HR & Payroll Administrator

King County, WA; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent medical, dental, and vision

Retirement plan

Paid holidays

Generous vacation and paid sick leave

Training and career development

Job summary

King County Department of Assessments is seeking an HR & Payroll Administrator to support roughly 204 staff across the division. The role focuses on payroll processing, HR actions, leave management, and employee relations with a heavy emphasis on accuracy, confidentiality, and customer service.

The successful candidate will work with PeopleSoft, NEOGOV, and Microsoft Office in a fast-paced, diverse environment and report to the Administrative Services leadership.

Qualifications

• Two years of HR/Personnel management experience in a diverse workforce.
• Experience with payroll processes, laws, and benefits administration.
• Proficiency with HRIS systems and data integrity in payroll data.
• Ability to translate laws into lay terms and provide customer service.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and perform payroll processing and HR transactions across employment life cycle.
• Assist in payroll actions, recruitment, and employment actions using PeopleSoft/NEOGOV.
• Manage leave programs and ensure accurate benefits utilization.
• Support annual performance evaluations and labor relations data.
• Communicate engagement programs and departmental initiatives to staff.
• Provide supervision and leadership to payroll team.

Skills

HR knowledge

Payroll administration

PeopleSoft

NEOGOV

Microsoft Office

Communication skills

Confidentiality

Education

Two years HR/Personnel management experience

Payroll/process knowledge

Tools

PeopleSoft

NEOGOV

Microsoft Office

Job description

HR & Payroll Administrator – King County Department of Assessments

King County's Department of Assessments is seeking a dynamic, collaborative, and employee-focused HR & Payroll Administrator to support approximately 204 administrative and appraisal staff across our growing organization. The Administrative Services Division HR & Payroll Administrator oversees and administers all human resources and payroll functions, including employee relations, engagement programs, training coordination, health and safety initiatives, and support to division leadership. This position is central to our mission of delivering fair and equitable property valuations for King County taxpayers and requires daily interaction with staff in a generationally diverse environment.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENTS: An award-winning leader and innovator in government property assessments, with 210 employees and an annual budget of over $37 million, the department administers King County's property valuation and assessment process. The Assessor’s Office has a significant impact on the funding received each year by a wide range of important County public services. The agency uses innovative business intelligence tools and cutting-edge technology to be more efficient with current resources and provide value-added services to taxpayers. The Department of Assessments has collaborative partnerships with 150+ separate taxing districts and 39 cities. To learn more, please visit our website at: www.kingcounty.gov/Assessor.aspx

We’re looking for an action-oriented, creative problem solver with strong organizational, analytical, communication, and confidentiality skills—someone who thrives in a fast- paced setting, excels at multi-tasking, and is committed to employee success. The ideal candidate brings technical proficiency with Microsoft tools and HRIS systems (including PeopleSoft), exceptional customer service, and meticulous attention to detail to ensure accurate and timely payroll processing.

King County values innovation, creativity, and diverse perspectives. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, veterans, and anyone committed to public service and organizational excellence.

Job Duties

• To use your grounding in human resources and payroll operations, excellent analytical and problem solving skills, and ability to work within a culturally and generationally diverse community to collaboratively oversee and perform all manner of employee transactions related to the employment life cycle.
• To use your PeopleSoft and NEOGOV skills and abilities to assist in the administration of payroll, employment actions, and recruitment.
• To use your knowledge and experience in managing employee leave programs, including family medical leaves, and others to ensure our employees get the most from their benefit programs.
• To use your performance appraisal and management knowledge in support and oversight of the agency's annual evaluation processes.
• To use your understanding and analysis of collective bargaining agreements in support of our labor partners and employees.
• To use your communication skills to communicate employee engagement programs and initiatives to the employees we support.
• To use your supervision and leadership to lead our payroll team.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WITH:

Education

• A minimum of two (2) years of human resources, personnel management, oversight and/or lead experience/education in a human resources role dealing with personnel issues and a diverse employee base, including management and support for employees navigating all aspects of the benefits and leave space,
• A minimum of two (2) years of experience/education working with and knowledge of human resources and leave management processes, payroll processes, applying employment laws and regulations, understanding human resource documents and payroll accounting and audit functions, or other similar complex laws/regulations and the ability to explain laws and regulations in layperson terms,
• A minimum of two (2) years of experience/education using computer applications, such as Microsoft Office Suite, PeopleSoft, NEOGOV, and other web-based applications that assist in the processing and tracking of employee human resources, recruitment, and payroll data.
• A minimum of two (2) years of experience/education in understanding and administering HR and Department policy development, including Equity, Race and Social Justice impacts and employee engagement and support.

Supplemental Information

Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work, and play.

UNION MEMBERSHIP

This position is non-represented.

WORK SCHEDULE

The typical work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 hours per day, 40 hours per week.

WORK LOCATION

Work will primarily be performed at 201 South Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98104.

DEPARTMENT CONTACT

Questions regarding this announcement or position may be directed to: Alicia Warren Rivet, Deputy Director, Administrative Services; Phone Number: 206-263-2264 or via email at [e-mail]

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us. King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay, or other forms of compensation.

Benefits

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what’s best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental, family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page. This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE

Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.