HR Coordinator (Payroll, Visa and Personnel Liaison)

JILA is a joint institute of the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) located on the beautiful CU Boulder main campus at the base of the Rocky Mountains. Led by the roughly 30 research Fellows, JILA supports eclectic and innovative research programs that foster creative collaborations. The wide-ranging interests of our scientists have made JILA one of the nation's leading physical sciences research institutes. JILA has a total annual budget of $50 million, with 297 members (including faculty, staff, students, and postdoctoral researchers).

JILA offers a uniquely collaborative and mission-driven environment. The institute has a strong culture of intellectual curiosity, community, and inclusiveness, which provides a meaningful and engaging workplace.

Payroll Administration & Reconciliation

• Primary responsibility for administering, monitoring, reconciling, and resolving departmental payroll activities.
• Administers departmental payroll processes and ensures accurate and timely completion of payroll-related activities.
• Reviews payroll transactions, payroll registers, and employee compensation information for accuracy.
• Enters payroll expenditures into departmental financial records.
• Identifies discrepancies in salary, wages, stipends, benefits, funding distributions, and other payroll-related charges and coordinates corrective action.
• Coordinates payroll corrections and adjustments with CU Boulder Human Resources, payroll/HR service centers, employees, supervisors, and other appropriate campus offices.
• Monitors employee appointments, FTE, salary rates, funding distributions, appointment dates, and other information affecting payroll.
• Reviews and coordinates timekeeping, leave reporting, and other payroll-related records as appropriate.
• Assists employees and supervisors in resolving routine payroll questions and problems.
• Maintains appropriate payroll documentation and records in accordance with federal, university, and department requirements.
• Ensures payroll activities follow applicable university policies, procedures, due dates, and requirements.
• As required, enters changes associated with sponsored projects, grants, contracts, or other restricted funding.
• Identifies recurring payroll problems and recommends process improvements.

International Personnel, Visa & Immigration Administration

• Coordinates departmental visa-related processes for international employees, scholars, visitors, and/or other affiliated individuals.
• Serves as the department's primary administrative contact for international personnel and visa-related matters.
• Acts as liaison between JILA and centralized CU Boulder offices; coordinates visa and immigration processes, working closely with CU Boulder International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) and CU Human Resources (HR).
• Collects, reviews, organizes, and submits required documentation for international personnel and visitors.
• Tracks visa, appointments, and authorization timelines and deadlines.
• Monitors expiration dates and initiates renewal or extension processes as appropriate.
• Supports onboarding and appointment processes for international employees, scholars, and visitors.
• Ensures departmental actions are consistent with ISSS requirements and applicable university procedures.
• Maintains accurate and confidential departmental records related to immigration and visa matters.
• Communicates requirements, deadlines, and procedural information to international personnel and JILA leadership.
• Identifies potential compliance issues and raises them to ISSS or appropriate university offices.
• Coordinates changes in employment, appointments, funding, FTE, or other circumstances that may affect status or authorization.
• Provides routine guidance to department personnel regarding departmental procedures and ISSS requirements, while referring substantive immigration/legal questions to ISSS or other appropriate authorities.

Personnel Administration & Departmental HR Support

• Coordinates personnel actions including hires, transfers, changes in appointment, compensation changes, performance bonuses, funding changes, leaves, and terminations.
• Coordinates required documentation and approvals for personnel transactions.
• Maintains accurate employee and position records.
• Coordinates onboarding and offboarding activities for assigned job classifications.
• Assists supervisors and JILA leadership with routine personnel processes and requirements.
• Coordinates employee information changes with CU Boulder HR and other appropriate campus offices.
• Monitors appointment periods and identifies upcoming expirations or required actions.
• Maintains confidential personnel documentation in accordance with university policies and applicable privacy requirements.
• Develops and maintains procedures, checklists, and reference materials for recurring personnel processes.
• Performs other departmental administrative duties related to personnel and employee operations.

This position offers a hybrid work modality with 1 day of remote work per week.

• The annual salary range for this full-time position is $55,000-$65,000. Some relocation funds are available for eligible candidates.

• Bachelor's degree and 1+ years of relevant professional experience
• An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may substitute

• Attention to detail and ability to organize and prioritize tasks
• Ability to communicate clearly and positively with a variety of people
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and familiar with MS Teams and SharePoint

• Experience with HR leave systems and/or PeopleSoft
• 1+ years of experience administering payroll actions and coordinating with finance and accounting functions
• Familiarity with accounting and budget principles and how payroll and visa actions impact overall finance and projections
• Experience coordinating or being responsible for visa processes for international employees working in the U.S.
• Experience developing and presenting reports for a leadership audience
• Experience in an administrative support role at a higher education institute