Payroll and Accounting Assistant

The Payroll and Accounting Assistant is responsible for supporting the day-to-day maintenance of the organization's payroll and accounting functions. This role ensures the accurate and timely processing of employee compensation and financial transactions, maintaining compliance with federal, state, local, and specific nonprofit regulations (e.g., GAAP for nonprofits, grant requirements).

The Payroll & Accounting Assistant reports to the Finance and Administration Manager. The ideal candidate would be a forward-thinking, solution-oriented, self-motivated individual with effective communication skills and a strong customer service orientation

Essential Duties

•  Process bi-weekly payroll, including data entry of timecards and calculating wages, overtime, and deductions.
• Collaborate with the management team to ensure timecards are accurate and all discrepancies are corrected before payroll close.
• Assist with calculating employees’ hours from timecards and ADP timekeeping systems to ensure accurate and timely pay.
• Update and maintain employee records, including paid time off balances
• Troubleshoot payroll issues and verify the accuracy of payroll figures and computations.
• Maintain all payroll data and ensure proper file backups and documentation for auditing and compliance.
• Update employee payroll profiles for new hires, terminations, and changes in salary, tax withholdings, or benefits.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding employee and company information.
• Act as the first point of contact for employee questions regarding paychecks, benefits, or tax forms.
• Ensure all payroll activities comply with federal, state, and local wage and tax laws

Accounting Support

• Review, verify, and enter vendor invoices into accounting software; prepare payments via check or electronic transfer.
• Assist with generating client invoices, tracking incoming payments, and following up on overdue accounts.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for vendor inquiries, building and maintaining positive relationships, and ensuring accurate vendor records are maintained, including W-9 form collection
• Assist as needed with month-end and year-end closing activities
• Maintain an organized and accurate record of all invoices, payments, and correspondence in accordance with company policies and accounting practices.
• Assist with other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field, plus 2 years of payroll processing experience; or 4 years of payroll processing experience in lieu of a degree.
• In-depth understanding of GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles); understanding of financial statement preparation and analysis
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and interact in a highly professional manner at all levels
• Strong desire and proven ability to drive and lead corporate accounting processes and procedures such as cash management, AR/AP, month-end close, payroll, and benefits
• Highly driven and self-motivated to work as required, with a hands-on approach to ensure deliverables are produced on time with high quality
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills; Strong accuracy and attention to detail skills, as well as an aptitude for numbers and quantitative skills
• Knowledge of non-profit accounting standards and experience with grant reporting requirements is a plus.
• ADP experience preferred
• Proficiency with accounting software (Sage, QuickBooks) 
• Ability to handle multiple priorities and effectively meet critical deadlines
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)