About ECE

Celebrating over 40 years of success, ECE is one of the most well-known and respected names in comparative international education. Our main product, an educational credential evaluation, is a report used by counselors, recruiters, registrars, and admissions officers in the U.S. and elsewhere to determine how the academic history of a foreign-educated individual matches up to American grading scales and standards. As the demand for talented professionals has increased around the world, hiring managers have increasingly relied on the expertise of ECE to review the credentials of employees. ECE is a medium-sized nonprofit organization with just over 100 employees.

Summary

The Finance and Payroll Specialist conducts daily finance transactions and operations. This role is responsible for processing payroll and related activities, managing accounts payable and receivable/invoicing transactions, financial reporting, and data gathering/analysis. This role works with, and supports, the Director of Finance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Payroll:

Serves as a subject matter expert on Payroll/HRIS system. Researches new and existing features to ensure maximum product efficiency. Assists with training of time tracking system.

Provides timely and accurate bi-weekly payroll processing including managing the payroll system and the provider relationship.

Processes payroll including wage garnishments, tax changes, multi state and jurisdiction configuration, general ledger administration, and paid time off accruals. 

Prepares journals related to payroll including job costing, tax return 990 reclassifications, and conference tracking.  

Prepares and reports on all aspects of the payroll cycle including overtime, headcount, wage analysis, tax reporting and reconciliation, expense reporting, flexible spending account tracking, benefit balances, and capitalization.

Processes payroll with an understanding of the relationship between payroll and benefits in order to ensure that vendor invoices are correctly tracked and paid.

Responds to inquiries regarding payroll and benefit policies and procedures.

Works with the Director of Finance on set up and decommission of a state’s payroll set up. 

Financial Statements and Reporting:

Assists with preparation of various financial reports and issuance of departmental analysis reports including staff support, IT equipment, conferences, refunds, and courier costs.

Monitors and analyzes accounting data and produces financial reports to include ad hoc analysis and projects as requested.

Budgeting:

Assists the Director of Finance with the annual budgeting process.

Accounts Payable:

Manages the accounts payable and related processes to ensure timely and accurate payments to internal and external customers.

Facilitates the accounts payable processing including set up of new vendors, vendor relations, payments terms, payment methods, trouble shooting, and maintenance of information.

Matches invoices to receiving documents and purchase orders. Resolves discrepancies and voucher invoices for payment.

Enforces appropriate policies and procedures regarding organization expenses.

Monitors and issues customer correspondence regarding method of payment. Prepares bi-weekly check run.  

Cash Management:

Reconciles all cash and bank deposits daily. Focuses on identification and resolution of issues, investigates and verifies irregularities or duplicated transactions. 

Prepares journal entries and daily bank reconciliations. Updates daily cash tracker used in forecasting. Downloads and maintains bank statements for audit.  

Reviews and records General Ledger transactions daily.

Taxes:

Supports and researches set up of tax accounts in new jurisdictions.

Assists in data gathering for preparation of tax filings such as the Form 990, annual audits, workers compensation, annual external financial reviews, the 5500, and other reporting requests. 

Management of Financial Processes:

Working in conjunction with the Director of Finance, reviews and updates documented accounting policies and procedures according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

Other duties may be assigned.

Competencies

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

Customer Focus - Responds promptly to customer needs or requests for service or assistance, solicits and applies feedback to improve service, responds to requests for service and assistance, meets commitments.

Communication- effectively communicates both verbally and in writing, maintains confidentiality, treats others with respect and consideration, effectively communicates financial information to non-financial stakeholders.

Commitment & Responsibility - Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan, ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent.

Cost Consciousness - Recommends and implements cost saving measures, conserves organizational resources.

Delivers Results - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness, looks for ways to improve and promote quality, prioritizes and plans work activities, uses time efficiently, makes suggestions for process, procedure, and systems improvements. 

Functional Expertise - Demonstrates accurate accounting practices and financial decision making, assesses own strengths and weaknesses, strives to continuously build knowledge and skills, shares expertise with others. 

Organizational Focus- Works with integrity and honesty, ethically upholds organizational values, works professionally with internal and external individuals, volunteers readily, asks for and offers help as appropriate. 

Judgment - Exhibits sound and accurate judgment, supports and explains rational for decisions, identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner, gathers and analyzes information skillfully, develops alternative solutions, uses problem-solving and critical thinking skills. 

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. 

Education/Experience               

Associate degree in accounting or business-related subject with accounting experience. Knowledge of U.S. accounting practices is required. A bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, or finance is preferred.   

Computer Skills                      

To perform this job successfully, an individual must have knowledge of processing software, general ledger, and payroll systems. Office tools include the internet, Outlook e-mail, and Microsoft Office suite programs. 

This position requires proficiency and experience with Excel including use of equations and formulas. Experience using Paylocity is preferred. 

Foreign Language Skills

No foreign language skills are required for this position, however, experience supporting an organization with a global scope is ideal. ECE serves individuals, institutions, and other key stakeholders from all over the world.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, and percentages.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This job has no supervisory responsibilities and reports to the Director of Finance.

Work Location

This position is eligible to be considered for a remote or hybrid work schedule. ECE’s office is located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

Wisconsin-based individuals will receive preference. ECE is currently unable to work with candidates living in the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Washington D.C.

What does ECE Offer? 

ECE offers a competitive base salary and comprehensive benefits. Compensation for this position is $57,720 - $66,560 per year depending on experience and qualifications. 

We believe balancing personal life and work life leads to engaged, productive, and satisfied employees. Many positions offer remote work opportunities and flexible scheduling options. The benefits package includes employer-sponsored life insurance and a rich 403b retirement plan contribution match in addition to health, dental, vision, flex spending account, and other voluntary insurance options. There are nine paid holidays annually and generous paid time off benefits in addition to flexible and/or remote work opportunities for qualified positions. Employees have opportunities to develop their professional skills through internal and external training.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.