Payroll Administrator

The City of Westfield is seeking an experienced, detail-oriented payroll professional to join the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office as a Payroll Administrator.

Working closely with the Payroll Manager, the Payroll Administrator will assist with the administration of the City’s bi-weekly payroll, including payroll processing, employee payroll records, timekeeping review, reconciliations, reporting, compliance, and year-end activities. The position will serve as an important second level of review within the payroll process and as a backup resource to the Payroll Manager.

The successful candidate will have strong payroll experience, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to research and resolve payroll discrepancies. Experience with a complex or governmental payroll environment is highly desirable.

• Assist with processing the City’s bi-weekly payroll using ADP Workforce Now.
• Maintain and review employee payroll information, including hours, earnings, deductions, benefit time, and other payroll-related data.
• Review timekeeping records, leave accruals, compensatory time, and other payroll information for accuracy and proper inclusion in payroll.
• Review payroll changes and supporting documentation for completeness and accuracy.
• Identify and research payroll discrepancies and coordinate corrections with the Payroll Manager.
• Serve as a backup resource to the Payroll Manager for payroll processing and other essential payroll functions.

• Perform payroll reconciliations and audits to verify the accuracy of payroll transactions and records.
• Reconcile payroll deductions, benefit-related activity, and other payroll liabilities to supporting records.
• Review payroll reports and transaction activity for discrepancies or unusual items requiring additional research.
• Work with the Municipal Accountant and other Clerk-Treasurer staff to research and resolve differences between payroll and the City’s financial records.
• Maintain clear supporting documentation and audit trails for payroll transactions, corrections, and reconciliations.

• Assist with maintaining compliance with applicable federal, state, and local payroll requirements.
• Assist with required payroll reporting and documentation.
• Generate and review standard payroll reports.
• Assist with year-end payroll processing, including W-2 preparation and reconciliation.
• Assist with payroll-related audit requests and preparation of supporting documentation.
• Maintain payroll procedures and assist with development and implementation of standard operating procedures.

• Respond to employee and department payroll questions and assist with resolution of routine payroll issues.
• Research questions involving pay, deductions, timekeeping, leave balances, or other payroll activity.
• Escalate complex, unusual, or high-risk payroll matters to the Payroll Manager.
• Communicate professionally with employees, supervisors, department representatives, benefit providers, and other parties involved in payroll administration.

• Three or more years of professional payroll experience, preferably in a complex payroll environment.
• Experience processing payroll and performing payroll reconciliations.
• Working knowledge of payroll practices, deductions, taxation, and compliance requirements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills and the ability to meet recurring payroll deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and the ability to work confidently with detailed payroll data.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive employee and financial information.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Governmental or public-sector payroll experience.
• Experience with ADP Workforce Now or a comparable payroll system.
• Experience with electronic timekeeping systems and payroll system integrations.
  
  Experience reconciling employee benefits, payroll deductions, and related liabilities.
• Experience assisting with payroll audits and year-end payroll processing.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.

The successful candidate will be:

• Exceptionally accurate and attentive to detail.
• Comfortable working with complex payroll information and recurring deadlines.
• Someone who enjoys researching discrepancies and…