Payroll & Benefits Specialist

This posting will remain open until filled with first review of candidates May 5, 2025.

Ensures county employees are paid accurately and timely.  Assists the Human Resource Department with the maintenance of the payroll and personnel programs of the County including areas of budgeting, finance, recruitment and labor relations. Finalize payroll and process billings.

Basic Performance Expectations of all Todd County Staff

• Serves as a positive example to other County personnel with regard to workplace actions, decisions, work skills, attitude and adherence to workplace policy and procedures.
• Has strong communication and interpersonal skills, is honest, fair and dependable.
• Embodies teamwork and cooperation within and across County departments and with the public.
• Communicates effectively with the Department Head and keeps supervisor apprised of important matters ongoing in the department.
• Respect all colleagues, co-workers, board members and the public and lead those around you to do the same.
• This position requires regular and timely attendance in accordance with the department schedule.
• Performs other duties as assigned or apparent.

The following duties are normal for this position. These duties are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required as assigned. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Maintain employee master file changes for salaries, deductions and withholdings.  
• Review timesheets for all county employees, proof and validate reports.
• Calculate retro pay increases and partial salary payments, process special payroll runs.
• Set-up and maintain all direct deposit files, transmit payroll for bank processing.
• Process, verify and finalize payroll.
• Responsible for the enrollment and maintenance of employee benefits.
• Reviews, audits and prepares for payment invoices and billing statements related to employee benefits.
• Print and distribute all payroll reports for all departments.
• Prepare and submit bi-weekly federal and state taxes via the internet.
• Prepare and submit quarterly federal and state tax liability reports.
• Receive and monitor changes made in employee master file.
• Maintain and submit all employee demographic changes and contributions for the PERA Retirement Plan.  
• Complete forms to calculate and remit wage garnishments on employees.
• Assist employees and department heads with payroll related questions.
• Resolve payroll related issues and other problems from office personnel, employees and the public as they arise.
• Assist Human Resource Department with employee personnel file maintenance and filing; workers’ compensation claims reporting.
• Provide work direction to the Administrative Assistant in the processing of payroll.
• Assist Human Resource Department with salary information and financial impact for labor negotiations.
• Year-end reports including W2s and 1095s.
• Update and maintain government required reports.
•  Attend and participate in in-service education classes and on the job training programs as directed.
• Represent the County as directed at local, state and regional committee meetings or organization meetings, seminars, conferences, workshops and training programs.
• Follow all established safety procedures and precautions when operating office equipment.

• Associates/Technical degree with coursework in accounting, business management, or related field and moderate experience in accounting, public or business administration, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license or access to transportation. 
• Must pass a criminal background check. 

 Preferred Qualifications 

• Local government payroll, administrative, accounting or human resource experience.
• Bachelors degree with coursework in accounting, business management, public or business administration.

• Ability to perform mid-level data analysis including the ability to audit, deduce, assess, conclude and appraise.
• Ability to persuade, convince and train others.
• Ability to advise and provide interpretation regarding the application of policies, procedures, and standards to specific situations.
• Ability to communicate with elected officials, staff, outside governmental agencies, consultants and the public in a friendly, positive, professional manner.
• Ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; calculate percentages, fractions, and decimals; requires the ability to perform mathematical operations involving basic algebra.
• Ability to apply principles of influence systems such as informing, planning, and coordinating.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment to apply facts and principals for developing approaches and techniques to problem resolution.
• Ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness and creativity required in situations involving evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental and/or subjective criteria, as opposed to criteria that are clearly measurable.
• Ability to display good foresight and long-range planning.

Physical Requirements

This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 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 has standard vision requirements; 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; work has no exposure to environmental conditions; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

Salary : $30 - $39