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Payroll Systems Supervisor

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Reports to: School District Financial Advisor
Division: Administrative Services

Our ideal candidate
You are a proactive, solutions-oriented payroll professional who takes the initiative to elevate the leadership and services this office provides to school districts. You are detail-oriented and accurate, with excellent communication skills. You have the ability to maintain focus and attention to details in a business office environment with frequent interruptions. You earn the trust of colleagues and inspire others through your positive attitude and professional expertise. You are a creative problem-solver, highly responsible, and take full ownership of your assigned responsibilities. You understand politically sensitive issues and handle yourself in a diplomatic and confidential manner. You conduct research, communicate effectively and use a high degree of professional judgment to solve problems or collaborate with others in that pursuit. You mentor and train others in an ongoing effort to advance the organization. You lead by example and foster a team environment. You are committed to providing the best service possible.

General description
The Payroll Systems Supervisor oversees payroll production and reporting, and human resources management and training for more than 20 external agencies, including the county education office, school districts, charter schools, and community colleges. The position supervises day-today payroll operations and services for the department and acts a liaison between the state and federal governmental agencies, the Santa Barbara County Education Office, the county auditorcontroller’s office, and school districts. Therefore, the consequence of error is high. The position requires professional judgment, political sensitivity, accuracy and attention to detail. This position performs a wide range of research, planning, and analytical, interpretive and advisory tasks as required to provide payroll services to external agencies. The payroll systems supervisor works closely with the finance systems supervisor to ensure seamless operations between the payroll and finance modules of the financial system.

This position requires specialized expertise in countywide payroll production, and the ability to use a multi-module, highly complex, fully integrated software system. It also involves training others how to use the system, and expertise in public retirement reporting, and laws, rules, regulations, and county and district payroll policies and procedures. This position is responsible for overseeing functional operations, development, testing and maintenance of data systems and the activities and services related to external school payroll units for centralized payroll production. It is also responsible for reporting retirement contributions and state and federal taxes, and the setup and maintenance of software for a variety of organizations with unique pay assignments, salary schedules, benefits, calendars, leaves, pay cycles, positions, and different types of pay in addition to base salary.

Specific duties and responsibilities

  • Plan, schedule, and supervise day-to-day payroll activities in the department and manage workload to meet deadlines
  • Supervise, train, and evaluate payroll unit staff
  • Advise internal staff and external agencies in all areas of payroll including payroll accounting, calculations, compliance, processing, retirement reporting, year-end activities, system enhancements, and system setup functionality
  • Assure payroll production and reporting timelines are met, maintain payroll controls, audit, analyze and reconcile payroll data in accordance with laws, rules, regulations and policies
  • Supervise centralized (internal and external) payroll production and take action to resolve processing errors to assure payments are made on time
  • Reconcile and prepare, transmit, and ensure accurate and timely reporting and depositing of federal and state payroll taxes throughout the month
  • Reconcile, prepare, and transmit federal and state quarterly and annual returns with applicable adjustments by set remittance timelines
  • Reconcile, prepare, and transmit W-2 and W-2 adjustment data in a timely manner
  • Oversee and make changes to countywide payroll records, tables, and matrices for the calculation of payroll compensation, statutory deductions, proper reporting of taxable income, and retirement compensation
  • Oversee the audit and reconciliation of retirement system (CalPERS and CalSTRS) reporting information and submission of data by set deadlines
  • Supervise the audit, collection, deposit, and reporting of employee and employer retirement contributions to the public retirement systems (CalPERS and CalSTRS)
  • Oversee internal and external compliance audits with outside agencies: EDD, CalPERS, CalSTRS and IRS
  • Propose new programming specifications and test system upgrades to ensure integrity of data in functionality in payroll and related modules
  • Analyze system-generated reports for completeness, compliance, and accuracy for the purpose of determining necessary system changes and modifications
  • Research and resolve help desk tickets related to human resource and payroll modules which requires an in-depth understanding of the financial system and payroll and accounting concepts, techniques, regulations, and policies; monitor and communicate the progress of software changes and enhancements
  • Provide training to internal and external district staff
  • Develop training materials and present workshops on payroll topics including compensation setup and calculations, amounts such as longevity and stipends that are in addition to base pay, assignments, benefits, calendars, categories/classes, docking adjustments, leaves, pay cycles, salary schedules, summer savings, calendar and fiscal year-end processing, W-2 and ACA 1095 reporting, retroactive pay processing, payroll vendor maintenance, positions, dependent care and medical reimbursement, TSA 403(b) and IRC 457 tax effects and limits.
  • Assist districts with financial system software setup and maintenance of workflow for HRAHuman Resource Authorization requests including Extra Work Requests and electronic timesheets
  • Compose and prepare correspondence related to payroll processing, reporting and other matters
  • Organize and express complex concepts or issues in concise terms to a variety of people with varying levels of experience and understanding
  • Review the work of others, answers questions, complete complex research, and computations
  • Act as a liaison on payroll matters with governmental agencies, IRS, EDD, CalPERS, and CalSTRS
  • Participate in planning department goals and objectives, provide sustained leadership and coordination of all areas of responsibility
  • Analyze and interpret proposed and adopted legislation related to payroll governance and reporting for operational impact and compliance
  • Perform other related duties as assigned

Requirements
Education: A bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, finance or related field. An associate’s degree may be accepted along with additional applicable, and progressively responsible experience.

Experience: Progressively responsible experience in areas of payroll, retirement, auditing, and accounting; in-depth experience using integrated payroll and retirement software.

Knowledge and skills:

  • Specialized knowledge of the laws, regulations, accounting standards, and procedures that govern payroll, and payroll and retirement processing
  • Advanced math skills to perform complex accounting, statistical computations, and data analysis
  • Ability to research and apply complex technical accounting and legal guidance
  • Knowledge of the California School Accounting Manual (CSAM) procedures, governmental accounting, and auditing desirable
  • Ability to convey personal and technical information to all levels of staff, manage and review performance, and solve complex problems
  • Well-developed English language, written communication, and presentation skills.

Abilities

  • Analyze payroll data and prepare clear, complete and concise financial records and reports
  • Independently establish, schedule, and sequence payroll accounting activities to meet all deadlines
  • Prepare account adjustments and custom reports using PC based spreadsheets and relational databases
  • Facilitate upgrades to software modules affecting payroll data and calculations
  • Conduct technical research and prepare complex arithmetic computations
  • Present information clearly and in an organized manner
  • Convey personal and technical information to all levels of staff, manage and review performance, and solve complex problems
  • Supervise and lead staff in a manner which encourages efficiency and teamwork
  • Analyze situations and adopt effective solutions
  • Work in an office setting, engaged in work of a primarily sedentary nature
  • Use common office equipment and retrieve documents
  • Have hand-eye-arm coordination to use a computer keyboard and 10-key at an advanced rate
  • Have visual acuity to recognize letters and numbers
  • Have auditory ability to carry on conversations in person and over the phone
  • Perform all aspects of the position.

Licenses and certificates
Valid California driver’s license

Working conditions
Work is performed indoors with minimal exposure to health and safety considerations.

Salary range 94

Series
Fiscal/Business

Approved by the Personnel Commission: June 29, 2006
Revised: June 24, 2008
Revised: May 25, 2017