Lorraine Cheng
Riverside,USA
Summary
Professional with 15+ years of experience in leading operations and compliance management across public and private sectors. Expertise in strategic planning, system transformation, and audit readiness, with a track record of aligning operational functions with organizational goals. Demonstrated ability to optimize processes for accuracy and compliance, driving continuous improvement. Proficient in payroll processing, regulatory compliance, and executive-level reporting, ensuring high productivity and employee satisfaction.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Payroll Manager
University of California, San Francisco
12.2024 - Current
- Lead payroll operations for large scale processing within a complex health and academic system which includes multiple components of pay, location deduction processing, additional payments, imputed income, etc.
- Manages the accountability and stewardship of human, financial, and often physical resources in compliance with departmental and organizational goals and objectives
- Lead department-wide strategic initiatives to optimize accuracy and efficiency
- Responsible for campus and health payroll escalation process which includes coordination of escalation, resolution, and follow up to ensure best practices are adhered to
- Performs highly complex analysis for customer and employee inquiries and reporting
- Develop internal policies and oversee payroll audits and validations to ensure accuracy, data integrity, transparency, and compliance
- Supervise and mentor payroll supervisors and analysts, supporting professional development
- Serve as subject-matter expert on payroll law, subpoena response, and integration with HR systems
- Ensure compliance with Local, State, Federal, Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) to ensure best practices are established and maintained
- Understanding of University policies and procedures and recommends business changes when necessary
- Cross functional collaboration and support for optimal processing results
- Maintains and monitors payroll processes and transactions for timely and accurate processing
- Establishes departmental goals, objectives, and functions with autonomy.
- Responsible for future state planning and process improvement of payroll processes
- Ensures payroll staff meet processing Service Level Agreements
Payroll Manager
Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)
09.2024 - 12.2024
- Oversaw Dayforce/Ceridian payroll systems for a national workforce; managed tax and garnishment processes
- Drove transactional audits and enhancements; ensured SLA and compliance alignment
- Supported integration and communication between payroll, finance, and HR functions
- Overseen multiple payroll processes in Dayforce/Ceridian system including: Timesheet adjustments, employee changes, FICA changes, Local same day check processing and VISA changes
- Responsible for payroll escalation process which includes coordination of escalation, resolution and follow up to ensure best practices are adhered to
- Ensure compliance with Local, State, Federal, Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) to ensure best practices are established and maintained
- Overseen multiple payroll audits and validations to ensure accurate processing, data integrity, transparency and compliance
- Overseen and responsible for deduction processing which includes but not limited to wage assignments and interpreted law pertaining with holding and judgments for multiple states
- Responsible for Out of State Tax setup processes and transactions
Lead Payroll Analyst
University of California, Riverside
12.2021 - 09.2024
- Managed payroll integration and systemwide transformations, including PeopleSoft and GL reconciliation
- Led compliance efforts with tax law, UC policy, and federal/state labor requirements
- Implemented changes to internal systems, tested functionality pre-launch, and trained team members
- Coordinated with IT and HR departments for change management and process improvement initiatives
- Partnered with HR on local, state, and federal changes and compliance
- Administered Time and Attendance system and respective processes to ensure compliance with organizational policies, Federal and State regulations, Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) and bargaining agreements
- Responsible for Time and Attendance files and the integration process with HCM system
- Thorough knowledge of the file integration processes for all payroll and financial systems for changes and troubleshooting
- Responsible for campus payroll escalation process which includes coordination of escalation, resolution and follow up to ensure best practices are adhered to
- Supported all local payroll tools to facilitate accurate and timely posting of payroll and related general ledger transactions
- Gained thorough knowledge of University payroll accounting, accounting journals and processing transactions
- Performed highly complex payroll analysis in managing the review and reconciliation of university payroll and benefits accounts and records to produce required reports for university Executive Leadership
- Overseen the transformation of payroll data to produce accurate and timely general ledgers feeds that fully reconcile with the payroll data
- Led other payroll analysts on team in daily operations
- Thorough understanding of position funding and general ledger processing and reporting
- Conducted weekly meetings with internal location partners to share systemwide payroll updates, and provides guidance on Time and Attendance, Payroll, Salary Cost Transfers, and Position Funding systems
- Responsible for change management with campus stakeholders for payroll processes
- Responsible for initiating resolution, managing, and triaging human resource, payroll and benefits issues
- Consulted and worked in partnership with local IT departments external clients for system updates. Tested releases of payroll system updates and local payroll tools to ensure desired functionality prior to implementation
- Responsible for creating change requests containing mandatory changes to internal systems to be shared with programmers and developers
- Ensured compliance with Local, State, Federal, Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) to ensure best practices are established and maintained
- Overseen the non-resident alien taxation processes for employees and students to ensure compliance with Federal withholding and reporting requirements
- Participated in the development of short and long-range planning for the payroll team
- Participated in system conversion project into Oracle Finance
Shared Service Payroll Manager
University of California, Riverside
07.2018 - 12.2021
- Directed payroll and HR operations for Shared Services center, managing a team of 10+ professionals.
- Responsible for day-to-day operation which includes but not limited to entry of various payroll transactions, onboarding of new hires, rehires and affiliates and off boarding of existing employees, submission of payroll files, auditing and validation of payroll transactions
- Managed distribution of HR tasks for department, established short term and long-term goals for individual and team growth that were in alignment with the overall organization objectives
- Responsible for human resources transactions such as recruitment, hiring, budgeting
- Responsible for Leave of absence processing which includes the understanding of UC policy and applying it to every unique leave situation and consultation with employees
- Responsible for Benefits coverage consultations and confirmation of coverage
- Responsible for collaborating with Employee Labor Relations on confidential unique cases that require special handling
- Responsible for the interpretations of university policies for complex situations that require resolution
- Maintained a high level of customer service to internal and external clients by ensuring the team met Service Level Agreements
- Responsible for creating Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) containing service agreements with Partner Clients
- Maintained internal standard operating procedures to ensure the department is meeting organizational policies and compliance standards
- Responsible for initiating escalation and resolution, managing and triaging of human resource, payroll, and benefits issues
- Promote/implement continual process improvement which includes scheduling, training, motivating, team bounding, and leading by example
- Responsible for preparing training materials such as presentations, use case scenarios, and any other documents that are used to train new and current employees. Assist in conducting training; prepare reports for Executive leadership and correspondence; as well as tracking for all trainings
- Conduct root cause analysis and resolve discrepancies within UCR’s software: PeopleSoft, Service Link, and Time and Attendance Reporting System. Also find thematic issues and gap within processes, procedures, and data to make employee records whole as well as enhance our relationship with our clients
- Responsible for updating standard operating procedures and keeping leadership apprised of campus and system wide changes that have significant impact to our organization
- Maintained secure payroll systems and ensured alignment with strategic campus goals.
- Managed data integrity, prepared leadership reports, and led operational audits and root cause analysis.
- Participated in systems conversion project from moving payroll, HR, and general ledger information from Legacy System into HCM Oracle system and lead payroll initiative
Payroll Supervisor
University of California, UCPath Center
10.2015 - 06.2018
- Responsible for the development and implementation of all Payroll supporting processes, including Nonresident Alien Taxation, Out of State Tax, calculation of Federal, CA state and out of state tax deposits, wage assignments, etc.
- Tax and Payroll Law understanding to apply to daily operations and requests
- Ensured compliance with Local, State, Federal, Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) to ensure best practices are established and maintained
- Consultation and collaborations with UC location stakeholders, payroll processes to address and develop cross functional handoffs
- Responsible for writing and conducting annual employee performance reviews for direct reports and Performance Improvement Plans for employees not meeting overall expectations on annual performance reviews
- Monitored employee workflow through case management tool
- Ensured employee’s met processing Service Level Agreements
- Developed efficient processes for reconciliations for all tax deposits on Pay date, monthly, quarterly and annually
- Responsible for payroll escalation process which includes coordination of escalation, resolution and follow up to ensure best practices are adhered to
- Managed general deductions and reconciliation processes
- Managed Retirement contribution inquiries, contributions deductions, and funding
- Worked with vendors to ensure accurate data transfer
- Overseen Banking responsibilities such as ACH returns and deletes, stop checks, tax deposits, updates to direct deposits
- Developed internal payroll processing calendars and Standard operation procedures
- Responsible for the data integrity through maintenance and testing
- Responsible for the creation of W2 and W2c’s
- Completed Year to Date balance adjustments as needed
- Participated in systems conversion project from moving payroll, HR, and general ledger information from Legacy System into HCM Oracle system and lead payroll initiative
Senior Employee Services Associate
University of California, UCPath Center
05.2015 - 10.2015
- Payroll subject matter expert and responsible for coordination of payroll escalations
- Cross functional collaboration and support for expedited matters
- Responsible for escalated payroll inquires and complex situations
- Served as a liaison with the internal payroll partners
Employee Service Associate
University of California, UCPath Center
04.2014 - 05.2015
- Answered payroll related inquires
- Developed desk reference guides
- Served as a liaison with the internal payroll partners
Quality Control Coordinator / Supervisor
Exel Logistics
Riverside, USA
08.2010 - 04.2014
- Led HR/payroll transactions and reporting; enforced secure document handling and employee recordkeeping.
- Supervised team operations; maintained attendance systems, and managed sensitive data workflows.
- Managed logistics, reporting, and customer service.
- Ensured safety protocols and checklist were adhered to and in compliance with OHSA
Customer Service and HR Representative
Exel Logistics
Riverside, USA
08.2003 - 08.2010
- Responsible for customer services responsibilities in the office such as answering phones, responding to emails and recording data
- Completion and filing of all documents including notifications to the customer. Responsible for maintaining a weekly tracking log of the inbound loads and providing updates to the customer weekly
- Responsible for the accuracy of returned products and documentation. This included notification to sales representatives and providing real time data
- Responsible for any special requests via email sent by our client for data, inspections and managing data projects
- Responsible for making any inventory adjustments systematically and physically. Notifying our client providing reports with real time data
Education
MBA - Business Administration
University of Phoenix
Online09-2019
BA - Business Management
University of Phoenix
Online06-2017
AA - Accounting
University of Phoenix
Online10-2014
Skills
- Enterprise payroll strategy
- Leadership and mentorship
- Compliance and risk management
- Tax and labor law regulation
- Leave administration
- Payroll systems expertise
- Process improvement
- Organizational transformation
- System conversion
- Audit and internal control
- Cross-departmental collaboration
- Microsoft Office proficiency
Certification
- Certificate in Human Resource Management, University of Phoenix, 05/01/17
- Certified Payroll Professional Exam, Registered for Fall 2025
Timeline
Payroll Manager
University of California, San Francisco
12.2024 - Current
Payroll Manager
Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)
09.2024 - 12.2024
Lead Payroll Analyst
University of California, Riverside
12.2021 - 09.2024
Shared Service Payroll Manager
University of California, Riverside
07.2018 - 12.2021
Payroll Supervisor
University of California, UCPath Center
10.2015 - 06.2018
Senior Employee Services Associate
University of California, UCPath Center
05.2015 - 10.2015
Employee Service Associate
University of California, UCPath Center
04.2014 - 05.2015
Quality Control Coordinator / Supervisor
Exel Logistics
08.2010 - 04.2014
Customer Service and HR Representative
Exel Logistics
08.2003 - 08.2010
MBA - Business Administration
University of Phoenix
BA - Business Management
University of Phoenix
AA - Accounting
University of Phoenix
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