Payroll Manager

POSITION PURPOSE:

Oversees the timely and accurate processing of multiple payrolls for the City of Racine. Verifies and processes time and attendance for all departments. Reviews salary & benefit data to ensure accuracy and timeliness. Ensures all payroll processes run properly and completely. Provides technical assistance and support to payroll staff as well as employees. Ensure timely reporting and payment of taxes and miscellaneous withholdings to appropriate agencies. Assists department leaders during annual budget process. Build and maintains strong, collaborative working relationships at all levels of the organization. Provides leadership to payroll staff. The Payroll Manager also evaluates and recommends changes in payroll processes/procedures, processes wage assignments and levies as required, and ensures compliance with policies, collective bargaining agreements, and legislation.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the payroll department and the accurate, timely payroll processing for approximately 1100 employees, ensuring compliance with policies, collective bargaining agreements, and legislation.
• Assist department leaders during annual budget process to calculate preliminary salary projections and ensure approved salaries are posted in City’s financial reporting system as directed by Finance or Asst. Finance Director.
• Stay informed of changes in state and federal laws and regulations affecting time & attendance and payroll administration.
• Build and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships at all levels of the organization. 
• As the payroll subject matter expert, work with Finance and IT department to lead the testing, development, and deployment of new application configurations and upgrades, with a focus on integrating functionalities into the City’s Tyler (Munis) environment. 
• Review and balance payroll related general ledger accounts, registers, journals, or other fiscal records to ensure accurate payments and accounting transactions. 
• Prepare all transactions and reports required by the Wisconsin Retirement Fund, including terminations, retirement applications, monthly deposits, and annual reconciliation. 
• Ensure data integrity and compliance with all relevant regulations through meticulous review and approval processes.
• Identify process improvement opportunities to ensure payroll operations are conducted in the most effective and efficient manner. 
• Review, enter, and process employee expense reimbursement reports
• Provide exemplary customer service to internal and external customers. 
• Maintain a professional appearance, positive work ethic, and pleasant disposition. 
• Interpret, understand, and implement payroll related components of City’s collective bargaining agreements. 
• Assist in recommending new contract changes as they pertain to payroll and record keeping functions, as needed.  
• Participate in professional development opportunities to increase knowledge base and understanding as it relates to the responsibilities of this role
• Demonstrate continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, and streamline work processes
• Develop and maintain process documentation for all payroll processes.
• Work with employees and supervisors to ensure time and attendance data is entered by designated payroll deadline.
• Ensure that employees at all levels comply with established payroll related policies, procedures and regulations 
• Ensure timely reporting and payment of employers and employee's withholding taxes and miscellaneous withholdings to appropriate agencies.
• Supervise work performance of payroll staff, to include hiring, evaluating, training, disciplining, coaching, and terminating as necessary; adjust workloads as needed.
• Ensure all payroll taxes, 457(b), pension and miscellaneous employee deductions are accurately reported and paid on weekly basis.
• Collaborate with Human Resources staff to ensure complete onboarding of new employees as well as termination of employees that are leaving the organization.
• Prepare and file reports in a timely manner as required by state and federal government, including state and federal withholding, 941’s, Wisconsin Retirement (WRS), W-2's, unemployment insurance reports.
• Stay up to date with payroll changes related to the City’s employee handbook or various collective bargaining agreements. 
• Work with designated Sr. Leaders to ensure affected policies/processes are implemented as needed.
• Develop, communicate, and train employees on payroll-related policies and procedures.
• Acts as liaison to internal departments to provide guidance and promptly resolve escalated issues.
• Maintain a good, consistent attendance record (i.e. punctual, reliable, regular presence)
• Coordinate and direct the entry of payroll file maintenance changes that are necessary to run payroll.
• Work with external partners to ensure accurate and efficient transmittal of payroll information, i.e., Nationwide, Standard, WI Deferred, WI Child Support.
• Under the direction of the Attorney’s office, fulfill Public Records requests and process Worker’s Compensation payments for employees.  

ASSOCIATED DUTIES:

All other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associate Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or Advanced Payroll Certification, or equivalent; 4-5 years’ related payroll processing experience, preferably in government. 
• Minimum of 2 years in a supervisory or management role. Will consider equivalent combination of education and experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

• Working knowledge of Collective Bargaining Agreements, desired.
• Knowledge of Wisconsin Statutes and Department of Labor regulations affecting payroll.
• Advanced knowledge of Federal and State income tax laws and regulations affecting payroll practices. 
• Ability to independently research and resolve issues or questions. 
• Ability to effectively manage time and prioritize workload. 
• Ability to maintain a high level of accuracy and attention to detail. 
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to establish positive working relationships with internal and external customers through good judgment, courtesy, and tact. 
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions. 
• Ability to learn and effectively use various department specific software programs.
• Advanced level of business English, spelling, punctuation, and mathematics. 
• Ability to resolve problems timely, accurately, with little to no supervision. 
• Ability to take control of difficult situations by anticipating problems, analyzing alternative solutions, and initiate appropriate corrective measures within established regulations, prescribed policies, and procedures.  
• Ability to maintain highest level of confidentiality.  
• Ability to work under pressure and handle stressful situations. 
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Access, Powerpoint), specifically Excel and/or Access. 
• Ability to coach, train, and lead payroll technician in work assignments. 
• Ability to occasionally work extended hours in a complex and demanding environment involving overtime, evening, weekend and possibly holiday hours. 
• Ability to operate all office equipment including computer, scanner, desk phone, copier/printer, and adding machine.  
• Receives general supervision from the Assistant Finance Director.
  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE POSITION:
 
This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions and occasionally requires standing, walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling and lifting; work requires close vision and ability to adjust focus; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating machines and observing general surroundings and activities.
 
ENVIRONMENTAL/WORKING CONDITIONS OF THE POSITION:
 
Work has no exposure to environmental conditions.
Work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).
Fast paced office environment. 
Requires occasional overtime hours and holiday/weekend work.
 
EQUIPMENT USED:
 
Personal computer and keyboard, typewriter, fax machine, calculator, telephone, copy machine, and other miscellaneous office equipment presently in use.

This job description is intended to identify essential duties and also illustrates other types of duties that may be assigned. It should not be interpreted as describing all of the duties that will be required of an employee or be used to limit the nature and extent of assignments that an individual is required to perform. In addition to the responsibilities and duties listed, it is expected that employees maintain a consistent and reliable attendance record. Job descriptions are subject to revision at any time at the discretion of the City of Racine.

The City of Racine is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer

Salary : $72,301 - $92,976