Payroll Technician

The Payroll Technician within the City's Finance Department performs intermediate administrative and complex, financial work preparing, implementing, and maintaining an in-house payroll system and reporting. Work is performed under general supervision of and reports to the Comptroller.

This position may be required to work additional hours outside of normal schedule and or/certain holidays to meet payroll processing deadlines.

The preferred hiring amount is between $23.65 - $29.07 an hour ($49,192.00 - $60,465.60 Annually). Starting offer is based on applicable education, experience, and internal equity. This is a full-time, non-exempt, position which provides excellent benefits including 13 paid holidays plus 1 floating holiday, paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance options with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance, City's retirement options, gym membership reimbursement, tuition reimbursement, and continuing education/training opportunities. 

• For a general summary of benefits offered by the City, please click the 'benefits' tab on this posting, or visit https://www.charlottesville.gov/1047/Employee-Benefits.
• The City of Charlottesville manages its own retirement system and does not participate in VRS, however the City has a Portability Agreement with VRS and there are certain provisions that must be met. For questions pertaining to the Portability Agreement, please contact the City's Benefits Administrator at 434-970-3462.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations will be considered to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The essential functions of the job are not limited to those listed in the job description.  The City retains the discretion to add to or change the duties of the position at any time.

• Assists the Sr. Payroll Technician in receiving, verifying, and inputting accurate payroll data on current and former employees and retirees.
• Assists in the processing and producing of bi-weekly, monthly, and ad-hoc payrolls.
• Assists with processing W-2, 1099s, and/or other payroll related tax reports for year-end reporting.
• Establishes and reconciles payroll deductions, withholdings, and other payroll entries prior to running scheduled and unscheduled payroll.
• Reviews time entries for all employees and resolves any issues or discrepancies, in coordination with supervisor and/or HR.
• Ensures accurate and timely payments to employees and retirees, as appropriate.
• Provides customer service in response to questions regarding pay checks, deductions, withholdings, direct deposit, etc.
• Assists payroll customers with questions and issues regarding time entry.
• Creates and maintains records involving employees, retirees, and third-party vendors including courts and creditors.
• Receives and completes wage verifications.
• Balances, reconciles and posts payrolls to accounting.
• Prepare request for third party payroll payments.
• Distributes third party checks to vendors along with proper documentation.
• Works with other departments to test updates or revisions to existing system or test related systems.
• Assists with maintaining employee parking payments, invoices, and spreadsheets.
• Assists in the preparation of reports for the department, employees, and/or outside agencies on an as needed basis.
• Effectively receives guidance and direction from the Sr. Payroll Technician.
• Responsible for appropriate use and maintenance of City equipment, tools, and other resources, including work time. 
• Regular and reliable attendance.

Other Duties

• May act as a liaison for employees when dealing with third party vendors.
• Performs additional duties to support operational requirements as apparent or assigned.

Education and Experience: Candidates may qualify by demonstrating the required knowledge and skills outlined for the job through experience(s) other than formal education.

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business, or related field AND some experience in payroll maintenance or processing, financial or HR systems support, or a related area.

• Associate degree or college-level coursework in accounting, finance, business, or related field AND 2 years of experience in payroll maintenance or processing, financial or HR systems support, or a related area.

• High School diploma or GED AND 4 years of experience in payroll maintenance or processing, financial or HR systems support, or a related area.

• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of the specific requirements listed above.

Preferred:

• Experience with SAP or similar ERP system.

Certifications/Licenses/Other Requirements:

• Must have the ability to work occasional hours outside of normal schedule, which include weekends and/or holidays to meet payroll process deadlines. 
• Required to successfully pass a pre-employment background check and pre-employment drug screen.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics: 
Job Knowledge

• Working knowledge of payroll and state and federal payroll law.
• General knowledge of payroll as governed by DOL and FLSA.  
• General knowledge of bookkeeping methods and of routine accounting principles and practices.
• Thorough knowledge of standard office procedures, practices and equipment.

Reading

• Intermediate: ability to read and understand written materials such as payroll and financial data, specifications, routine contracts, multi-step instruction manuals, and reference materials.

Writing

• Intermediate: ability to organize data and write reports, prepare materials such as business letters, explanations, and summaries with proper format, punctuation, spelling, and grammar, using all parts of speech. Maintains standards financial records and prepares financial reports.

Math

• Intermediate: ability to deal with number systems; simple formulas, practical application of fractions, percentages, ratios/proportions and measurement including skill and speed in performing basic mathematical calculations.

Communication Skills

• Intermediate: Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, employees, retirees, outside financial agencies, and vendors. Contact that may involve stressful, negative interactions requiring high levels of tact and the ability to respond to aggressive interpersonal interactions. Elements of persuasion may be necessary to gain cooperation and acceptance of ideas. Exchanges and/or presents general information clearly, efficiently and effectively. Listens to the ideas of others.

Independence and Decision-Making

• Requires General Direction: normally performs the job by following general instructions or established standard operating procedures and/or policies. There is some discretion when making decisions among a few easily identifiable choices of the appropriate procedure or policy to apply to duties. Performance is reviewed frequently.
• Knows when to ask questions and monitors accuracy of own transactions. Analyzes information and records transactions accurately. Maintains accurate records and recognizes and corrects errors with authorization.

Technical Skills

• Skilled: comprehensive, practical knowledge of a technical field with use of analytical judgment and decision-making abilities appropriate to the assigned and apparent job responsibilities. Intermediate skill in Microsoft Office applications. Demonstrates user level skill and ability in software used. Demonstrates user level skill in special financial reporting and tracking systems used within functional area.

Fiscal Responsibilities

• Handles payroll and financial records. Prepares accounting and purchasing documents; and does research to justify decisions and language used in documents.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• No responsibility for the direction or supervision of others.

Other Characteristics

• Working closely with others as part of a team.
• Tedious or exacting work.
• Performing multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Frequent change of tasks.
• Frequent interruptions and requests for service.
• Must work effectively with confidential and sensitive information.
• May require additional hours outside of normal schedule, which may include holidays and or weekends.
• May require dealing with angry, frustrated and/or upset individuals.

Physical Demands:

• Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time. 
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer. Occasionally moves about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. 
• Must be able to communicate information and ideas so others will understand.  Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations
• Ability to observe details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Machines, Tools, Equipment, Software and Hardware:

• Typically requires use of standard office equipment and telephone, and related software and hardware; and any other equipment as appropriate or as assigned.  

Work Environment:

• Work is performed in an office environment where there may be exposure to computer screen for extended periods of time, monitor glare and dust.    
• The noise level is usually moderate.

Salary : $49,192 - $60,466