Senior Payroll Analyst

ST. CHARLES HEALTH SYSTEM                                                              

JOB DESCRIPTION

TITLE:                                      Senior Payroll Analyst

REPORTS TO POSITION:        Payroll & Timekeeping Manager

DEPARTMENT:                         Financial Services

DATE LAST REVIEWED:          July 2026

OUR VISION:                            Creating America’s healthiest community, together

OUR MISSION:                         In the spirit of love and compassion, better health, better care, better value

OUR VALUES:                          Accountability, Caring and Teamwork

DEPARTMENT SUMMARY: The Financial Services departments and functions provide many services to our multi-hospital and health care services organization including Accounting, Finance, Accounts Payable, Payroll, Financial Planning, Capital Planning and Management, Treasury, Grant Management, Real Estate Management, and Enterprise Risk Analysis and Management.

POSITION OVERVIEW: The Senior Payroll Analyst serves as the technical subject matter expert for St. Charles Health System's payroll and timekeeping systems. This role provides advanced technical and analytical expertise to support payroll operations, system configuration, reporting, compliance, and continuous process improvement while ensuring payroll accuracy, system integrity, and operational efficiency.

Working closely with the Payroll & Timekeeping Manager, the Senior Payroll Analyst leads payroll system configuration, reporting development, troubleshooting, workflow optimization, and system enhancement initiatives. This role serves as a technical resource to Payroll & Timekeeping staff, maintains cross-functional proficiency in biweekly payroll operations to support business continuity, and partners with Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, and operational leaders to improve payroll processes and system performance.

This position does not have direct supervisory responsibility but serves as a technical resource, providing functional guidance and knowledge sharing to Payroll & Timekeeping staff.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES:

Serves as the technical subject matter expert for payroll and timekeeping systems, providing advanced technical and analytical support to ensure payroll accuracy, system integrity, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency.

Leads the design, configuration, maintenance, and testing of payroll system functionality, including earnings, deductions, pay components, interfaces, and other system features supporting non-contractual, contractual, provider, and executive compensation programs.

Leads technical activities associated with payroll and timekeeping system upgrades, implementations, integrations, and new functionality, including requirements analysis, testing, validation, documentation, issue resolution, and deployment support.

Designs, develops, and maintains complex payroll and workforce reports utilizing calculated fields, advanced formulas, pay component groupings, and other reporting tools to support operational decision-making, compliance, financial analysis, and workforce planning.

Maintains cross-functional proficiency in biweekly payroll operations to provide operational support and business continuity as needed. Supports complex payroll processing by resolving payroll issues, validating payroll calculations, auditing payroll results, and assisting with payroll tax reporting, quarterly reporting, year-end processing, W-2 validation, and required regulatory filings.

Monitors payroll and timekeeping system performance and maintains system integrity through auditing, reconciliation, validation, troubleshooting, and root cause analysis. Identifies opportunities to strengthen internal controls, improve efficiency, enhance automation, and implement sustainable process improvements.

Leads the documentation, standardization, and continuous improvement of payroll and timekeeping workflows, procedures, and internal controls to promote operational consistency, compliance, and efficiency.

Partners with Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, and operational leaders on payroll-related initiatives, providing technical expertise, data analysis, and recommendations to support system enhancements, labor management, compliance, and organizational objectives.

Analyzes payroll, workforce, and timekeeping data to identify trends, compliance risks, labor cost drivers, operational issues, and opportunities for continuous improvement. Provides recommendations to leaders based on analytical findings.

Develops and delivers training, job aids, and educational resources for payroll staff, leaders, and end users on payroll and timekeeping processes, reporting capabilities, and system functionality. Serves as a technical mentor and resource for Payroll and Timekeeping staff.

Supports the Payroll & Timekeeping Manager in operational planning, strategic initiatives, department projects, and serves as a technical resource in the Manager's absence to support continuity of operations.

Maintains expert knowledge of payroll regulations, wage and hour laws, payroll tax requirements, collective bargaining agreements, and organizational policies to ensure compliance and support informed business decisions.

Supports the vision, mission, and values of the organization in all respects.

Supports Lean principles of continuous improvement with energy and enthusiasm, functioning as a champion of change.

Provides and maintains a safe environment for caregivers, patients, and guests.

Conducts all activities with the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and confidentiality. Complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, organizational policies, and corporate compliance standards, supporting the organization's corporate integrity efforts by acting ethically, reporting known or suspected violations, and cooperating fully with organizational investigations and proceedings.

May perform additional duties of similar complexity within the organization, as required or assigned.

EDUCATION:                  

Required: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Human Resources, Information Systems, or related field. Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.

Preferred: N/A

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATION:

Required: N/A

Preferred: Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or other certification through the American Payroll Association.          

EXPERIENCE:

Required: Five (5) years of progressive payroll experience with demonstrated involvement in analytical and technical functions, including payroll processing support, reporting, system configuration support, and compliance activities. Experience should include working with payroll and timekeeping systems in an analytical or systems-support capacity.

Preferred: Previous healthcare experience. Previous union payroll experience. Previous Workday and UKG experience.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT:

Must be able to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required to perform the job safely.

ADDITIONAL POSITION INFORMATION: 

General Skills:

Requires critical thinking skills, decisive judgment and the ability to work with minimal supervision. 

Strong analytical, problem solving and decision-making skills.

Must be able to work in a stressful environment and take appropriate action.

Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively

Strong critical thinking skills with the ability to interpret data and identify trends or inconsistencies

Ability to work independently while also contributing as part of a team

Strong customer service mindset with a focus on responsiveness and follow-through

Ability to adapt to changing priorities, systems, and workflows in a dynamic environment

Must have excellent communication skills and ability to interact with a diverse population and professionally represent SCHS. 

Ability to effectively interact and communicate with all levels within SCHS and external customers/clients/potential employees.

Strong teamwork and collaboration abilities.

Ability to effectively reach consensus with a diverse population with differing needs.

Ability to manage facilitation and consensus building among health care professionals and agencies and achieve expected results.

Ability to multi-task and work independently.

Attention to detail.

Strong organization, written and oral communication, and excellent customer service, particularly in dealing with challenging personal interactions.

Intermediate to advanced ability and experience in computer applications, and MS Office. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including the use of formulas, data analysis tools, and reporting functions.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Continually (75% or more): Sitting, keyboard operation, use of clear and audible speaking voice and the ability to hear normal speech level.

Frequently (50%): Standing, lifting 1-10 pounds, grasping/squeezing.

Occasionally (25%): Bending, reaching overhead, carrying/pushing or pulling 1-10 pounds.

Rarely (10%): Walking, stooping/kneeling/crouching, climbing stairs.

Never (0%): Climbing ladder/stepstool, lifting/carrying/pushing or pulling 11-50 pounds, operation of a motor vehicle, ability to hear whispered speech level.

Exposure to Elemental Factors

Never (0%): Heat, cold, wet/slippery area, noise, dust, vibration, chemical solution, uneven surface.

Blood-Borne Pathogen (BBP) Exposure Category

No Risk for Exposure to BBP

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