Payroll Officer - 2 Positions
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
The Program / Department / Team
The Corporate Finance Department performs a vital function for Mercy Corps globally, interacting with all other departmental functions of the Agency in order to provide meaningful financial information to employees, management, donors, and regulators. Corporate Finance includes accounting, payroll, financial reporting and global treasury management functions. The Corporate Finance Department also works closely with the International Finance Department to provide monthly consolidation of over 40 countries’ and several subsidiaries’ financial information. It generates Mercy Corps’ and selected related entities’ audited financial statements, tax filings, debt compliance reports and other miscellaneous external financial and tax reports.
The Position
This position is responsible for multi-state US and international payroll related functions for a complex, rapidly changing workforce. In addition, this position provides support to the global Mercy Corps team and the Finance team in a timely and accurate manner with a spirit of teamwork and service.
Essential Responsibilities
PAYROLL
- Full-cycle semi-monthly and monthly payroll processing of designated HQ-Portland hired domestic and international (US Expatriates and Third Country National Expatriates) team members.
- Manage payroll notices and communication regarding new hires, transfers/changes, retroactive payroll adjustments, end of service activity, benefits, address changes and tax changes.
- Prepare and make required changes in the payroll system, including uploading new hires, adjustments due to merit and market increases, FTE designation and position changes, as well as all benefit changes, garnishments and other deductions.
- Upload and ensuring the accuracy of time keeping data and maintain proper payroll records for archives.
- Prepare, distribute and archive payroll related reports.
- Archive all payroll-related changes for Corporate Accounting and International Finance.
- Maintain all payroll filing and relevant correspondence.
- Calculate and distribute assigned final paychecks in compliance with state regulations.
- Support requests and inquiries from team members, resolving and responding to payroll issues within three days and escalating to Payroll Manager when necessary.
- Resolve ADP employee registration issues.
- Prepare any necessary tax amendments.
- Assist in the development of the Payroll Standards and Processing Manual.
- In the absence of the Payroll Manager, crosscheck peer Payroll Officer’s payroll preview against PAFs, as well as calculations, reconciliations and other payroll changes to ensure quality assurance.
- Assist with other payroll tasks and duties as assigned or needed.
COMPLIANCE
- Collect, verify and process monthly taxable benefits for Puerto Rico and international team members.
- May serve as backup to peer Payroll Officer to prepare and submit semi-annual “Payroll Salary Advance” notice to Field Finance Managers. Collect, review, approve and process requested semi-annual changes.
- Responsible for auditing and finalizing year-end W-2s, including processing W-2c’s if necessary.
BENEFITS
- As it relates to payroll, track team members on leave (workers’ compensation leave, family medical leave, etc.) and make any necessary adjustments to earnings.
- Prepare necessary semi-monthly and monthly reports including but not limited to 403(b), TCN fund transfer report, workers’ compensation report, additional voluntary deduction reports, and ad-hoc reports as requested.
- Ensure benefit related payroll deductions are processed in a timely manner.
- Prepare and provide all requested or necessary deduction related reconciliations in a timely and accurate manner.
- Closely work with Global Total Rewards during open enrollment (October – December) and TriMet open enrollment (August); upload changes into payroll system.
- Prepare for and support 403(b), TCN, SAIF and Chubb annual audits.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
- 3+ years of experience processing full-cycle payroll that reflects increasing responsibilities in a medium to large complex organization, including extensive experience with ADP.
- Strong understanding of payroll concepts and practices, including but not limited to state and federal regulations, complex reconciliations of pay adjustments, intersection of benefits with payroll deductions, etc.
- Multi-state payroll, time and attendance reporting and G/L reconciliations experience is preferred.
- International payroll experience and/or any type of exposure to international HR and/or business is strongly preferred.
- Exceptional customer service skills and a proven ability to interact effectively with all levels of team members and management.
- Strong analytical problem solving skills.
- High level of attention to detail and accuracy.
- Strong mathematical skills, excellent written and oral communication skills, and the ability to present and explain payroll information in an easy to understand manner.
- Intermediate to advanced ability with Microsoft Office, including Word and Excel.
- Associate’s Degree or Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business or Finance, or related field is greatly beneficial.
- Experience with Ulti Pro Human Capital System and Data Basics Time Keeping System is beneficial.
Success Factors
The successful team member is self-directed, innovative, action-oriented and an avid learner. They are able to work independently, employ effective time management skills, thrive in fast-paced environments and handle frequent interruptions and shifting priorities without sacrificing composure or excellent customer service. This individual demonstrates flexibility, resilience and the ability to build effective relationships with a wide variety individuals including team members based overseas. They consistently maintain high ethical standards and treat all people with respect and dignity.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
This position is based in Portland. In response to COVID-19, all U.S. team members will remain remote through the end of the calendar year.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.