Payroll Accountant

Type of Vacancy: Salaried, full-time

Start date: March/April 2024

Location: Remote/home office anywhere in the continental United States

Report to: Manager, Financial Reporting

Supervises: N/A

Compensation: The full salary range for this position is $65,500 - $99,075 annually. There are two types of experience being considered for this role: Experience that is directly relevant to the role and Total Working Experience, in all fields. This includes: internships and consulting work. In collaboration with the hiring manager, the People and Culture team calculates experience based on the candidate’s most current resume. When calculating the offer, consideration is given to candidates that possess additional qualifications (i.e., desired qualifications). Teaching Lab will generally cap salaries for new employees at 105% of the midpoint to allow for continued growth in the role over time.

Teaching Lab is an equal-opportunity employer committed to reflecting the diversity of the students we serve. We pursue equity as both a means and an end and enthusiastically welcome candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this role.

WHO WE ARE

Teaching Lab is a nonprofit organization with a mission to fundamentally shift the paradigm of teacher professional learning to achieve educational equity. We envision a world where teachers and students thrive together in communities that enable life-long learning and meaningful lives. In partnership with teachers, we transform professional learning from the ground up to dramatically improve student outcomes. We also work with school, district, and state leaders to create the instructional systems necessary to support these changes. To learn more about Teaching Lab, explore our website at www.teachinglab.org.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

The Payroll Accountant will be responsible for the accurate and timely processing of the organization's biweekly (hourly) and semi-monthly (salaried) payroll while adhering to deadlines. This person is responsible for processing multi-state payrolls and 1099 contractor payments. The position requires working knowledge of payroll best practices and federal and state regulations.

• The Payroll Accountant will engage in the following:

• Payroll Accounting - Employee/Contractor Processing and Multi-State Payroll Taxes
• Assumes responsibility for preparing and processing biweekly and semi-monthly payroll for over 100 employees nationwide; reviews and ensures accuracy through pre-payroll reconciliations
• Enters salary changes, including bonuses, severance calculations, and PTO payouts into Paylocity based on documentation submitted by the People & Culture team
• Serves as the first point of contact for employees on payroll and deduction-related inquiries
• Completes the monthly account reconciliation process for payroll-related accounts, including but not limited to 401k, Flexible Spending Accounts, (FSA) Health Spending Accounts (HSA), garnishments, and other deductions
• Communicates with employees, vendors, and partners to resolve discrepancies related to payroll deductions
• Manages multi-state payroll tax registrations, including responding to tax authorities' legal notifications;   coordinates with Paylocity to address related action items
• Prepares general ledger journal entries that capture earnings and deductions
• In coordination with the Staff Accountant, tracks the status of 1099 contractor payment and expense reimbursement transactions
• Monitors and processes employee reimbursable spending on technology, office supplies, professional development, and employee wellness
• Reviews payroll processing reports and allocates wage expenses to the appropriate departments and projects in our financial management software, Sage Intacct
• Supports Staff Accountant in managing the annual 1099 contractor filings by verifying the accuracy of payment records
• Assists the Manager, Financial Reporting with the annual audits and calculates fiscal year-end leave accruals for financial reporting

• Cross-functional Collaboration 
• Collaborate with Teaching Lab Program and Shared Services divisions to identify new or enhanced financial-rated products and services necessary to optimize programmatic impact and operational efficiency,  and manage plans to develop and finalize those products and services
• Seek and respond to feedback from team members and adjust strategies and operations accordingly
• Conduct analysis to provide necessary financial information to inform decisions made by the Executive Team and the People & Culture team

• Continuous Learning
• Stay abreast of key research and guidance in the field, and attend learning experiences to build skills and competencies in operations
• Engage in personal and organized learning opportunities as a team member at an organization that aspires to be anti-racist and champions racial equity
• Seek and respond to feedback from staff and adjust operational processes accordingly
• Create and deliver training to other team members on core skills or competencies within the Payroll Accountant role which is also transferable and critical for other roles

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Manager, Financial Reporting, Senior Director, Finance, and/or Executive Team.

• The Payroll Accountant  is accountable for achieving goals set in collaboration with the Manager, Financial Reporting, aligned with FY24 goals, and especially, operational-specific Key Success Indicators (KSI) like: 

• Maintain Financial Stability: Teaching Lab is a financially sustainable organization with efficient financial operations.
• 80% of invoices are collected within 60 days
• Earned Revenue/philanthropy ratio does not fall below 40%/60%
• Profit margin remains at least 6%
• Annual net income generates a forward-looking 4-6 month cash reserve
• Operational overhead cost (administrative and fundraising) is <25%

• Operate efficiently and equitably: Develop and refine internal operational structures and systems to allow all team members and contractors to do their best work every day
• 90% of FTEs and PTEs agree that they “have the data or information I need to do my work right
• 100%, on average, of leads and clients are tracked in the CRM, following business rules, by the end of each month
• 100%, on average, of earned revenue and philanthropic pipeline data is updated, usable and accurate by the end of each month

• Be a Learning Organization: Teaching Lab model continuously improves in a way that is intellectually humble, responsive, and focused on increasing impact and scalability.
• Teaching Lab maintains cost of services at or below $1,500/teacher/year

• Project Lead: I will effectively lead my project teams to positive outcomes. Operate efficiently and equitably: Develop and refine internal operational structures and systems to allow all team members and contractors to do their best work every day
• 90% of employees on the projects that I lead agree that they “have the data or information I need to do my work right” 
• 90% of employees on the projects that I lead agree that the work processes and procedures are clear and sufficient 
• 80% of open positions (employee and contractor) on my projects are filled within 10 weeks from the time of posting
• Team members receive meaningful feedback for growth throughout the year: Project report cards and the PDS focus on direct feedback and growth.
• 80% of employees on the projects that I lead say they received meaningful feedback from Project Scorecards

• As applicable, within the role, model the radical commitments for our values.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance or a similar field, like Business Management or an Associate’s degree in Accounting or Finance, and five or more years of experience in accounting operations.
• 3+ years of proven experience in a multi-state payroll accounting environment and 1099 filing experience.
• Familiarity with accounting principles (GAAP), laws, and best practices for nonprofit organizations; knowledge of Federal grant accounting standards is a plus.
• Proficiency with Paylocity and Sage Intacct or similar systems and systems literacy.
• Proficiency with databases and spreadsheet tools (i.e. Excel, Google Sheets) 
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to interact with employees, vendors, contractors, and partners.

• Ability to work a flexible schedule to support operational needs
• Ability to perform the essential project, duties and responsibilities with or without accommodation
• All team members are expected to support program/project needs which could mean that you play multiple roles at Teaching Lab (i.e., project lead, support, subject matter expert, etc.). 
• Travel could be required for the role.  Travel is determined based on business needs and can vary depending on partnership/contract requirements.

• Teaching Lab seeks to fundamentally shift the paradigm of teacher professional learning by reaching more educators every year with the highest impact programming.

• Educators learn more than they would without us
• Students learn more than they would without us, in a way that cannot be predicted by race, gender, or family income
• Educators we serve say they love our approach, and they want to keep doing it to advance educational equity

• Collaboration & Responsive Service
• Resilient Solution-Finding
• Research & Learning With Humility
• Accountable Excellence
• Equity & Justice

• This position was made active on February 12, 2024 and will close on February 21, 2024. All applications received between February 12, 2024 and February 21, 2024 will be reviewed by the hiring team.

Application Terms & Conditions:

I understand that any falsification or omission of information from this Employment Application can disqualify me from employment (includes rescinding an offer of employment or if hired, employment termination). 

I understand that this Employment Application is not an offer of employment.  If employed, employment is at will, and either party can terminate the employment relationship at any time. 

I understand that if I am offered a conditional offer of employment, it would be contingent upon successful pre-work checks, which include references and verifications/checks for a social security number, education, employment, criminal records search (national and county), global watch list, and sex offender status.  Depending on a specific partnership/contract requirement, the criminal background check process could include fingerprinting.  At Teaching Lab’s discretion and with an individual’s signed consent, other checks could be completed based on the nature of the position.  Moreover, I understand that Teaching Lab participates in a background monitoring service that provides updates for criminal records and sex offender status.   

I understand that if I am offered and accept an offer of employment, I will be required to complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9), and provide supporting documents within three days of my hire date.  Non-compliance will result in termination of employment.  Teaching Lab participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, Teaching Lab is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before any action is taken against you, including terminating your employment.  Teaching Lab can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.  EVerify and Right to Work posters.

I understand that if I am offered and accept an offer of employment, I am required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 within eight (8) weeks of their start date.  All exemptions must be reviewed and approved by the People & Culture Team.  

I understand that if I am offered and accept an offer of employment, if I have a need for an accommodation related to a disabling (medical) condition that the request must be communicated to People & Culture for review and approval.  All requests will be considered as part of the Americans with Disabilities Interactive Process.  

I understand that if I am offered and accept an offer of employment, I must disclose all outside work (non-Teaching Lab) positions as an employee, contractor, consultant, advisor, board member, officer, director, or equity owner with any organization deemed to be a competitor organization or a conflict organization to Teaching Lab. Unless obtained the written consent of the Chief Executive Officer of Teaching Lab, I understand that I will not engage in or undertake any such other outside (non-Teaching Lab) position.

I understand that if I am offered and accept an offer of employment, I must undergo a 90 day introductory period.  During this time, appropriateness for the role and performance are evaluated.  At the end of the 90 day introductory period, Teaching Lab and/or the employee can end the employment relationship at will.

Teaching Lab has a payroll direct deposit program.  I understand that if I am employed, I am not required to enroll in Teaching Lab’s payroll direct deposit program, and I would be paid via a paper check.

I understand that if I am employed, all work materials/resources that are provided by Teaching Lab are considered property of Teaching Lab, and are solely for the use of work for Teaching Lab.

I understand that if I am employed, I will be required to sign acknowledgment of receipt and abide by all policies and procedures, requirements, and expectations as outlined in the Employee Handbook.

In relation to the position that I am applying for, I voluntarily give Teaching Lab consent to make a thorough investigation of my background, and release from liability all parties in connection with the supply and use of such information. 

The submission of my application serves as acknowledgment and agreement to the above terms and conditions.