Associate Payroll Accountant

Overview of Accounting and Finance Department  
SANDAG has great pride in being a fiscally responsible public agency and has implemented rigorous accounting processes and financial reporting procedures to monitor expenses, encumbrances, grant funds, and project budgets, and accurately document various types of financial transactions. The agency has been awarded the Government Finance Officers Association’s (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the past fourteen years. 

The department supports the day-to-day business operations of SANDAG through a team organized into two functional areas: Accounting & Finance and Revenue & Project Control. As part of the Accounting & Finance group, this position supports payroll duties and the department has a role in supporting all agency programs. The team is highly regarded for their ability to maintain an exceptional level of accuracy and for providing outstanding customer service. 

Role

The Limited Term Payroll Accountant will be a reliable individual who is detail-oriented, organized, demonstrates initiative, and has the flexibility to meet changing priorities and workload demands. Excellent communication, customer service skills, and the ability to utilize sound judgment when working with vendors, other agencies, and employees are essential to this position. This position will perform complex administrative duties and will be responsible for preparing and processing bi-weekly payroll, auditing payroll reports, processing tax forms, performing data entry, preparing account reconciliations, setting up voluntary deductions, and resolving payroll issues accounting functions, statistical analyses, and interpretation of information in the preparation and evaluation of fiscal records, transactions, statements, reports, and systems and procedures, particularly those related to payroll functions.

The Payroll Accountant is an integral member of the Payroll team that supports a staff group of approximately 400 employees.  This position ensures the timely and accurate processing of bi-weekly payroll for the agency. This limited term position is funded for 1 year.

• Monitor and process a variety of payroll transactions using the Ceridian/Dayforce Payroll system; process time and attendance of employees, overtime, paid time off, and leaves of absence; record entries to the payroll system; calculate accruals and verify totals; prepare manual, supplemental, and payout checks as needed. 
• Review, reconcile, and process special payroll transactions such as retroactive pay adjustments, garnishments, voluntary deductions, retirement deductions, income tax withholding requirements, and payroll-related invoices. 
• Prepare accurate processing of online deferred compensation, retirement, and flexible spending account reports; prepare, process management reports, spreadsheets, and summaries on a regular basis including salary history and labor distribution reports using automated accounting software or Excel.
• Reconcile payroll account balances such as payroll clearing, deferred compensation, and other payroll related general ledger accounts; prepare payroll-related journal entries; ensure proper documentation for all withholdings and deductions; process payments.  
• Review and audit personnel and payroll records to verify names, rates of pay, addresses, tax information, deductions, benefit information, and occupations of newly hired employees. 
• Support staff with their work on the implementation and integration of the new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system for in-house payroll functions and other systems’ process improvements. 
• Research payroll inquiries from employees; follow up and respond to inquiries regarding payroll processes; provide guidance and training for new employees entering time and attendance into an automated payroll system; assist new employees as needed on timecard procedures.
• Perform work in a manner that results in a complete and evident audit trail; maintain accurate payroll, perform appropriate adjustments, balancing and reconciling; prepare comprehensive and accurate documentation of transactions and adjustments; maintain complete files and records and ensure that all documentation is filed appropriately. 
• Manage the Payroll function in the preparation of agency records for annual financial and compliance audits and for audits conducted by various governmental agencies.
• Monitor and preserve the ongoing maintenance of systems; participate in the development and implementation of new procedures related to payroll systems/operations.  
• Compile, research and prepare detailed payroll records, reports, and statements, including reports for the Board of Directors, in compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations; assist in the development of worksheets and footnotes for inclusion in financial statements.
• Coordinate payroll-related transactions with agency departments, divisions, and external agencies.

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with major course work in finance, accounting, or a related field. A master’s degree is desirable. A combination of education and recent work experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• A minimum of three years of increasingly responsible, recent payroll experience.
• Demonstrated experience performing payroll duties for a mid-sized organization including processing payroll, auditing payroll reports, processing tax forms, and setting up voluntary deductions; experience using software for the processing of payroll including data entry, analysis, and report generation and generally accepted accounting principles.  Experience with defined benefit plans, specifically, California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) is desirable.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles and techniques involved in payroll administration and payroll related accounting practices; awareness of state and federal laws related to payroll practices, record keeping, retirement funds, and garnishments. 
• Ability to organize and prepare clear, concise, and accurate payroll statements, reports, and written materials; ability to research, reconcile, compile, and analyze data and draw logical conclusions as well as produce summary reports and spreadsheets from compiled data.
• Prepare, file and record management to include hard copy and electronic file records maintenance; ability to keep accurate payroll records with complete, auditable, files and records.
• Demonstrated data-entry experience using payroll software applications.
• Excellent and effective time management and organizational skills and the ability to prioritize multiple tasks in order to ensure timely processing; ability to exercise good judgment, confidentiality, and work independently.
• Ability to perform complex mathematical computations rapidly and accurately; ability to review financial data for accuracy.
• Ability to build and maintain and implement payroll procedures and controls consistent with legal requirements and professional standards.
• Capacity to establish, maintain, and foster excellent customer service and cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• A working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite (particularly Word, Excel, and Access), experience with Ceridian/Dayforce, ONESolution, and Tyler ERP.
• Candidates must pass a pre-employment criminal background check; periodic background checks will be a condition of ongoing employment. The selected candidate also can anticipate a driving record check upon hire, and approximately annually thereafter.

Salary : $72,197 - $111,925