Payroll Technician

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).

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. 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 with holdings, 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…