Payroll Technician

The Position

Why join the Contra Costa Auditor-Controller’s Office?
The Auditor-Controller’s office is seeking qualified individuals to fill one (1) Payroll Technician vacancy.

The Office of the Auditor-Controller’s primary mission is to ensure the fiscal integrity of the County’s financial records and to provide service, assistance, and information to the Public, Board of Supervisors, County Administrator’s Office, County Departments, Employees, Special Districts, and some regional non-county agencies. They are committed to providing exemplary professional service to all of our customers, while at all times treating them with fairness, integrity, respect, and trust.

The Payroll Division is responsible for the timely and accurate processing of payroll records for County departments and some special districts. The Payroll Technician performs specialized and complex clerical accounting work in reviewing, processing, and recording payroll-related transactions; they also resolve and process payroll corrections and adjustments, and perform other duties as assigned.

We are looking for someone who is:

• Organized. You will need to be detail-oriented and have the ability to prioritize and multitask effectively to manage your workload.
• A great communicator. You will need to have excellent oral and written communication skills to collaborate within the department and with employees and other departmental contacts.
• Ethical. We value integrity and honesty in the role and as individuals.
• Diligent and hard-working. We have deadlines based on payroll cycles and you will need to be mindful of those deadlines and work hard to process everything timely.
• Adaptable and approachable. We work in a team environment and need to be flexible in helping others and assisting when needed.
• Friendly. You will need to maintain positive working relationships with multiple parties including departments, employees, and outside vendors.

• Setting up and maintaining employee master file records
• Processing personnel transactions completed by Human Resources
• Calculating pay and making adjustments as needed for overtime, shift and hazard pay, vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Reviewing payroll input and output for accuracy
• Calculating deductions manually for off-cycle checks
• Adding and modifying direct deposit for employees
• Reviewing and calculating wage garnishments
• Processing wage verification for employees

• Your work will have a direct impact on the employees of the County who provide critical services to our community
• You will have ample learning opportunities that will allow you to develop your skills and abilities
• We have a strong and supportive team environment
• You will be challenged daily to build upon your knowledge

• You will need to learn to navigate through complex and sometimes conflicting rules, policies, or labor agreements in order to complete tasks and objectives
• Your customers will include some people with strong personalities and/or high expectations, as well as those who may not have a strong payroll foundation
• You will be working in an environment with time constraints and reporting deadlines

• Fact Finding: Obtaining facts and data pertaining to an issue or question
• Mathematical Facility: Performing computations and solving mathematical problems
• Reading Comprehension: Understanding and using written information
• Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job
• Using Technology: Working with electronic hardware and software applications
• Adaptability: Responding positively to change and modifying behavior as the situation requires
• Attention to Detail: Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products
• Establishing Credibility: Doing what he/she commits to doing and respecting the confidentiality of information and concerns shared by others
• Listening: Fully comprehending spoken communication
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Writing: Communicating effectively in writing
• Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
• Customer Focus: Attending to the needs and expectations of customers
• Teamwork: Collaborating with others to achieve shared goals
• Valuing Diversity: Appreciating the benefits of varied backgrounds and cultures in the workplace

Minimum Qualifications

License: Possession of a valid California motor vehicle operator's license. Out of state valid motor vehicle operator's license will be accepted during the applicant process.

Education: Possession of a high school diploma, G.E.D. equivalency or high school proficiency certificate.

Experience: Four (4) years of full-time (or the equivalent of full-time) experience in the preparation, processing, and maintenance of accounting documents and records, at least one (1) year of which included processing payroll documents.

Substitution for Experience: Education: 1) Completion of 12 semester or 18 quarter units in accounting from an accredited college or university can be substituted for one year of the required experience; additional education units in business administration, finance, accounting, auditing or a college degree in a closely related field may be substituted for the required experience on year-for-year basis; 2) Possession of a current Certified Payroll Professional credential issued by the American Payroll Association may be substituted for two years of required experience. No substitution is allowed for the required payroll processing experience.

Selection Process