The Functional Analyst Lead will work within Health Timekeeping Services (HTS) and report directly to the HTS Supervisor. The Functional Analyst Lead will provide direction and guidance to a team of analysts and/or assistants who are the points of contact for timekeeping and payroll-related inquiries servicing UC San Diego Health System employees.

This role will triage complex, multi-disciplinary cases to appropriate personal, including reviewing auditing of cases as well as running reports for data analysis and aging cases. This role will also be the point of contact for escalated and complex cases and provide guidance to team members, department personnel, and employees to drive effective and timely issue resolution.

This role requires critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills to research, analyze, and identify root causes to resolve a wide-range of complex timekeeping and pay-related issues. The incumbent must possess knowledge and experience as a payroll/timekeeping subject matter expert. The role requires exceptional customer services skills while balancing adherence to complex policies, collective bargaining agreements, and procedures to respond to all levels of inquiries. The Functional Analyst Lead will work independently as well as collaboratively with internal team members, employees and timekeepers from various departments, and other central and system-wide entities. The role will partner with stakeholders to identify and develop processes, as well as proactively evaluate compliance and process improvements/gaps. Depending on payroll deadlines, this role will require occasional work on weekends and some holidays.

Functional Analyst Lead:

• Provide direction for assigned timekeeping staff as appropriate under the direction of the HTS Supervisor.
• Assist HTS Supervisor in ensuring employees understand and comply with department standards, procedures and internal controls as applicable.
• Oversee daily assignments and provide input to management of staff performance, customer service, communications, and resolution of issues.
• Coach team members to become adept at new skill sets required to effectively manage relevant evolving applications, client relationships, unit and/or project management processes, and best practices
• Monitor daily operations of assigned staff and assess client needs to ensure compliance with federal, state requirements, collective bargaining and policy and service level guidelines
• Make recommendations for operational improvement. Identify areas with a high degree of errors and recommend control standards to mitigate risk, potential errors, and exposure to penalties
• Assist in training and hiring as needed. In coordination with the Training Analyst and HTS Supervisor, plan and perform training of existing and new processes and tools as needed
• Apply timekeeping concepts to perform complex analysis regarding overpayments, timesheet adjustments, final pay and retroactive pay. Analyze data, research alternative solutions, and recommend business process improvements
• Perform special assignments and provide analysis for complex timekeeping problems or projects as requested by HTS Supervisor
• Serve as an expert and resource in providing guidance in processing time adjustments and overpayments and identifying problems related to timekeeping activities
• Manage reconciliation of pre and post payroll reports to ensure pay accuracy
• Keep abreast of change in UC timekeeping processes, policies, and procedures. Demonstrated ability to interpret policies, procedures and contract agreements.

Functional/Technical:

• Effectively uses ServiceNow Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool to manage and prioritize competing issues/cases to ensure timely response and issue resolution for stakeholders.
• Ability to comprehend and leverage technical and functional knowledge of CRM, Timekeeping/Payroll, and Oracle PeopleSoft application tools to perform necessary analysis to resolve complex issues
• Ability to translate technical and/or complex issues into easy-to-understand explanations to stakeholders and clients

Customer Service:

• Ability to build strong working relationships with clients by actively listening to understand their needs. Leverage relationship to recommend new processes and procedures for issue resolution and improve client satisfaction and reduce the same issues from recurring
• Leverage understanding of client needs to institute processes, procedures, and partnerships that will improve client satisfaction and prevent service issues from occurring
• Ability to effectively prioritize competing priorities and resolve escalated pay-impacting issues in a timely manner

Critical Thinking/Analytical:

• Ability to triage complex problems across multiple systems to gather required data and perform analysis
• Ability to analyze and resolve problems quickly due to deep knowledge of timekeeping and payroll
• Ability to recognize cross functional data impacts and collect pertinent details to better understand problems and identify opportunities for improvement through training or effective communication.

Communication:

• Ability to convey information and ideas clearly, concisely, and in an engaging manner that helps the targeted audience understand and retain the message.
• Ability to effectively communicate to a broad and diverse audience and tailor approach based on targeted audience.
• Interact in an effective, professional manner with employees by answering questions via telephone, email, and CRM tool regarding timekeeping-related questions.

Uses skills as a seasoned, experienced payroll professional with a full understanding of industry practices and organizational policies and procedures. Works on complex payroll problems where analysis of situations or data requires a review of a variety of factors. Exercises judgment in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions. Utilizes contacts within the payroll office and across the organization.

• Seven (7) years of related experience, education/training, OR a Bachelor's degree in related area plus three years of related experience/training. Related experience: customer service working in internal payroll/timekeeping.

• Thorough knowledge of all payroll processes, policies, and procedures; knowledge of organization-specific computer application programs.

• Thorough knowledge of organizational processes, procedures, and possesses a strong understanding of organizational rules and regulations.

• Strong judgment and decision-making skills; verbal, written and active listening communication skills. Uses strong interpersonal and service orientation skills in interactions with customers and colleagues. Excellent organizational skills and ability to multi-task.

• Problem solving, problem identification, reasoning skills and ability to develop original ideas to solve problems.

• Experience working in field of HR and/or payroll preferably in a large, complex organization or Health system.

• Working knowledge of university staff personnel policies and collective bargaining agreements related to, or having impact upon, time and attendance functions.

• Demonstrate skill in analyzing information or procedures, understanding up and downstream impacts, defining problems or objectives, formulating logical and objective conclusions, and recognizing alternatives and their implications.

• Demonstrate strong analytical, problem solving, and organizational skills to effectively research and extract pertinent data and information from multiple sources to provide guidance and/or resolve issues.

• Exceptional writing skills to clearly, concisely, and logically articulate ideas, using appropriate editorial style and grammar; ability to translate technical information and concepts into easily understandable language for a diverse audience.

• Interpersonal skills to interact effectively and diplomatically with faculty, staff, administrators, and co-workers and to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with other staff members, subordinates, and managers.

• Strong collaboration and teamwork skills. Demonstrated ability to share knowledge with others to help them become more effective

• Strong knowledge of pertinent computer application programs, including University-specific applications and databases, departmental applications, word processing, spreadsheets, PowerPoint, and email. Ability to work in a highly-computerized environment, and must have the ability to add and update knowledge and skills as needed to meet the direction of the organization.

• Ability to keep abreast of constantly changing University systems, regulations, policies, and procedures

• Ability and judgment to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion

• Must be able to work various hours and locations based on business needs.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.