Payroll Specialist

JOIN THE CITY OF ORANGE AS A PAYROLL SPECIALIST!

Under general supervision, performs complex specialized financial work required to coordinate the preparation of the City's payroll; maintains centralized payroll operations; prepares, maintains, and distributes a variety of payroll records and reports; prepares information in support of collective bargaining; and performs related work as required.

Recruitment Process:
To be considered for this opportunity, interested and qualified applicants must submit a complete online application—including the supplemental questionnaire—no later than 11:59 p.m. on May 25, 2026.
Please save the following tentative dates:Panel interviews are tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
Department selection interviews are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, 2026.Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Receives, reviews, verifies, and processes time recording documents to prepare payroll for all City employees; audits such documents for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with rules and regulations; prepares and balances payroll reports and records.
• Processes, calculates, and maintains records of a variety of payroll actions, including new-hire set up, overtime hours, cost-of-living adjustments, incentive and/or premium pay, retroactive pay, benefits withholdings, wage garnishments, and final paychecks and pay-offs based on appropriate provisions; maintains employee records for voluntary and non-voluntary deductions; prepares payroll benefit checks, electronic funds transfers and wire transfers; prepares reports and payments for various tax, financial, and insurance organizations.
• Calculates and processes pay and/or benefit adjustments due to workers' compensation, leave of absence and donated leave; coordinates with workers' compensation administrator, Risk Management and departments to ensure correct coding of industrial leave hours.
• Interprets, applies, explains, and ensures compliance with provisions of collective bargaining contracts and personnel rules as they apply to payroll and a wide variety of paid and unpaid leave usage; suggests contract and rule changes to improve payroll and time reporting.
• Applies and ensures compliance with applicable tax laws and rulings with regard to the employee benefits program as well as earnings.
• Receives and verifies timesheet data; checks for available sick leave, vacation leave, and other types of available leave; advises supervisors and employees on requirements of union contracts for time reporting.
• Processes personnel transactions making appropriate adjustments/changes in the payroll system.
• Tracks taxable and non-taxable wages, benefits, deductions and fringe benefits in Excel and reconciles data each pay period and quarter-to-date to various payroll system reports.
• Prepares reports and payments for employee retirement benefits; prepares quarterly Federal and State tax reports.
• Manages the reconciliation and payment of the City's health, dental, vision, life and long term disability insurances.
• Coordinates the processing of all annual Open Enrollment changes in the payroll system including cafeteria benefits changes, premium changes and employee election changes.
• Assists departments and employees by providing payroll information, explains procedures, and answers labor contract questions pertaining to payroll.
• Tests software releases to ensure payroll module is working properly and existing reports remain unaltered by releases.
• Maintains a variety of files and records related to the City's payroll system and general accounting techniques and procedures; reconciles transactions and data as directed; records changes and resolves differences, maintains the accuracy of the accounting and financial records.
• Posts and balances data to various general ledger accounts, registers, journals, and logs according to established accounting techniques and procedures.
• Checks and tabulates statistical and financial data.
• Provides training to other payroll staff on various financial information and electronic record-keeping systems.
• Assists the Financial Analyst and Payroll Manager with special projects as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Public agency finance and account functions, payroll processes and techniques, employee benefits processes as they relate to payroll, and laws, rules, regulations, procedures, and office practices related to the processing and recording of payroll and financial transactions related to employee benefits.
• Computerized accounting and finance systems and computer software and systems related to finance and payroll processes; other computer applications related to work, including word processing and spreadsheet software.
• Record keeping, information processing requirements and rules and policies related to the production of an employee payroll.
• Payroll reporting and payment requirements of various State and Federal agencies and benefit providers.
• Applicable regulatory relevant to assigned area of responsibility, including the City's various Union Memoranda of Understanding and related contracts and documents.
• Principles and practices of auditing payroll documents.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.

Ability to:

• Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of accounting, payroll processing, employee record-keeping functions, basic employee benefits processes, and Union Memoranda of Understanding.
• Review payroll and other financial documents for completeness and accuracy.
• Review, post, balance, reconcile, and maintain accurate and confidential payroll records.
• Work closely with staff to maintain a high level of integrity and confidentiality when dealing with sensitive and complex payroll issues.
• Compose correspondence and reports independently or from brief instructions.
• Establish, maintain, and research payroll and related accounting records and files.
• Make accurate arithmetic, financial, and statistical computations.
• Enter and retrieve data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy to perform assigned work.
• Establish and maintain a variety of filing, record-keeping, and tracking systems.
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade supplemented by college-level coursework or specialized training in payroll, accounting, or a related field and five (5) years of experience that has included the maintenance, processing, and preparation of employee payroll and/or financial and accounting processing and record keeping.Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person, before groups, and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in work areas and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects weighing up to 25 pounds.

Disaster Service Worker:
All employees of the City of Orange are designated by both State law and City ordinance to be “Disaster Service Workers.” In the event of a declared emergency or any undeclared emergency or natural disaster that threatens the life, health and/or safety of the public, employees may be assigned to assist rescue and relief workers. Such assignments may be in locations, during hours and performing work significantly different from the employees’ normal work assignments and may continue through the recovery phase of the emergency.
City Mission, Vision, and Values:
Incumbents in all City positions are expected to exhibit the behavior characteristics reflected in the City's Mission, Vision, and Values statements in the performance of their duties: The City of Orange is committed to excellent service for our residents, businesses, and visitors. As an organization, the City of Orange is the leader in delivering the highest level of service to meet current and future needs of the community. The City's values include Teamwork, Accountability, and Excellence.