Payroll Accounting Specialist

Job Description

This position is open until filled, with a first review date of August 17, 2026.

Performs skilled clerical, bookkeeping, accounting, and administrative work in administering, monitoring, and maintaining the payroll and benefits function of the City, while ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal laws.

This position performs under the direction of the Assistant Finance Director and requires frequent contact with various City departments and employees. The Payroll/Accounting Specialist is responsible for processing the City’s bi‑weekly payroll, providing timely and accurate payments to benefit vendors and State and Federal agencies, and preparation of periodic reports and reconciliation of accounts and other payroll related activities. This position must perform complex, paraprofessional‑level accounting duties including the preparation and maintenance of accounting records involving complex sets of accounts such as budgets, analysis, and audits;

research and reconcile records and reports to assure accuracy and completeness.

• Monitors payroll related issues and maintains compliance with changing requirements. Enters, verifies, and reconciles employee information in the City’s computerized payroll system; maintains various system payroll and deduction codes. Coordinates benefits enrollments, terminations, and changes with Human Resources; administers changes with third‑party providers and the City’s software system.
• Responsible for state and federal deposits, Department of Retirement Systems, and other benefit providers. Prepares monthly and annual balancing reports to accurately prepare 941 quarterly as well as W‑2 reporting pursuant to appropriate laws and IRS guidelines.
• Responsible for all monthly, quarterly and annual payroll reporting and tax preparation/submission.
• Responds to garnishment inquiries and tracks disbursements to facilitate reporting requirements.
• Maintains all leave requests and associated accrual files; tracking of multiple leave banks governed by varying City policies and collective bargaining agreements (e.g., sick, vacation, floating holidays, wellness, and merit hours).
• Compiles payroll statistics and costs pursuant to varying requests. Coordinates applicable information and/or requests with Human Resources to maintain compliance with City policies, collective bargaining agreements, and state and federal laws.
• Review Personnel Action Forms for new, terminating, and active employees in the payroll system; make changes to master files as directed by Human Resources.
• Reviews computed wages and corrects errors to ensure the accuracy of payroll; edits and reconciles payroll records; runs payroll and processes checks, direct deposits, or electronic fund transfers. Assists in reconciliation of general ledger to various payroll reports.
• Processes bi‑weekly payroll which includes but is not limited to inputting timesheets, generating, and reconciling bi‑weekly payroll reports, and preparing and submitting withholding payments and benefits expenses.
• Configures payroll software to meet City and state requirements, such as creating new pay codes, deductions, and accruals, updating data tables, and setting deduction limits. Plan and implement improvements to the current payroll system.
• Develops specifications for automated system features, verifying functionality of applications, processes, and reports.
• Researches, tests, and evaluates payroll system errors, upgrades, and implementations.
• Reviews billings and benefit providers for completeness and compliance with established policies and procedures, resolves inaccuracies before processing through accounts payable subledger.
• Maintains central files; maintains master employee payroll files; ensures the accuracy and confidentiality of payroll records and reports while ensuring compliance with the State of Washington records retention schedules.
• Maintains knowledge of laws and procedures governing public sector payroll and reporting requirements, accounting systems, and Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System (BARS) and municipal budgeting procedures.
• Provides payroll and benefit information…