Hybrid Citywide Payroll Operations Leader

City of Seattle; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Seattle is seeking a dynamic Citywide Payroll Operations Manager to lead end-to-end payroll for all city employees. The role partners with 40+ departments, ensuring accurate, compliant processing and timely year-end tasks.

The ideal candidate will oversee payroll technicians, optimize workflows, and drive system improvements within Workday/PeopleSoft HRIS environments, while demonstrating strong leadership and customer service skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field (or equivalent).
• 5 years of hands-on payroll processing experience.
• 3 years of management or supervisory experience.
• Knowledge of payroll, labor distribution, accounting principles, IRS tax table, and federal withholding regulations.

Responsibilities

• Drive timely and accurate payroll delivery across City departments.
• Review and enforce payroll procedures in line with policies and regulations.
• Lead system testing, reporting enhancements, and audits with HRIS/Workday integration.
• Supervise and develop payroll staff to deliver high-quality, customer-focused service.

Skills

Payroll processing

Leadership

Cross-department collaboration

Analytical thinking

Customer service

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field

Tools

Workday

PeopleSoft

HRIS

Excel

Job description

City of Seattle is seeking a dynamic Citywide Payroll Operations Manager to lead end-to-end payroll for all city employees. The role partners with 40+ departments, ensuring accurate, compliant processing and timely year-end tasks.

The ideal candidate will oversee payroll technicians, optimize workflows, and drive system improvements within Workday/PeopleSoft HRIS environments, while demonstrating strong leadership and customer service skills.