Payroll Specialist

City of Coon Rapids • Coon Rapids, MN

10d • Onsite

About The Position

Under the general direction of the Assistant Finance Director, the Payroll Specialist plays a key role in ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time while maintaining payroll records, preparing reports, and providing helpful customer service and analytical support across the organization.

Requirements

• Knowledge of government and generally accepted accounting principles, practices, procedures and financial reporting.
• Considerable knowledge of the principles, practices, laws and requirements for payroll processing.
• Proficiency in computer programs including Windows, word processing and spreadsheet applications, as well as experience with computerized accounting and payroll systems.
• Ability to maintain and handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately, and to perform duties with tact and discretion.
• Ability to perform job functions with high degree of accuracy.
• Ability to organize and manage multiple tasks, and establish priorities to work effectively under pressure, completing work in a timely and accurate manner with minimal supervision.
• Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, and provide positive customer service.
• Ability to be detail oriented and follow through with tasks.
• Must have the ability to accept constructive criticism or discipline in a positive manner, initiating self-development to improve job performance.
• Regular and reliable attendance during scheduled work hours and outside regular hours as necessary.
• Maintains positive professional working relationships with all staff levels, other jurisdictions and outside agencies, and the general public.
• Performs essential position duties and responsibilities under the working conductions and physical demands described herein.
• Effective and respectful communication and interactions with other employees, supervisors, individuals from other organizations, and citizen customers.
• Associates degree in finance, accounting, human resources or related field, plus Three (3) years of payroll processing experience.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelors degree in finance, accounting or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Accounting experience.
• Experience with public sector payroll administration.
• Experience complying with collective bargaining agreements in payroll processing.
• FPC or CPP designations or actively pursuing
• BS&A Experience

Responsibilities

• Administers City payroll, including processing and auditing time sheets, paid time off requests and miscellaneous updates, working with supervisors and employees; establishes proper deduction amounts, accrual schedules for paid and unpaid leaves, PERA eligibility/ineligibility and enrollment, direct deposits, retro pay and other adjustments performing computer input and monitoring payroll proof.
• Responsible for timely deposit of payroll taxes and deductions, receive garnishments, wage levies, support orders, etc. and compute proper amounts.
• Prepares, receives, processes and checks accuracy and completeness of a wide variety of documents, records and reports requiring considerable knowledge of procedures and policies.
• Prepares a variety of annual, quarterly and monthly reports relating to FICA, PERA, insurance, retirement, tax withholding; Ensures compliance with State and Federal reporting standards.
• Processes annual PCORI and DPS reimbursement filings.
• Responsible for all PERA reports including auditing biweekly PERA payroll report, producing annual PERA exceptions report, sending notices and assisting employees and supervisors.
• Provides customer service, responds to payroll related questions and concerns, resolves and corrects issues, and provides information on payroll, and payroll related deductions.
• Appropriately handles confidential data with a high level of confidentiality and professionalism and responds to wage verifications or data requests related to payroll related data.
• Maintains employee payroll records in payroll/HR system and performs necessary system maintenance.
• Assist with annual workers compensation audit.
• Assist Human Resources in entering appropriate benefit and payroll deductions, open enrollment benefit processing and verification and updates the system and employee records.
• Reconciles payments for COBRA participants and retiree insurance.
• Notifies Human Resources of delinquent payments and enrollment discrepancies.
• Performs reconciliations for various deductions and employer expenses.
• Reconciles and processes payments for employee benefits participation ensuring appropriate payroll deductions, and vendor billings are correct.
• Provides back up to the Accounts Payable Clerk.
• Processes monthly State of MN sales tax remittance.
• Manages office supply inventory.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of changes to terms of collective bargaining agreements (CBA) and City policies which impact payroll; implements terms of CBAs.
• Assists Human Resources with researching payroll related CBA implementation issues.
• Performs other related functions as apparent or delegated.

Benefits

• The City of Coon Rapids is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively seeks a diverse workforce that reflects the community we serve. The City welcomes, and encourages all qualified applicant to apply regardless of race (including traits associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and hair styles such as braids, locks and twists), color, creed, religion, familial status, sex (including pregnancy or related conditions, gender identity/expression, and sexual orientation), parental status, marital status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit based factors or any other basis protected by law.

What This Job Offers

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