University of Washington logo

Payroll Manager

University of Washington

Seattle, WA · HybridFull-time$92K/yrSeen 1 day agoSeen in employer's feed 1 day ago

Most applications go out cold — see where you stand first. No sign-up to start.

You apply on the employer's site, with no Olive account needed.

Watch jobs like this.

Don't just apply. Show up ready.

Olive works from this exact posting.

At a glance

Compensation
$92K/yr
Location
Seattle, WAHybrid
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Job overview

Housing & Food Services seeks a Payroll Manager for Business and Finance Services to manage end-to-end payroll operations and related business processes. The role oversees payroll accuracy and compliance for professional, classified, and student employees; serves as the Workday subject matter expert; and leads payroll staff. It also partners with campus stakeholders to resolve issues and improve operations. The position offers up to two days of remote work per week.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Payroll ManagementHRISPayroll ComplianceOvertime AdministrationCommunicationProblem SolvingOrganizationPlanningWork SchedulingPrioritizationData VisualizationAdaptabilityLearning AgilityWorkdayPayroll Systems

Qualifications

Bachelor's in Business Administration or Related FieldFour Years Payroll or Accounting ExperienceWorkday Security Role Training and Testing

Full job description

Hybrid (telework 2 days or less per week)

Seattle, WA

Full time

REQ-0000138261

Job Description

Housing & Food Services has an outstanding opportunity for a Payroll Manager for Business and Finance Services to join their team.

About this Opportunity

Manage end-to-end payroll operations and the related business processes, ensuring payroll data integrity within the financial systems and the accuracy of resulting financial statements.

Key Responsibilities

Manage Payroll Operations 60%

  • Oversee end-to-end payroll processing, including payroll administration, time and leave reconciliation, and compliance with federal, state, university, and collective bargaining agreement requirements for a department of 500 professional and classified employees represented under SEIU, WFSE, and the UW Professional Staff Program, and 900 student employees.

  • Develop and maintain audit schedules and monitoring processes to ensure successful completion of semi-monthly payroll processing and monthly leave accruals.

  • Serve as the Workday subject matter expert for HFS and provide guidance on payroll, time tracking, absence management, and related business processes.

  • Research, analyze, and resolve payroll issues; collaborate with the ISC and campus partners to investigate and escalate complex problems when necessary.

  • Develop, maintain, and analyze reports, dashboards, and metrics to support payroll operations, compliance, and process improvements.

Leadership and Collaboration 25%

  • Model behaviors that promote a positive, respectful, and collaborative work environment.

  • Serve as a member of the Business and Finance leadership team.

  • Build and maintain strong partnerships with HFS units, UW Payroll, Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, and other campus stakeholders.

  • Serve as the primary liaison between HFS and the ISC; identify trends, communicate recurring issues, and develop strategies to improve operations.

  • Collaborate with HFS Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, UW Payroll, and other campus partners to coordinate processes and resolve issues.

Supervision 15%

  • Supervise and direct the work of Payroll staff to ensure quality, accuracy, and timely completion of work.

  • Provide coaching, feedback, and performance management to support employee success and development.

  • Promote cross-training, knowledge sharing, and professional development opportunities to strengthen team capability and continuity.

  • Plan, prioritize, and assign work to meet operational needs and competing priorities.

  • Foster an environment that encourages learning, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Reports to

Assistant Director for Accounting Operations

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below.

Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Department.

Bachelor’s degree in business administration or closely related field and four years of experience in a payroll or accounting environment that demonstrates:

  • Experience managing payroll using an HRIS or the equivalent.

  • Effective administration of state and federal laws related to payroll compliance.

  • Administration of payroll for overtime eligible and overtime exempt staff.

  • Effective communication and problem solving with employees.

  • Effective organization, planning and scheduling of work.

  • Successful prioritization of complex and often competing priorities.

  • Effective communication, adaptation, and visualization of data for a diverse audience.

  • Curiosity and eagerness to learn and adapt to new technologies.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience working with Workday or other comparable payroll systems.

  • Experience in payroll management or related fields at a public institution of higher education.

  • Successful completion of training and testing required to execute Workday security role within one month of hire.

Working Conditions

  • Up to 2 days of remote work is available.

  • Position may require work outside of regular Monday through Friday business hours to meet payroll deadlines and support critical business operations.

About the Team

"Working together to enhance student life" is the Housing & Food Services mission statement. Housing & Food Services is a large and complex organization with a unified commitment to supporting student learning, growth, and success.

Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum:

$92,196.00 annual

Pay Range Maximum:

$92,196.00 annual

Other Compensation:

Benefits:

For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/

Shift:

First Shift (United States of America)

Temporary or Regular?

This is a regular position

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent):

100.00%

Union/Bargaining Unit:

Not Applicable

About the UW

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

Our Commitment

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81 (https://policy.uw.edu/directory/po/executive-orders/eo-81-prohibiting-discrimination-harassment-and-sexual-misconduct/) .

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or [email protected] .

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law (https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=28B.112.080) .

Use the filters or enter keywords in the search box (such as “custodian,” “nursing” or “manager”) to explore available opportunities. To find temporary opportunities, enter “temporary” in the search box.

If you are a current UW employee:

You must log into Workday and apply internally through the UW Jobs Hub.

Looking for faculty, librarian or academic staff positions?

Please visit our Academic Jobs (https://ap.washington.edu/ahr/academic-jobs/) site.

Looking for student employment?

Learn more on our Student Employment (https://hr.uw.edu/studentemployment/finding-student-employment/) site.

There are many perks to working for the University of Washington. Learn more about the benefits (https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/) that could be available to you as a UW employee.

Sign up for Job Alerts (https://wd5.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/uw/UWHires/jobAlerts) to be notified about job opportunities at the UW that interest you; you’ll be one of the first to learn when openings become available. You will be asked to create an account if you do not already have one.

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

How this job compares

Set against the 765 open People Management jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 4, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$92K/yr
  • Washington median$154–217K/yr24 salary ranges
  • US median$150–210K/yr637 salary ranges

This rate, $92K, is 53% below the Washington median midpoint ($197K) — in the lowest quarter of People Management salary ranges in Washington.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 24 open People Management jobs in Washington and 765 across the US. 11% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Washington
Experience
This posting asks for at least 4 years of experience — less than three in four People Management postings that state a minimum ask for (median 8 years, across 670 postings).
Education
160 of the 765 open People Management jobs (21%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 4, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

Prepare for this role

You've read the whole posting — now see how you match it.