Position Overview

COME JOIN A TRANSFORMATIVE TEAM, with a record of proven, positive impact to the State of Illinois. The Illinois Office of the Comptroller is seeking applicants for the position of Payroll Operations Manager/Senior Public Service Administrator (SPSA).

The Comptroller is the chief fiscal control officer for the Illinois government, charged by the Constitution with maintaining the state’s central fiscal accounts and ordering payments into and out of the appropriate funds. The office processes more than 16 million transactions annually and serves as a “fiscal watchdog” to ensure that all state payments meet the requirements of the law. The Comptroller’s office provides meaningful and timely fiscal information to help state policymakers adopt effective policies. The office continually seeks new ways to improve how it serves the public. The Comptroller has updated and streamlined the Comptroller’s website and has led the process of updating the state’s payroll and accounting systems. Comptroller Mendoza is committed to running the Office of Comptroller as a financial watchdog for the interest of Illinois citizens and to installing the most modern and transparent systems to make the state’s financial information available to all. 

Subject to administrative approval of the Deputy Director of State Accounting, the Payroll Operations Manager (SPSA) manages staff and operations of the State Accounting Payroll Unit. The incumbent develops policies and procedures for State Accounting Payroll Operations.

Job Responsibilities

• Plans, organizes, controls, and directs the functions and workflow of the payroll unit; assists other state agencies, retirement systems, and public with resolving problems, new developments, or procedures.
  • Prepares correspondence for the payroll area, drafts payroll bulletins
  • Approves and assigns statewide payroll schedules, agency payroll codes, and payroll deduction codes within the Illinois Statutes jurisdiction

• Communicates, reconciles, and researches any payroll, retirement, contractual or household employee issues.
  • Manages professional and technical staff in the payroll unit; directs training needs of new and existing staff on procedures and systems
  • Guides employees and outside agencies with completing accurate payroll and pension payment processing, in a timely manner

• Directs special projects, operational studies, and organizational reviews for the payroll unit; including the implementation of a modernized statewide payroll processing system, and future payment system modernization projects.
  • Assists in developing, testing, training, and implementing any changes, new programs, or reports
  • Maintains compliance of current practices with the applicable Department, State, and statutory rules

• Consults with the Deputy Director of State Accounting.
  • Proposes accounting changes due to legislative, statutory, rule or procedural requirements related to payroll
  • Prepares analysis of the impact legislation and/or rules and regulatory changes may have on IOC and state agencies.

• Provides support to the Payroll Unit's Tax Accounting Manager, other state agencies, retirement systems, and the public regarding complex and technical accounting issues which arise in daily operations.
  • Provides ongoing technical guidance on accounting policies and procedures related to the payroll and retirement payment processing systems
  • Responds to non-routine inquiries from various sources assists in the development and revision of accounting policies and procedure manuals

• Assists with organizing the timetable for year-end tax statements, and reviews tax reports prepared for the Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue, and various state revenue departments.

Minimum Requirements

• Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college with courses in accounting, business or public administration.
• Requires four (4) years of professional experience in accounting in a public or private business organization including experience in governmental accounting, auditing, or management or any equivalent combination of training and experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prefers one (1) year of supervisory experience.
• Prefers previous experience utilizing an accounting system in performance of professional responsibilities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Requires ability to exercise judgment and discretion in developing, implementing, and interpreting departmental policies and procedures.
• Requires ability to estimate and budget for future needs and cost of personnel, space, equipment, supplies, and services.
• Requires ability to develop and maintain satisfactory working relationships with office officials and outside organization representatives and to deal effectively with controversial problems.
• Requires thorough knowledge of project management techniques, and the principles of effective leadership or supervision.
• Requires ability to devise solutions to difficult and technical problems, many of which may be of a precedent-establishing and research nature.
• Requires ability to judge project alternatives in terms of cost effectiveness.
• Requires thorough knowledge of staff utilization and employee motivation.
• Requires thorough knowledge of labor and employment development.
• Requires ability to train professional staff.
• Requires ability to plan, coordinate, and review the activities of personnel to meet defined goals and schedules.
• Requires thorough knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies governing the State Accounting procedures.
• Requires thorough knowledge of accounting and auditing procedures, methods, and techniques.
• Requires ability to direct and supervise professional, technical, and clerical staff engaged in accounting activities.
• Requires ability to prepare, review, and interpret complex accounting documents and reports.
• Requires ability to design and implement new or revised accounting reports.
• Requires ability to utilize spreadsheets and database functions in reporting budgetary and fiscal information, and familiarity with converting manual and/or paper-driven operations to personal and/or mainframe computer-based applications.

Benefits

This position is eligible to be a member of the State of Illinois Group Insurance program which includes health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage options. Additionally, this position will annually accrue 12 paid sick days, a minimum of 12 paid vacation days, 4 paid personal days, and be afforded 14 paid state holidays, prorated based on start date. 

Equal Employment and Commitment to Diversity

The Illinois Office of Comptroller provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex or gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training. The Illinois Office of Comptroller is committed to the fair and equal employment of individuals with disabilities under the ADA. It is the Illinois Office of Comptroller's policy to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the company. The Illinois Office of Comptroller prohibits any harassment of, or discriminatory treatment of, employees or applicants based on a disability or because an employee has requested reasonable accommodation. 

The Illinois Office of Comptroller is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace in which all employees have an opportunity to participate and contribute to the success of the agency and are valued for their skills, experience, and unique perspectives. This commitment is embodied in agency policy and organizational culture.