Payroll Specialist

Payroll Specialist

King County's Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) provides equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, and connected to community. The DCHS Finance Section is seeking a skilled, knowledgeable, and highly motivated team player to serve as the Payroll Specialist to support the department's payroll processing and position control functions for over 700 staff.

The Payroll Specialist will process payroll and timekeeping actions to collect, organize, edit, and report data from multiple systems (including PeopleSoft and Tableau) to Central Payroll operations for production. This position will also assist in other payroll related activities; support agency-wide position control, maintain human resources and payroll related records; and provide information to management and employees regarding compensation and employment.

Job Duties

• Prepare, process, code, maintain and verify accuracy of payroll, benefit and personnel information.
• Ensure payroll and related documents are in compliance with County Personnel Guidelines, union bargaining agreements, state and federal statutes, and Department policies.
• Respond to telephone inquiries, correspondence, requests for information and questions regarding payroll, benefits and contract administration (as it pertains to payroll/benefits) from employees, peers, supervisors and other County agencies in a timely, courteous and professional manner.
• Investigate and resolve payroll issues and discrepancies in a timely and accurate manner.
• Use queries, spreadsheets and word processing software to analyze and calculate payroll data including retroactive calculations, create correspondence and develop forms.
• Assist with gathering, summarizing, analyzing payroll and position data from multiple systems for special projects, as requested.
• Support and audit position control for the agency.
• Solve technical problems related to the PeopleSoft system.
• Organize, update, and maintain the hard copy and electronic files.
• Act as the payroll subject matter expert for DCHS.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO HAVE:

• A minimum of (2) years of recent experience using PeopleSoft Payroll and PeopleSoft Time and Labor modules or comparable HR/Payroll systems.
• Strong mathematical skills.
• Good communication skills, both oral and written; effectively using discretion, patience, etiquette and professionalism.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Excellent customer service, people management and interpersonal skills, including ability to work with all levels of management and staff across organizational lines and outside agencies under challenging conditions.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality with sensitive and personal information.
• Ability to effectively plan, organize and prioritize work on a daily basis.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills.
• Ability to process HR transactions using an enterprise wide software Payroll/HR system program compliance with policies, procedures, program requirements.
• Excellent organizational skills, and the ability to prioritize work assignments and adjust priorities in a multi-task environment.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS:

• Experience using PeopleSoft system (or a similar system)
• Experience using Tableau Software

ADDITIONAL POSITION INFORMATION:

• This position has been designated Mission Critical. Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather. For more detailed information, please visit HR Policy County Operations During Emergency Situations and the King County Guidelines for Workforce Management in an Emergency.
• The Finance team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is Chinook, 401 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.
• This position is scheduled to work 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm. This position meets the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is overtime eligible with supervisory pre-approval.
• This position is not represented by a union.
• Classification: Payroll Specialist

WHO MAY APPLY: This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. Interviews for this selection process will take place on or around June 15, 2026. Candidates who wish to be considered for this position must submit an online King County application and respond to the supplemental questions. Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the requested and relevant information in the online application and supplemental questionnaire. Applications and/or supplemental questionnaires that state, "see my resume" are considered incomplete and will not be considered to be competitive. If you have any questions, please contact Phitsamai Xaxouthep, View email address on click.appcast.io.