University of Tennessee System · 1 week ago
Deputy Director of Payroll and Benefits, UT System Administration
Knoxville, TN
Full-time
Onsite
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
$115K/yr - $150K/yr
5+ years expThe University of Tennessee System is the state’s oldest higher education institution and preeminent public university. The Deputy Director of Payroll manages daily payroll operations across the UT System and oversees payroll processing, compliance, and audit support, ensuring timely and accurate processing of payroll, benefits, and retirement contributions.
Higher Education
Responsibilities
Manage daily payroll processing across pay frequencies and employee groups
Identify and influence prioritization of process and system optimizations
Serve as liaison to campus payroll offices, resolving issues and promoting consistent practices
Lead audit and reconciliation activities, off-cycle payments, and year-end processing
Troubleshoot payroll errors in Oracle Cloud and coordinate testing and fixes with UT HR and DTS (IT) teams
Use Oracle reports, Excel, and third-party tools to analyze and validate payroll data, trends, and detect anomalies
Support compliance through documentation, internal controls, and audit preparation
Help develop training content and maintain payroll operating procedures
Lead functional testing and process changes during system updates and projects
Prepare ad hoc reports and support dashboard development, requirements elicitation
Supervise payroll staff, providing training, support, and performance management
Act as operational lead during the Executive Director’s absence
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources Administration, or a related field
5–7 years of payroll or HRIS experience with operational accountability
Deep knowledge of payroll, tax, and reporting regulations
Strong technical and operational depth including ERP system experience (e.g., Banner, SAP, Oracle)
Analytical and reporting skills using Excel and other reporting tools
Excellent communication and problem-solving abilities
Ability to manage multiple priorities under strict deadlines
Strong knowledge of enterprise systems and HR/payroll integrations
Advanced Excel proficiency and experience working with large data sets
Proven ability to resolve system or payroll issues under time constraints
Clear communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences
Preferred
Oracle Cloud experience preferred
Proficiency with Oracle OBIEE / OTBI, BI Publisher or similar reporting tools
CPP or FPC certification
Familiarity with federal and multi-state compliance obligations, including FLSA and IRS regulations, retirement deductions, wage reporting, payroll and income taxes
Experience supporting audits, periodic software patching and upgrade intake, and payroll testing
Experience in higher education or complex public-sector environments
Benefits
Excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families
Generous retirement benefits
A wide variety of professional development opportunities
Supportive work and family benefits
Company
University of Tennessee System
The University of Tennessee System is comprised of campuses at Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Martin; the Health Science Center at Memphis; the Space Institute at Tullahoma; and the statewide Institute of Agriculture and Institute for Public Service.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
University of Tennessee System has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (143)
2024 (100)
2023 (100)
2022 (83)
2021 (77)
2020 (108)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Alyssa Thom
Senior Learning Consultant and Business Partner
Ramon Padilla Jr.
Chief Information Officer
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