Department: Law Administration
Salary/Grade: NEX/11

Job Summary:

The Payroll Support Specialist assists with the payroll activities for the Law School's staff and student communities. Key responsibilities include hiring temporary employees, research staff, and students; maintaining employee records; and establishing and documenting best practices. A typical day includes processing payroll transactions, managing the department email inbox, providing guidance about payroll procedures, liaising with central units, and troubleshooting process or policy-related issues.

A strong performer in this role will be extremely detail-oriented, analytically minded, reliable, resourceful, and patient; able to pivot quickly and adjust plans to respond to unanticipated requests; interested in troubleshooting and problem-solving; adept at communicating clearly and concisely with diverse audiences and also have a high level of energy for procedural tasks such as completing forms, manually tracking information, and managing files.

Northwestern Pritzker Law prides itself on its active and diverse community, which brings together a passionate and talented group of students, staff, and faculty. The Law School endeavors to take principled action towards ensuring that we live up to our responsibility-and our institutional values-to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community for all constituents. Law School leadership commits to working tirelessly to ensure every member feels valued, all students can study and train to be successful in their careers, all staff members can develop personally and professionally, and where our faculty can both teach and support our students and produce top quality research and scholarship.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $19.31 to $24.86 per hour. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Specific Responsibilities:

Payroll

• Administer staff, student, and non-student temporary employee payroll activities. Ensure completion of payroll steps based on position type.
• Process appointment/positions forms, salary adjustments, student awards and stipends, additional pays, and termination paperwork.
• Serve as the liaison between staff/students, central payroll contacts, and other key players to troubleshoot and resolve issues.
• Maintain payroll data tracking spreadsheets. Compile information and provide reports as requested.
• Run established department queries to answer questions and respond to department needs, and to ensure compliance and accuracy of payroll records.
• Approve all student temporary timecards in Workforce and ensure compliance with timekeeping policies and procedures; communicate with students as needed to resolve discrepancies.
• Identify and investigate any issues with posted wages, to be remedied via payroll correction journals or other solutions as appropriate.

Information Management and Compliance

• Manage payroll-related information for staff, student, and temporary personnel files.
• Adhere to internal controls and ensure compliance and accuracy in payroll/timekeeping, DCFS laws, sexual harassment trainings, COI disclosures, etc.
• Complete employment verification documents for current and former staff and student employees.
• Pursue opportunities for enhanced efficiency in maintaining and processing staff and student information.

Administration and Communication

• Foster a service-oriented approach to the student employment experience. Communicate with students regarding hiring policies, procedures, and other general information.
• Manage high-volume Law HR email inbox. Respond to all inquiries and elevate issues as necessary.
• Support University Position Management process as it relates to student employee populations. Help draft request forms and check completed forms for accuracy. Maintain awareness of approved student and temporary jobs as a function of the payroll/hiring process.
• Assist with implementation of Law School HR initiatives and provide administrative support as needed.

Reporting

• Run ad hoc reports as requested.

Other Duties

• Stay abreast of university policies and procedures regarding payroll and maintenance of employee information.
• Occasionally assist with the completion of departmental expense reports and other accounts payable matters.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• A high school diploma or equivalent required.
• 3-5 years of administrative support or other relevant experience required.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Advanced knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, email, and database software programs is required.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams
• Experience using Zoom or other remote communication systems.
• Experience tracking high volumes of detailed information and navigating large information sets

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Ability to meet multiple deadlines.
• Ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences in a variety of situations.
• Knowledge of (or ability to learn and apply) payroll principles and practices.
• Excellent customer service skills, including patience, attentiveness, and clarity.
• Ability to maintain high level of attention to detail and organization in an environment where distractions are commonplace and multi-tasking is often required.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at to learn more.

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.

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