Finance Clerk

Hall County Schools; Gainesville (GA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Hall County Schools is seeking a detail-oriented payroll and accounts payable professional to manage payroll processing, ESS administration, and related accounting duties. The role supports approximately 4,200 employees and collaborates with Human Resources to ensure accuracy and timeliness.

The successful candidate will handle payroll data accuracy, reporting, and compliance with district and regulatory guidelines, while maintaining strict confidentiality and providing training where needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Associate degree in accounting or related field.
• Experience with payroll, accounts payable or related processing preferred.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and follow district procedures.

Responsibilities

• Process payroll transactions and maintain employee payroll records.
• Administer the District's ESS system and assist employees with access and payroll questions.
• Respond to payroll inquiries and resolve discrepancies.
• Collaborate with Human Resources on personnel actions for ~4,200 employees.
• Process accounts payable transactions and ensure timely payments.
• Provide payroll training and support to staff.
• Reconcile payments and general ledger balances.
• Maintain payroll tax with TRS and PSERS processes.
• Prepare calendar-year reports (W-2, 1099).
• Develop operational and financial reports as needed.
• Ensure confidentiality of financial information.

Skills

Payroll processing

Accounting principles

Organizational skills

Reporting

Written and verbal communication

Numerical accuracy

PC skills (Word, Excel)

Confidentiality

Education

Associate or Bachelor's in Accounting

Tools

Excel

Word

ESS system

Job description

Primary Purpose

Under the direct supervision of the Finance Officer, to administer the school district's payroll, accounts payable, and accounting functions, including developing reporting procedures and internal controls; implementing procedures and processes; ensuring the accuracy of payroll-related data and compliance with school district and regulatory agency requirements and guidelines.

Primary Purpose

Under the direct supervision of the Finance Officer, to administer the school district's payroll, accounts payable, and accounting functions, including developing reporting procedures and internal controls; implementing procedures and processes; ensuring the accuracy of payroll-related data and compliance with school district and regulatory agency requirements and guidelines.

Essential Functions

• Processes payroll transactions and maintains employee payroll records, including personal information changes, withholding elections, payroll deductions, and other information necessary to ensure accurate and timely payroll processing.
• Serves as an administrator for the District's Employee Self Service (ESS) system and assists employees with system access, payroll information, and related questions.
• Responds to payroll inquiries from District employees and provides timely assistance in resolving payroll questions, discrepancies, and concerns.
• Collaborates with Human Resources to process Personnel Actions to ensure Payroll is processed accurately and in a timely manner for approximately 4,200 employees.
• Maintains, distributes, and securely processes payroll checks, direct deposit advices, and related payroll documentation.
• Provides training and support to school and department personnel regarding payroll software systems, procedures, and related systems.
• Assists the Payroll Manager with reconciling employee and vendor payments to their related billings and general ledger balances. Identifies, resolves, and reports discrepancies.
• Maintains employee leave and payroll accrual records and processes necessary adjustments in accordance with established protocols.
• Processes and maintains payroll-related transactions and records associated with the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS) and Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS), in accordance with applicable requirements and established procedures.
• Processes accounts payable transactions, including invoices, purchase orders, vendor records, and other supporting documentation, to ensure accurate and timely payment of District obligations.
• Reviews invoices, credits, purchase orders and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness, appropriate authorization, and compliance with established procedures.
• Assists the Accounting Manager with the receipt, documentation, reconciliation and processing of payments and other funds received by the District.
• Assists with the preparation, processing, reconciliation, and distribution of required calendar-year reporting, including Forms W-2 and 1099.
• Develops and provides operational and financial reports as needed or requested.
• Maintains the confidentiality and security of employee, payroll, vendor, banking, and other sensitive financial information in accordance with District policies and applicable requirements.
• Composes a variety of materials (e.g. reports, memos, letters, procedures, manuals, etc.) for the purpose of documenting activities, providing written reference and/or conveying information regarding expenses, balances, etc.

Additional Duties

Performs other related duties, as assigned, for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of the accounting system.

Note:

The above description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all inclusive of every task or responsibility.

Equipment

• Uses standard office equipment such as personal computer, copy machine, fax machine, telephone.
• Uses calculating devices.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Knowledge of federal and state wage and hour laws, and related regulations.
• Knowledge of accounting and bookkeeping principles.
• Organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to report work orally or in writing to supervisor as required.
• Ability to carry out instructions furnished in written or oral form.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide, perform complex arithmetic operations and use calculators.
• Ability to understand, apply and use personal computers and software applications (e.g., Word, Excel).
• Ability to problem-solve job-related issues.
• Ability to process paperwork accurately according to standardized procedures.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information regarding school district financial and other information.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others contacted in the course of work.

Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards

• Works in standard office building environments.
• See the Summary of Physical, Sensory and Environmental Requirements Needed to Perform Essential Job Duties for this position.

Qualification Profile

Qualifications

Any combination of education and experience providing the required skill and knowledge for successful performance would be qualifying. Typical qualifications would be equivalent to:

• Associates or Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or related field, with course work in business, math, accounting, bookkeeping and record keeping.
• Some successful payroll, accounting, or accounts payable, processing experience preferred.

FLSA Status

Non-exempt