Job Opportunities

Are you looking to take your career to new heights with a leader in healthcare? SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is one of the nation's leading metropolitan medical centers. As the only academic medical center in Brooklyn, we serve a large population that is among the most diverse in the world. We are also highly-ranked by Castle Connolly Medical, a healthcare rating company for consumers, among the top 5 leading U.S. medical schools for training doctors.

Bargaining Unit:

MC

Job Summary:

The Department of Finance at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is seeking a full-time Payroll Director / College Accountant.

The Payroll Director / College Accountant is responsible for the daily operations of Payroll/Time and Attendance. The incumbent will provide proactive leadership and direction to ensure the timely and accurate processing of payroll and related management reports while maintaining a superior customer service culture in support of the university's dynamic population. In addition, the incumbent facilitates cross-functional relationships with internal and external stakeholders such as the Departments of Human Resources, Information Technology Services, Tax Compliance among others. The incumbent serves as the departmental liaison on all payroll-related matters.

Additional duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to: 

• Maintain employee payroll data, including documentation supporting all authorized deductions from pay.  
• Ensure compliance with applicable state, federal, and city tax laws; wage and hour laws; and numerous collective bargaining agreements.
• Maintain relationships with internal and external auditors regarding payroll processing issues.
• Responsible for management of payroll vendors and service providers.
• Resolve employee pay-related issues, including overpayments, late pay, deductions, and related pay adjustments.
• Identify business improvement opportunities, system edits, and report to improve payroll accuracy, efficiency, and promote outstanding customer service.
• Improve payroll performance and reduce the duplication of effort related to time reporting, retroactive adjustments, and the process of payroll actions, including new hires, rehires, promotions, separations, etc. 
• Responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of procedures and controls sufficient to adequately account for all payroll and time and attendance transactions. 
• Identify potential payroll risks and takes action to mitigate such risks. 
• Interact and address issues that are associated with audits from SUNY, OSC and OCAS. 
• Oversee the development the development of routine and ad hoc reporting tools and solutions to ensure appropriate financial information is made available to employees and management in a timely manner, including reports detailing gross payroll, hours worked, leave accruals, benefits and tax deductions, etc.
• Maintain payroll guidelines by writing and updating policies and procedures. 
• Direct and manage payroll staff by recruiting, selecting, orienting, and training employees.
• Monitor and develop staff including performing annual performance programs and appraisals. Take appropriate action when necessary to coach and hold team accountable to performance. 
• Participate in continuous process improvement efforts to support current and future systems enhancement. 
• Perform other duties as required and assigned. 

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration or a related field from an accredited college/university.
• 7 to 10 years of experience in payroll preferably working in a healthcare or university setting. 
• Ability to work in a team environment and communicate effectively with all levels of the organization. 
• Strong leadership, project management, and interpersonal skills with strong writing and analytic ability.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and a variety of electronic database systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A working knowledge of New York State Finance law is preferred.
• Certification or formal training in payroll operations is preferred.
• 10 or more years of related work experience may be considered in lieu of a Bachelor of Science Degree.

Work Schedule:

Monday to Friday; 9:00am to 5:00pm (Full-Time)

Salary Grade/Rank:

Salary Range:

Commensurate with experience and qualifications

Executive Order:

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation.  If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction, and all other protected classes under federal or state laws.

Women, minorities, veterans, individuals with disabilities and members of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact Human Resources at ada@downstate.edu