Payroll Specialist

PAYROLL SPECIALIST

Non-Union Position

Status: Exempt

FTE: Full Time

As of: 1/12/2026

Founded in 1947, the United Nations International School (UNIS) is a Pre-K through Grade 12 independent school in Manhattan, serving a diverse, global community. About half of UNIS families are affiliated with the United Nations, while the rest are internationally minded New York–based parents. Guided by the ideals of the United Nations, UNIS provides an inclusive learning environment where rigorous international programs foster academic excellence, creativity, innovation, and cross-cultural communication, inspiring students to help build a peaceful, compassionate, and sustainable world.

UNIS seeks a Payroll Specialist who is a critical member of the Finance Team, responsible for the end-to-end execution of payroll and the strategic management of the payroll system, ensuring all employees are compensated accurately and timely. This role requires a systems-thinking approach to ensure data integrity across HR, Benefits, and Finance. The ideal candidate is a diagnostic problem-solver who leverages Paycom to automate manual tasks and proactively identifies process improvements.

The successful candidate will be a systems thinker who understands how changes in benefits elections ripple through to the general ledger and brings a natural curiosity to auditing payroll reports, identifying anomalies, and investigating root causes. This position reports to the CFO and Controller and works collaboratively with the broader accounting team and HR, interacting with staff across the organization.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Full-Cycle Payroll Execution & Compliance

• Cycle Management: Executes semi-monthly payroll for all staff, substitutes, and extra-curricular employees, ensuring 100% accuracy in disbursements.
• Onboarding & Authorizations: Serves as the final gatekeeper for payroll integrity by verifying proper authorizations, contracts, and documentation before placing new personnel on the payroll.
• Regulatory Reporting: Manages statutory requirements, including quarterly 941 reconciliations, garnishments, required government surveys, W-2 reviews, and ACA reporting.
• Disability & Leave: Processes payments for long-term and short-term disability and manages unemployment insurance claims and employee verifications.

Systems Optimization & Data Integrity

• System Administration: Acts as the primary power-user for Paycom, configuring workflows and troubleshooting system issues to maximize platform efficiency.
• Audit Readiness: Maintains meticulous documentation of all payroll changes and provides comprehensive reconciliation reports prior to final processing to ensure internal controls are met.
• External Audits: Leads the preparation for year-end annual payroll audits and the annual Workers’ Compensation audit, serving as the primary point of contact for auditors.

Benefits Integration & Financial Reconciliation

• HR Partnership: Collaborates closely with Human Resources to upload benefit changes, performing deep-dive analysis and reconciliation to resolve discrepancies between payroll and benefits enrollment.
• Insurance Administration: Reviews, reconciles, and processes monthly insurance billing to ensure carrier invoices align with payroll deductions.
• Cash Management: Coordinates with banking institutions for stop-payments on physical checks and direct deposit reversals as necessary.

Strategic Partnership & Communication

• Process Improvement: Works with the Controller to establish, document, and refine payroll guidelines and "best practice" SOPs.
• Inquiry Management: Acts as a responsive and professional resource for employees and management, resolving payroll inquiries via written, oral, and electronic correspondence.
• Ethics & Professionalism: Maintains a high level of ethical conduct and strict confidentiality regarding sensitive employee information.
• Special Projects: Supports the CFO and Controller on ad-hoc financial projects and systems-related initiatives as assigned.

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to successfully perform this job. A successful candidate will meet many of these requirements and have the desire and capacity to learn the rest on the job.

• Demonstrated advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, etc) and PC-based accounting software, with Paycom experience strongly preferred, complemented by a deep understanding of full-cycle bookkeeping, payroll procedures, and current local, state, and federal financial regulations to ensure maximum data integrity and reporting accuracy.
• Highly organized, with strong time-management and communication skills; able to work independently to meet strict deadlines, troubleshoot complex issues, and proactively drive process improvements while interacting professionally with staff, administrators, and external vendors.
• A proven ability to work effectively across departments to ensure seamless financial operations while demonstrating the respect, interpersonal skills, and cultural awareness necessary to engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years of experience in payroll administration, preferably in a school environment, or the equivalent combination of education, training, and transferable experience to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
• A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration is preferred, along with FPC or CPP certification, though extensive professional experience remains the primary qualification for this role.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• $80,000 – $95,000 annually, commensurate with experience.
• A comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, a generous 403(b) retirement contribution, and paid time off.

APPLICATION PROCESS

All candidates must submit an electronic application via the school website: https://www.unis.org/about-unis/employment. Supporting documentation, such as a cover letter and resume, must be uploaded to the electronic application. Paper and emailed applications and documents will not be accepted from external candidates. Review of applications will begin immediately and will be ongoing.

In accordance with the guidelines of the International Taskforce on Child Protection, the United Nations International School adheres to a rigorous standard of recruitment practices and background checks, emphasizing the protection, safety, and welfare of our students.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING

Research shows that women and people from underrepresented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for a role. If much of this job posting describes you, then please apply for this role.

The United Nations International School provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, height, weight, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.