payroll Manager on an ongoing basis
- Coordination of critical tasks and due dates
- Provide review on reconciliation of the general ledger and vendor feeds
- Interview and recommend selection of applicants, conduct performance evaluations and take corrective action if needed
Percent of Time: 65
Procedure Management, Documentation and System Administration- Participate in testing system upgrades and new software applications
- Participate in system setup of deductions, earn codes, etc.
- Updates to statewide feeds, vendor feeds, other reporting needs
- Document feeds, write queries and reports, reduce reliance on IT
- Manage coordination of interfaces with third-party systems
- Document and maintain internal procedures manual and outward facing procedures
- Document and maintain internal controls
Percent of Time: 20
Research and Reporting- Interpret and apply guidance from outside sources related to payroll requirements
- Provide review of quarterly reporting, including tax and benefit remittance
- Assist with information to external auditors regarding payroll related activity
Percent of Time: 10
Special Projects- Prepare year-end closeout activities and payroll disclosures for financial statements
- Work on other projects as assigned
Percent of Time: 5
Conditions of Employment:
This position, during the course of university employment will be involved in the receipt of, or accountability for, university funds or other items of value, as well as the unsupervised access with the developmentally disabled, vulnerable adults or children under the age of 16. The offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion and passing of a background check prior to beginning employment. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa currently. Sponsorship is not available for this position at this time. All new employees must comply with EWU Immunization Policy 602-02 and provide proof of immunity or vaccination to MMR before beginning work at EWU. Waivers for the immunization requirements are available for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs. This is an Administrative Exempt position and is covered by EWU Policy 406- 01, Exempt Employment: https://inside.ewu.edu/policies/knowledge-base/ewu-406-01-exempt-employment/
After starting employment, employees will complete the required training via Canvas. The Office of Employee Belonging, Development, and Leadership will reach out to you concerning Workplace Belonging training. Note: Interviews might be conducted via Zoom (camera must be enabled). If so, candidates must be able to demonstrate competence using Zoom and other technologies. The salary range for this position is $68,278 - $92,981, where the hired candidate will begin within this range is dependent on education, experience, and skills. Max salary increase approved on 6/8/26 ELT
Posting Date: 05/15/2026
Open Until Further Notice: Yes
Closing Date:
Screening to Begin: Immediately
Special Instructions to Applicants:
Submit your application materials through our online applications portal provided below. If you are unable to submit through the applicant portal, please contact Human Resources Services at (509) 359-2381.
To apply, visit https://jobs.hr.ewu.edu/postings/14827
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