Senior Accountant (Payroll) - Financial Services Department

Department: Financial Services Department - Archdiocese of Los Angeles 

Status: Exempt, Full-Time 

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Payroll Manager, the Payroll Senior Accountant provides payroll processing support to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’s Catholic Cemeteries and Mortuaries (CC&M). The position also performs payroll general ledger accounting for CC&M and the Archdiocesan Catholic Center (ACC). The position supports accurate and timely payroll processing, assists with payroll-related questions and corrections, prepares monthly payroll journal entries, assists the General Ledger Accounting team with account and bank reconciliation, and supports month-end and year-end close activities. The position works closely with CC&M management, Human Resources, and Financial Services to resolve payroll and accounting issues, maintain accurate financial records, strengthen internal controls, and ensure compliance with applicable payroll, accounting, and Archdiocesan requirements.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Payroll Senior Accountant is engaged in the ministry of the archdiocese. Accordingly, the individual shall respect the official teachings, doctrines, and laws of the Roman Catholic Church, as set forth in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the policies of the archdiocese as set forth in the online Administrative Handbook.

Payroll Processing and Support

• Provide payroll processing support for Catholic Cemeteries and Mortuaries using ADP, ensuring payrolls are processed accurately and timely in accordance with established payroll schedules and organizational policies.
• Review payroll information for completeness and accuracy, including regular wages, overtime, bonuses, commissions, deductions, benefits, reimbursements, and other payroll-related transactions.
• Assist CC&M personnel with payroll questions, payroll processing requirements, corrections, and related issues.
• Review payroll reports and supporting documentation for unusual or potentially inaccurate transactions and coordinate resolution with appropriate personnel.
• Assist with payroll adjustments, off-cycle payrolls, voids, reversals, and other payroll corrections as needed.
• Coordinate with Human Resources and other departments regarding employee status changes, compensation changes, benefits, deductions, and other information affecting payroll.
• Assist with year-end payroll processes, including W-2 preparation and reconciliation, payroll reporting, and other year-end requirements.
• Maintain appropriate documentation and support for payroll transactions in accordance with established policies and internal controls.
• Assist with maintaining appropriate segregation of duties and payroll-related internal controls.
• Assist with ACC payroll with similar duties as assigned.

Payroll General Ledger Accounting

• Prepare and post monthly payroll journal entries for the organization, including wages, payroll taxes, employee benefits, deductions, accruals, and other payroll-related accounts.
• Reconcile payroll registers and ADP reports to the general ledger and investigate and resolve variances.
• Assists the General Ledger Accounting Team to prepare monthly account reconciliations for payroll-related balance sheet accounts, including payroll liabilities, payroll taxes, employee deductions, benefits, accrued payroll, and other related accounts.
• Assists the General Ledger Accounting Team with monthly bank reconciliations and investigate outstanding or unusual items.
• Analyze payroll-related general ledger accounts to identify unusual fluctuations, errors, or transactions requiring investigation.
• Ensure payroll transactions are recorded in the appropriate general ledger accounts, departments, entities, funds, and cost centers.
• Assist with payroll accruals and other month-end and year-end closing activities.
• Research and resolve reconciling items on a timely basis and maintain appropriate documentation supporting account balances.
• Assist with the preparation of schedules and supporting documentation for internal and external audits.
• Assist with the preparation of schedules and supporting documentation for pension, benefits, tax, and other compliance reporting.
• Provide payroll-related financial information and analyses to Financial Services, Human Resources, and management as requested.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist with the maintenance of Archdiocese and departmental payroll and payroll accounting policies and procedures.
• Maintain confidentiality and security of employee payroll and financial information.
• Ensure compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP), non-profit accounting standards, and relevant regulations.
• Crosstrain with other Payroll and Financial Services team members to provide back up for key responsibilities.
• As required, support and assist the Investment Portfolio Accounting Team with transaction processing, month-end participant reporting process and customer service for participants.
• As required, support and assist the Program Accounting Team with general ledger accounting tasks such as transaction recording, preparation of bank and balance sheet account reconciliations and assistance with annual financial audits.
• Support other month-end and year-end financial close processes assigned.
• Perform other accounting and payroll-related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

Education and Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• An associate degree in accounting or a related field combined with significant relevant payroll and accounting experience may be considered in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.
• At least three years of related work experience.

Preferred Certifications and Experience

• Relevant payroll or accounting certifications, such as Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC).
• Knowledge and application of nonprofit fund accounting, including donor-restricted and board-designated funds, net asset classification, restricted resources, and related financial statement presentation and disclosures.
• Grant accounting and reporting.
• Experience within a complex and mission-driven nonprofit, religious institution, higher education institution, healthcare organization, or other decentralized multi-entity environment.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

• ADP payroll and time reporting modules
• US GAAP, internal controls, and financial reporting related to payroll
• Nonprofit, fund, or grant accounting as it pertains to payroll
• Mid-tier or large ERP system, preferably Microsoft Dynamics (Navigator)
• Integrating generative artificial intelligence into payroll processes and workflows
• Nonprofit operations and the unique needs of decentralized, religious, mission-driven organizations

Skills in:

• Enterprise financial systems (examples include Workday, Oracle, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Blackbaud Financial Edge, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar).
• Microsoft Office, particularly MS Excel.
• Strong written, analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills, with a high degree of emotional intelligence and integrity. Ability to translate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Generative and/or agentic artificial intelligence as they apply to payroll and accounting workflows.

Ability to:

• This position is based in the Archdiocesan Catholic Center (Chancery Office) in the Mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles; the archdiocese has many locations in Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara Counties in California. This position requires some travel to various locations.

Physical and Environmental Requirements

• Ability to lift to 20 lbs.
• Ability to sit for sustained periods of time daily, stand, walk, bend, crouch, reach above and below shoulder level, push, pull, grasp, or twist on an intermittent basis. 
• Utilization of keyboard, phone equipment, and other office equipment 
• Exposure to office environment level of noise, temperature, and lighting
• Busy office environment; frequent interruptions; multiple entities in large, complex, and diverse organization.