Payroll Specialist

Payroll Specialist

Accounting & Finance

Our Role: Want to do meaningful work that has a real impact on our community? Come join our team-oriented, family-friendly organization of over 100 talented public health professionals!

The Position: The Payroll Specialist is responsible for the performance of technical payroll processing and recordkeeping tasks for the District. Under general supervision, the incumbent prepares, reconciles, and audits payroll in accordance with policies and legal guidelines, provides back-up for other accounting positions as necessary, and performs general accounting clerical tasks as assigned.

Hours: 40 hours per week 100% FTE, may occasionally be required to work a varied schedule that may include evening and weekend hours.

Status: Regular - Permanent full-time position

Benefits: The District offers a comprehensive health benefit plan which includes medical, dental, vision, and life coverages, including several voluntary plan selections through The Standard, MetLife, and Aflac. The District provides medical and dental coverage, contributing percentages of the average medical and dental insurance premium cost for full-time employees as follows: Employee @ 100%, Employee & Spouse @ 90%, Employee & Child(ren) @ 90%, and Full Family @ 85%. Benefits include generous paid time off and twelve paid holidays per year. Employees participate in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), a defined benefit retirement plan managed by the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and Social Security. Three deferred compensation plans are also offered.

Essential Functions

• Prepares and inputs data into the payroll system based on personnel action forms and employee electronic timesheets for month-end payroll.
• Ensures adherence to federal, state, and local tax regulations and labor laws.
• Reviews employee electronic timecards for accuracy in accordance with the District's employee manual and other policies related to time and pay. Follows up with employee and/or employee's manager regarding any time and pay issues.
• Inputs gross wage and benefits data into payroll spreadsheets.
• Prepares payroll distribution reports and reconciles payroll and benefits.
• Addresses employee inquiries regarding pay, tax withholdings, and deductions.
• Responds to benefit provider requests and ensures accurate and timely reporting and payment.
• Maintains accurate and organized payroll records and files in compliance with applicable laws and District policy.
• Maintains confidentiality in communication and workspace.
• Prepares quarterly 941 and other tax reports.
• Generates, prints, and distributes W-2s to employees by established deadlines.
• Performs regular daily accounting duties; provides operational backup to accounting assistants to balance workloads and ensure continuous program coverage as needed.
• Supports team members in accomplishing program and District goals and objectives.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Work is performed primarily indoors in an office environment.
• Requires the ability to communicate with others orally, face to face and by telephone.
• Requires manual and finger dexterity and hand-eye-arm coordination to write and to operate computers and a variety of general office equipment. Requires mobility to accomplish other desktop work, retrieve files, and to move to various District locations. Requires visual acuity to read computer screens, printed materials, and detailed information. Essential duties may involve occasional kneeling, squatting, crouching, stooping, crawling, standing, bending, climbing (to stack, store or retrieve supplies or various office equipment).
• May occasionally be required to work a varying schedule which may include evenings and weekends.
• Requires the ability to alternatively sit and stand for sustained periods of time for customer service transactions.
• May be exposed to individuals from the public who are upset, angry, agitated and sometimes hostile, requiring the use of conflict management and coping skills.
• Frequently required to perform work in confidence and under pressure for deadlines, and to maintain professional composure, tact, patience, and courtesy at all times.
• Requires the ability to lift and/or carry objects and materials weighing up to ten pounds. Occasionally, the incumbent in this position may be required to lift and/or carry objects and materials weighing up to twenty pounds. Rarely, the incumbent in this position may be required to lift and/or carry objects and materials weighing up to fifty pounds.
• May be required to stay at or return to work during public health incidents and/or emergencies to perform duties specific to this classification or to perform other duties as requested in an assigned response position. This may require working a non-traditional work schedule or working outside normal assigned duties during the incident and/or emergency.

Education & Experience

• An Associates of Arts (AA) degree, including demonstrated coursework in college-level accounting or related field; and
• Three (3) years of experience in a fiscal office for a local government or municipality or five (5) years of experience in general accounting, bookkeeping, or related field. OR
• An equivalent combination of education, experience and professional certification may be qualifying, provided the individual's background demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities required for the position.

Payroll accounting experience is preferred. A Washington State Certified Public Accountant license may be substituted for the minimum qualifications. Degrees must be from appropriately accredited institutions.

Required Knowledge & Abilities

• Knowledge of current payroll best practices.
• Theory and practice of standard double-entry bookkeeping
• Accounting principles, theories, concepts, and terms.
• Standard fiscal office functions and modern office methods, procedures, and equipment.
• Correct English usage including grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Communication business practices including electronic, telephone, or direct public contact.
• Computer operation and a variety of software including word processing, spreadsheet, database, and other applications related to the area of assignment.
• Ability to classify accounting transactions, maintain and reconcile accounts, close accounts, and prepare reports and statements.
• Acquire knowledge of specialized procedures and subject matter encountered in specific assignments of the position.
• Maintain responsibility for a variety of routine duties without regular direction.
• Perform a variety of tasks requiring a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Schedule workflow to meet regular deadlines.
• Perform complex computations quickly and accurately.
• Assure that absolute confidentiality is maintained as required and sensitive information is handled appropriately.
• Fulfill the commitment of the District to provide outstanding customer service.
• Work effectively in a multi-task environment.
• Take appropriate initiative.
• Prioritize and plan own work activities with limited supervision. Use work time and resources effectively. Interpret, explain, evaluate, and recommend payroll policies and procedures.
• Be attentive to detail, consistently follow written and oral instructions and guidelines, maintain accurate and complete records, make complex mathematical calculations, check data, and prepare and review material in reports and correspondence.
• Proficiently and accurately operate office and other equipment standard to the area of assignment.
• Utilize computers, related software, and automated equipment to produce worksheets and reports, typing with sufficient speed and accuracy to accomplish assignments in a timely manner.
• Communicate orally and in writing in a clear, comprehensive, effective, and professional manner.
• Maintain emotional regulation during disagreements, seek clarity rather than defensiveness, and show measurable growth through consistent follow-through.
• Demonstrate openness to feedback, curiosity about personal impact, and the ability to translate guidance into behavioral changes.
• Exercise discretion and sound independent judgment in decision making.
• Coordinate, organize, and prioritize work; follow directions, instructions, and protocols in the course of duties assigned.
• Work both independently and cooperatively within a collaborative team-oriented environment.
• Maintain current knowledge for assigned areas and adapt to new technologies, keeping technical skills up to date.