Accountant II (Payroll Administrator) (N13)

City of Annapolis • Annapolis, MD

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The City of Annapolis is seeking a detail-oriented, reliable, and analytical financial professional to serve as Payroll Administrator (classified as Accountant II). This position plays a critical supporting role in ensuring the accurate, compliant, and timely bi-weekly payroll processing for more than 700 municipal employees. The Payroll Administrator assists with timesheet verification, HRIS data maintenance, leave/overtime reporting, union contract applications, and employee payroll inquiries. Additionally, this position serves as crucial backup coverage for the Payroll Manager during peak operational cycles or absences. The ideal candidate combines strong numerical accuracy with modern payroll system knowledge and a desire to excel in a dynamic municipal finance setting.

Requirements

• Functional knowledge of general payroll administration, payroll tax withholdings, and modern timekeeping practices.
• Advanced skill in Microsoft Excel (e.g., spreadsheet formatting, basic formulas, data reconciliation) and general office productivity software.
• High numerical acuity with exceptional precision in data entry and calculations.
• Demonstrated capability to safeguard sensitive employee information, personnel records, and payroll data in compliance with privacy standards.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet rigid recurring deadlines.
• Effective oral and written communication skills required to interact collaboratively with municipal employees, supervisors, and department leaders.
• Possession of an Associate degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a closely related field from an accredited institution; OR A minimum of three (3) years of professional payroll, accounting, or related administrative experience.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience managing payroll within a municipal, county, or state government environment.
• Direct experience handling payroll in a multi-union collective bargaining environment.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise payroll/HRIS software platforms such as Ceridian Dayforce, ADP, UKG UltiPro, NEOGOV, or an equivalent system.
• Prior involvement in payroll system optimizations, post-implementation stabilization, or large-scale HRIS software upgrades.
• Knowledge of State of Maryland employment and payroll statutes.
• Familiarity with ERP general ledger workflows and payroll journal entries.

Responsibilities

• Assists the Payroll Manager in executing end-to-end bi-weekly payroll processing for 700+ City employees while meeting strict processing deadlines.
• Reviews and verifies employee timesheets for accuracy, proper supervisory approvals, and correct coding of leave hours and overtime.
• Enters and updates personnel payroll records within the Human Resources Information System (HRIS), including new hires, employee separations, pay rate adjustments, deduction changes, and direct deposit setups.
• Ensures accurate application of shift differentials, overtime rules, and specific collective bargaining union contract provisions under the guidance of the Payroll Manager.
• Calculates and processes payroll adjustments, manual checks, retroactive pay calculations, and data corrections.
• Responds to employee payroll inquiries and resolves discrepancies in a timely, discreet, and professional manner.
• Provides full backup coverage for the Finance Payroll Manager during absences or high-volume reporting periods.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree