Payroll Specialist

This posting will remain open continuously until filled.

The Town of Castle Rock ’s future and the quality of that depend on the choices we make today. Do you want to be part of a team that make decisions that work now while preserving and protecting Castle Rock’s identity and quality of life for the future? We value teamwork, cooperation , and quality communication. We strive to provide exceptional public service to our customers and encourage creativity and innovation. We welcome all that share those values to apply.


Working for the Town of Castle Rock includes:

• The opportunity to make a difference in our community
• Career Advancement Programs
• Employee well-being program
• Competitive total compensation with an excellent benefits package
• Free membership to the MAC or Recreation Center
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness eligible employer

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for payroll processing and reporting. Includes auditing, processing, and reporting of all Town employee time sheets with extensive cross referencing and balancing to ensure a high level of accuracy.
• Reviews Personnel Action Forms and processes accurate voluntary and mandatory withholdings and deductions. Enters accurate accrual rates, direct deposit information, and cost center changes.
• Initiates and maintains master files for bank routing and account information. Reconciles payroll interface report. Balances funds and ensures all general ledger account codes are valid.
• Initiates and maintains cost centers and pay codes. Ensures payroll is expensed to correct general ledger accounts. Provides reconciled payroll information to the Accounting Manager and auditors for inclusion in the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR).
• Initiates, reconciles, maintains, reports, and pays employee benefits, including health, dental, life, retirement and deferred compensation to the appropriate plan providers. Prepares and reconciles reports; includes payroll journal entries and related account reconciliations.
• Maintains confidential payroll files and scans timesheets. Files mandated payroll reports with the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, State Department of Revenue, and Workers Compensation.
• Plans, leads and participates in a wide variety of special projects related to Payroll processes and systems.
• Researches payroll issues, state and federal tax law, wage and hour regulations, and applies in an appropriate manner.
• Prepares specialized reports upon request and answers questions concerning pay calculations.
• Provides employment verifications.
• Assists with coverage of inquiries and timely correspondence for the payroll email inbox.
• Provides customer and client support to employees and departments across the organization. Delivers responsive assistance and high-quality customer service through email, verbal, and written communication.
• May coordinate and deliver training sessions to employees and departments to support understanding of processes, systems, or procedures.
• Stays current with new developments related to payroll and maintains awareness of federal, state and local regulations and Town of Castle Rock Personnel Guidelines.
• Prepares annual audit work papers and accounting report schedules.
• Assists with or coordinates special projects.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: High School Diploma or GED equivalent supplemented with coursework in accounting

Experience: At least three (3) years of progressively responsible payroll processing experience or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. Experience with FLSA section 7(k), automated time and attendance software, and public sector experience is preferred.


Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of payroll procedures, processes and understanding of related controls and safeguards.
• Knowledge of personal computers and MS Office applications such as Excel and Word.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Knowledge of HRIS/Finance systems.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Ability to meet strict deadlines.
• Ability to calculate, compute, summate, and/or tabulate data and/or information. Includes the ability to perform subsequent actions in relation to computational operations.
• Knowledge of computer software programs for accounting and payroll functions.
• Knowledge of Town guidelines, procedures and policies that affect payroll processing.
• Knowledge of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the 207(k) police and firefighter exemption provisions of the FLSA. Ensures overtime is calculated appropriately for eligible employees.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisor, support staff and other departments/agencies position interacts with.
• Strong communication skills to address complex payroll issues and to lead projects.

Physical Demands:

• Sedentary work for long periods of time
• Occasional physical work lifting no more than 10 pounds
• Occasional lifting, carrying, walking and standing
• Occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; and stop, kneel, crouch or crawl
• Frequent hand/eye coordination to operate personal computer and office equipment
• Vision for reading, recording and interpreting information
• Speech communication and hearing to maintain communication with employees and citizens

Work Environment:

• Works primarily in a clean, comfortable environment

Equipment Used:

• Uses standard office equipment including a personal computer system
• This position may require the incumbent to occasionally use personal equipment (e.g. vehicle, cell phone, tools, etc.) in the course of their employment.

Must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check prior to commencing employment.


The Town of Castle Rock is an equal opportunity employer.

Equal Opportunity Employer


This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.