Accounting Technician (Payroll)

Santa Clara Valley Water District • San Jose, CA

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

Valley Water is seeking a detail-oriented and dependable Accounting Technician to join the General Accounting Unit within the Financial Planning and Management Services Division. The position supports the biweekly payroll process by helping ensure employees are paid accurately and on time. Duties include reviewing and processing timesheets, maintaining employee payroll records, processing payroll adjustments, and managing deductions, wage garnishments, and leave-related transactions. The technician also assists employees with payroll inquiries, resolves discrepancies, and helps ensure compliance with applicable policies, procedures, and regulations.

Valley Water’s mission is to provide Santa Clara County with safe, clean water for a healthy life, environment, and economy. Its work includes water supply, creek restoration and habitat protection, flood protection, and partnerships that provide trails and open space. The FY 2026–27 Adopted Budget supports approximately 876 employees. Valley Water is headquartered in San José.

The position is based at Valley Water’s primary physical work location in San José, California. Employees must live within 150 miles of that location by their start date. After completing a one-year probationary period, the role is eligible for a hybrid telework schedule, typically 40% remote and 60% onsite. The selection process may include application review, assessment, a performance exercise, a written exercise, and/or an interview. Position and start date are subject to availability of funds.

Requirements

• Three years of increasingly responsible accounting, payroll support, accounts payable, or financial records experience; public-sector experience is preferred.
• Ability to proficiently use Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, and web-based programs, or equivalent.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally.
• Ability to interpret and apply payroll procedures, policies, collective bargaining agreement provisions, and applicable federal and state requirements.
• Ability to identify discrepancies, research issues, and process corrections within established payroll deadlines.
• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple recurring tasks in a deadline-driven biweekly payroll environment.
• Knowledge of basic accounting and payroll principles, practices, procedures, and terminology.
• Knowledge of applicable federal and state payroll, tax-withholding, and wage-garnishment requirements.
• Education equivalent to completion of twelfth grade, supplemented by two years of college-level coursework in accounting, business administration, or a related field.
• No license is required.
• Employees must live within 150 miles of the primary physical work location in San José, California by their start date.

Nice To Haves

• Experience using automated financial systems such as Infor, Dayforce, PeopleSoft, SAP, or similar enterprise systems.
• Experience providing customer service to employees and managers on payroll, timesheet, leave-related, or other payroll-related questions.
• Public-sector accounting, payroll support, accounts payable, or financial records experience.

Responsibilities

• Set up and maintain employee direct deposit information, tax data, allowances, and other payroll deductions.
• Process and maintain wage garnishment orders and related payroll deductions.
• Complete missing timesheets for biweekly payroll.
• Review leave-without-pay timesheets and holiday-related entries.
• Process Accounts Payable check requests for returned direct deposits, process leave donations, and file payroll-related documents.
• Enter plant operators’ paper timesheets and leave-of-absence timesheets into the payroll system.
• Review and process prior-period timesheet adjustments, including on-call and jobsite pay.
• Respond to employee payroll inquiries, answer payroll hotline calls, and distribute payroll checks and direct deposit slips.
• Help ensure payroll compliance with applicable policies, procedures, and regulations, and resolve payroll discrepancies.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED