DescriptionJob Description
POSITION: Payroll Manager
REPORTS TO: Director of Payroll
POSITION TYPE: 12-month
START DATE: May 2026
COMPENSATION: $74,930 - $94,303, Home Office Grade 6
THE OPPORTUNITY
YES Prep needs a dynamic Payroll Manager with a robust set of experiences, to make our mission a reality. As a YES Prep employee, you will achieve jaw-dropping results, create pathways to opportunity for our students, and build transformative relationships.
To put it simply, you will oversee the end-to-end payroll process ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely compensation for all employees. You will be responsible for managing payroll operations, payroll related audit data and ensuring adherence to federal and state regulations (including FLSA and Texas Education Agency requirements).
THE ROLE
When you join the YES Prep team, some of the work and responsibilities will include:
- Managing the full-cycle payroll process for exempt and non-exempt employees, including timesheet validation, salaried pay runs, supplemental pay, and stipend processing;
- Managing the review of accurate entry including hours worked, leave, overtime calculations, employee accruals, FLSA compliant practices and review of calculations for salary changes, retro pay, supplemental pay, mid-year status changes, and termination payouts;
- Validating all benefits, deductions, withholding elections, and tax configurations prior to each pay run and ensuring all appropriate items are accurately and timely funded verifying contribution limits, loan repayments, and employer match calculations if applicable;
- Overseeing assigned payroll specialists and managing pay cycle scheduling;
- Acting as backup for Payroll Director in the finalization of the payroll;
- Monitoring changes and full compliance with federal and state payroll laws, including FLSA, IRS regulations, Texas Workforce Commission requirements, and TEA guidelines;
- Ensuring accurate processing and remittance of required payroll taxes, garnishments and benefits;
- Managing the process of recurring audits completed by the team for employee pay, deductions, accruals, and tax settings to prevent errors and overpayments;
- Managing the review process for all Leave of Absence (LOA), FMLA, and ADA-related pay adjustments, including calculations of leave balances, verification of paid/unpaid days, and review of wage docks when applicable;
- Analyzing payroll discrepancies and consulting with Payroll Director to implement preventive measures to reduce future issues;
- Being a subject matter expert of system configurations, changes and upgrades;
- In collaboration with the Payroll Director developing, maintaining, and optimizing payroll processes within the ERP system, including configuration updates and workflow improvements;
- Additional duties as assigned
THE PERSON
We seek staff with a multitude of backgrounds, talents, interests, and ideas. Certain traits consistently shine through our most successful employees: passion for the mission, drive for results, care for students, and resilience. Other traits needed and desired for this role are:
THE MUST HAVES
- High school diploma or GED
- Minimum of 3 years of progressive payroll experience.
- Strong knowledge of FLSA, IRS tax rules, garnishment laws, and general payroll compliance
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail
- Strong analytical and reporting abilities
- Ability to work outside of normal hours and on weekends
- Openness to giving and receiving frequent feedback
- Ability to maintain emotional control under stress
- Ability to work urgently in a fast-paced and results-oriented environment
- Creates and maintains positive working relationships on a team and/or in a highly collaborative environment
- A dedication to learn, grow, and develop as a professional
THE MUST HAVE BELIEFS
- Belief in and commitment to the mission and core values of YES Prep Public Schools
- Desire to disrupt systemic status quos in education
- Willingness to go above and beyond to disrupt said status quos
- Passion to develop resiliency through a relentless pursuit of jaw-dropping results
- Conviction that high expectations + high accountability = high performance and high growth
THE NICE TO HAVES
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 2+ years of payroll manager experience
- Experience working in a Texas charter school or school district environment
- Advanced proficiency in Excel, powerpoint, and other MS Office programs
- Knowledge of TEA regulations and Texas payroll coding
- Teacher Retirement System Knowledge
- CPP, FPC, or similar payroll certification
THE PERKS
- Compensation - This position is an exempt, salaried position; offers commensurate with experience.
- Health and Supplemental Insurance - A $0 monthly medical option or a $24 monthly option that includes $50 YES Prep Paid Health Savings Account contribution, in addition to a variety of supplemental benefits including Dental, Vision, Disability, Life, etc. Employees must work 20+ hours a week to be eligible for a full spectrum of benefits, and 10 hours a week minimum for medical benefits.
- Retirement Plans - Participation in Teacher Retirement System of Texas and an optional 457b Retirement Plan.
- Paid Time Off - Employees working 20+ hours a week receive 15 days of Paid Time Off in addition to the system closures during the Academic Calendar.
- Paid Leave Programming - In the event you need to be out due to medical needs (including maternity and paternity leave), YES Prep offers paid leave, paid out at 100%, based on eligibility and tenure.
- Professional Development - YES Prep values longevity and performance over time. We invest in developing leaders through high-quality programs, effective coaching, and ongoing professional development.
- Award Winning Culture - The strong cultures of our campuses and Home Office are just one of many reasons we were named Houston's Best Place To Work in 2018, 2019, and 2021. We won the 2012 Broad Prize for Excellence in Urban Education and were a 2016 finalist as well
