Payroll Technician

Description

About The Department
We are a lean organization in search of employees who can work independently and collaboratively when needed. The Finance Department has primary responsibility for managing the City’s financial operations, including the Revenue Unit (Accounts Receivable and Business License/Cash Receipts), Finance and Budget (Budget, Accounts Payable, Purchasing, and Payroll), and Treasury (City Investments, Bond Financing, and Assessment District Financial Management).

About The Position
Under general supervision, performs technical and complex accounting work required to coordinate the preparation of the City's payroll; maintains centralized payroll operations; prepares, maintains, processes, and distributes a variety of payroll/accounting records, transactions, and reports; prepares information in support of budgeting and collective bargaining; balances and maintains manual and computerized accounting and financial records; and performs related work as required.

The Incumbent will maintain data and data integrity in the City’s Financial System, Central Square. The Payroll Technician will need to understand and apply policies, administrative guidelines, state and federal laws as well as collective bargaining agreements (memorandums of understanding). The incumbent will work collaboratively with the Human Resources Department as well as with all other City departments and employees of the City.

The position reports to either the Finance Director or the Accounting Manager.

Examples of Duties

The duties listed below are illustrative only.

• Receives, reviews, verifies, codes, and processes timesheets (electronic or manual) to prepare payroll for all City employees; audits such documents for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with rules and regulations; advises supervisors and employees on requirements of union contracts for time reporting.
• Processes, calculates, and maintains records of a variety of payroll actions, including new employee set-up, overtime hours, human resources transactions, incentive and/or premium pay, retroactive pay, benefits withholdings, wage garnishments, and final paychecks based on appropriate provisions; maintains employee records for voluntary and non-voluntary deductions; prepares reports and payments for various tax, financial, and insurance organizations.
• Interprets, applies, explains, and ensures compliance with provisions of union contracts, personnel rules and regulations, and applicable laws, codes, and ordinances as they apply to payroll and employee benefits programs; suggests changes to improve payroll and time reporting processes.
• Prepares reports and payments for employee retirement benefits; prepares Federal and State tax reports and year-end statements; prepares schedules and reports for auditors as requested.
• Processes and audits payroll batching reports, error reports, payroll registers, payroll warrants and wire requests, tax deposits, tax tables, periodic tax returns and reports, human resources action forms, annual paid-time-off accruals and payoffs, annual W-2 forms, rate schedules, and payroll schedules.
• Prepares and submits payroll vouchers for payment, including garnishments, retirement contributions, union dues, special funds, and benefit insurances.
• Posts, balances, and reconciles data to various general ledger accounts, registers, journals, and logs according to established accounting techniques and procedures; reconciles payroll liability accounts.
• Develops and drafts policies and procedures as they relate to payroll in coordination with the Finance Director and human resources staff.
• Maintains the accuracy of the payroll, accounting, and financial records.
• Receives, investigates, and responds to difficult and sensitive problems and questions; provides information and explains procedures; identifies and reports findings and takes necessary corrective action.
• Trains other staff on various payroll processing policies and procedures and record keeping systems.
• Assists in the implementation of new or upgrades to automated payroll and time record keeping systems and related applications.
• Assists as needed with a variety of routine to complex administrative and technical account support duties related to accounts receivable, accounts payable, business licensing, and/or department-specific technical account duties, including posting, balancing, adjusting, and maintaining manual and computerized account and financial records according to established policies and procedures.
• Assists customers, vendors, departments, and employees by providing answers and information regarding specific account information, discrepancies, general accounting procedures, and/or department specific issues and problems; researches issues regarding specific transactions; and updates related files and departments on action items.
• Assists the Finance Supervisor and Finance Director with special projects as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Any combination of education and experience as follows:

Education
Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade supplemented by college-level coursework or specialized training in payroll, accounting, or a related field

And

Experience
Three (3) years of experience that has included the maintenance, processing, and preparation of employee payroll and/or financial and accounting processing and record keeping. Experience with Central Square is a plus.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of principles and practices of public agency finance and accounting, including payroll processes, auditing, and reporting functions; computerized accounting and finance systems and computer software and systems related to finance and payroll processes; other computer applications related to work, including Microsoft Word and Excel; record keeping, information processing requirements, and rules and policies related to the production of an employee payroll; payroll reporting and payment requirements of various State and Federal agencies and benefit administrators; applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility, including the City's various Memoranda of Understanding and related contracts and documents; English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation; techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.

Ability to interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of accounting, payroll processing, and employee record keeping functions, Memoranda of Understanding, and related contracts and documents; review and audit payroll and other financial documents for completeness and accuracy; review, post, balance, reconcile, and maintain accurate and confidential accounting and payroll records; work closely with staff to maintain a high level of integrity and confidentiality when dealing with sensitive and complex payroll issues; compose correspondence and reports independently or from brief instructions; make accurate arithmetic, financial, and statistical computations; enter and retrieve data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy to perform assigned work; establish and maintain a variety of filing, record keeping, and tracking systems; understand and follow oral and written instructions; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines; operate modern office equipment, including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs; use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing; use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines; establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Supplemental Information

Bargaining Unit: SEIU
Annual Hours: 18820 (35 hours per week)
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Created: June 2013
Last Revised: December 2016