Payroll Specialist

Payroll Specialist

Sparks Group has partnered with a renowned local government authority seeking an experienced Payroll Specialist to manage and support end-to-end payroll processing while ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations, wage and hour laws, and organizational policies within Tyler Munis ERP. This role will handle payroll reconciliations, tax reporting, deductions, benefits, employee records, and payroll system administration while serving as a key resource to employees and the Finance Department. If you are looking for the next step in your career, apply now!

Key Responsibilities

• Process and administer payroll accurately and on schedule, including employee changes, retroactive adjustments, final pay, deductions, garnishments, benefits, accruals, tax information, and third-party sick pay.
• Ensure payroll compliance with federal and state tax requirements, FLSA wage and hour regulations, FMLA, organizational policies, and applicable employment agreements; research and resolve compliance issues as needed.
• Maintain payroll systems and records, including employee and position setup, personnel actions, payroll procedures, new-hire information, W-2 processing, tax reporting, and system documentation.
• Perform payroll accounting and reconciliation, including balancing payroll and general ledger accounts, preparing journal entries, tax worksheets, quarterly/year-end reports, and payroll analytics.
• Administer payroll-related programs and provide support, including deferred compensation, pension deductions, employee training, payroll inquiries, audits, special projects, and backup assistance to the Accounting/Finance team.

Key Requirements

• Associate's degree in Accounting, Business, Finance, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of payroll experience, including payroll processing, tax reporting, reconciliations, and related accounting functions.
• Strong knowledge of payroll regulations, including federal/state tax laws, wage and hour requirements, FLSA, and payroll policies; experience with governmental or municipal payroll is highly preferred.
• Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines, prioritize work, and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication and technical skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Word and experience working with automated payroll or financial systems (Tyler Munis ERP experience strongly preferred).