Payroll Systems Analyst (UC)

City of Santa Ana•Santa Ana, CA

About The Position

The City of Santa Ana is hiring a Payroll Systems Analyst to perform professional technical duties related to configuring, maintaining, and administering the City’s human resources and payroll system. The position supports the Payroll Division within the Finance and Management Services Department and helps ensure compliance with applicable policies, labor laws, and regulations. There is one vacancy. Applications are accepted continuously until enough qualified applications are received; the first application review deadline is November 11, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., and the recruitment may close without notice after that deadline. The role evaluates and troubleshoots payroll processing across the payroll and benefits lifecycle, develops and maintains system calculations, reports, and queries, and coordinates with in-house technical staff and external consultants to address system issues. It interprets payroll-related legal and labor documents, tracks legislative and regulatory updates, and researches system upgrades and design changes. The analyst tests and implements patches and releases, trains system users, documents issue resolution, provides technical guidance, and offers backup payroll processing support. The role may supervise technical and clerical employees and receives direction from the Payroll Supervisor and designated management staff. Minimum qualifications may be met through an equivalent combination of experience and education sufficient to perform the essential functions. The stated qualifications are three years of professional experience administering and configuring human resources and payroll systems and a bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, computer science, finance, or a related field. Supervisory or lead work experience is highly desirable. The position requires availability to work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays as needed. A valid driver’s license or alternative transportation that reasonably meets operational needs may be required.

Requirements

Three years of professional experience administering and configuring human resources and payroll systems.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, with major coursework in public administration, business administration, computer science, finance, or a related field; equivalent combinations of experience and education may qualify.
Availability to work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays as required.
A valid driver’s license, or the ability to use alternative transportation that reasonably meets operational needs, may be required.
Knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll regulations, including taxation, FLSA, and PERS.
Knowledge of public-sector payroll processes, personnel administration, payroll system configuration, supervision and training principles, payroll policy development, labor agreements, administrative processes, data analysis, English usage, records management, retention practices, data security, and modern office software and equipment.
Skill in configuring payroll systems, troubleshooting system issues, creating and managing payroll queries, reports, and interface files, and using business software including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel.
Ability to analyze and resolve payroll-system issues; interpret personnel rules, benefit structures, and labor agreements; apply applicable City policies and regulations; implement, test, and document system changes; analyze data and improve processes; supervise, train, and evaluate staff; perform accurate payroll calculations; and develop and deliver user training.
Ability to communicate clearly and tactfully, solve complex problems, work independently and as part of a team, prioritize work to meet deadlines, maintain compliant records and confidentiality, and establish effective working relationships.

Nice To Haves

Supervisory or lead work experience.

Responsibilities

Configure and administer the City’s human resources and payroll system.
Evaluate and troubleshoot payroll processing across the payroll and benefits lifecycle, including configuration, tax and benefit calculations, and reporting.
Develop custom system calculations and make corrections and improvements as needed.
Collaborate with in-house technical staff and external consultants to maintain the system and resolve complex system issues.
Interpret tax regulations, the Fair Labor Standards Act, Public Employees Retirement System law, memoranda of understanding, and other legal documents related to payroll and benefits administration.
Research and recommend system upgrades and design changes in response to legislative changes, user needs, and operational effectiveness.
Test and implement system patches, upgrades, and new releases; assess tax table updates and legislative impacts.
Train users on system processes, data-entry protocols, and data-integrity practices.
Document and track the resolution of system-related issues and service requests.
Create and maintain payroll queries and reports to support department operations.
Provide technical guidance and direction to payroll and human resources staff.
Provide backup payroll processing support and respond to inquiries about payroll policies, procedures, and schedules.
Research, collect, and analyze data and prepare findings and reports.
Maintain payroll records in compliance with retention and destruction resolutions.
Prepare presentations, documentation, and routine correspondence for internal staff, including timekeepers.
Monitor relevant federal and state payroll legislation, regulatory updates, and industry trends.
Recommend, develop, and implement payroll-related policies and procedures.
May supervise, assign, and review the work of technical and clerical employees.
Perform other duties as assigned.