Finance & Payroll Operations Lead

Santa Barbara County Education Office; Santa Barbara, Goleta (CA, CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Santa Barbara County Education Office seeks an experienced finance and payroll leader to direct fiscal services and payroll operations for school districts in the county. You will oversee staff, ensure accurate reporting, budgeting, and regulatory compliance, and collaborate across departments and with regulators.

Responsibilities include establishing internal controls, reviewing complex records, guiding system improvements, and training staff on procedures and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Four years of professional accounting or payroll duties, preferably public K-12.
• Two years as supervisor of accounting or payroll staff.
• Knowledge of GAAP, GAAS, GAS, and related laws and reporting requirements.
• Ability to interpret and apply laws, contracts, and policy changes.
• Experience with budget development and financial reporting processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide oversight to finance and payroll supervisors for payroll processing, budgeting, reporting, and audits.
• Establish and enforce fiscal and payroll procedures and internal controls.
• Review records for accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with deadlines.
• Diagnose discrepancies, propose corrective actions, and improve workflows.
• Coordinate with IT on financial systems projects and serve as liaison with districts.
• Provide training and mentoring to staff and external stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Public sector accounting

Payroll management

Budgeting

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or accounting

Tools

Payroll systems

Financial software

Databases

Automated reporting tools

Job description

Santa Barbara County Education Office seeks an experienced finance and payroll leader to direct fiscal services and payroll operations for school districts in the county. You will oversee staff, ensure accurate reporting, budgeting, and regulatory compliance, and collaborate across departments and with regulators.

Responsibilities include establishing internal controls, reviewing complex records, guiding system improvements, and training staff on procedures and regulatory requirements.