Part Time Payroll Accountant (30+ hrs/wk)

Brown County (MN); New Ulm (MN); On-site; USD 56,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

Brown County (MN) is seeking a Payroll Specialist to manage the countywide payroll process, ensuring accurate salary calculations, tax withholdings, benefits administration, and compliance with employment laws.

The role supports the Human Resources Department, collaborates with the Audit/Treasurer, and acts as a primary contact for payroll-related inquiries across Brown County staff.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of payroll principles and laws.
• Proficiency with payroll software and ledger reconciliation.
• Attention to detail and numerical accuracy is essential.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are required.
• Bachelor’s or associate degree with related experience acceptable.

Responsibilities

• Process and maintain the County payroll and tax deductions.
• Administer benefits enrollment and COBRA processes.
• Prepare payroll reports and support audits.
• Ensure compliance with federal/state regulations and union contracts.
• Collaborate with HR, Audit/Treasurer and other departments.

Skills

Payroll principles

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Ledger accounting

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR/Accounting/Finance

Associate’s degree + 2 years experience

Tools

Payroll software

General ledger systems

Excel

Job description

Responsible for execution and maintenance of the Brown County payroll process, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time by managing salary calculations, tax deductions, benefits administration, and compliance with relevant employment laws, while maintaining accurate payroll and accounting record. Acts as a primary point of contact for payroll-related issues and provides support for the Human Resources Department and all Brown County Staff.

Administrative, financial and office management support:

• Maintains employee payroll, benefit, personnel, and electronic records.
• Assists in processing all new employee paperwork and prepares exiting employee forms for HR Director.
• Responds to employee inquiries related to payroll, deductions, benefits, policies, and paystubs.
• Actively supports the delivery of staff training by preparing materials, facilitating exercises, providing individual guidance, demonstrating procedures, and answering questions.
• Facilitates the annual open enrollment by communicating clearly, providing education, assisting staff with completion of benefit enrollment and process all enrollments through the payroll system.
• Maintains employee benefits and the COBRA process for employees and their families.
• Works closely with Human Resources, Audit/Treasurer, and other departments to ensure smooth payroll processing.
• Able to conduct new hire orientation meetings and terminated employee benefit exit meetings.
• Preparescorrespondence, reports and narratives as needed and requested.
• Serves as backup for the Human Resources staff.
• Prepares employee notices, summaries, employee information packets,and related HR materials.
• Processes employment verifications.
• Works with the Human Resources Team, Wellness Coordinator, and vendors to plan and Coordinate Health and Benefits Fair.
• Complies with confidential HIPAA, Data Protection and Privacy practices.
• Reconciles FSA, HSA, and benefit billings.
• Tracks Military leave, LWOP, the Medical Leave Bank.
• Provides Unions with employee lists.
• Administers taxes and payroll liabilities.

Payroll:

• Executes and maintains the County payroll process ensuring adherence to all payroll regulations and laws, including federal and state tax codes, wage and hour laws, and reporting requirements.
• Manages payroll and timecard software systems, including updates, data entry, and troubleshooting.
• Conducts regular payroll audits to ensure accuracy and compliance, reconcile payroll accounts with financial records.
• Audits employee time entries; prepares, verifies, and implements employee information, wage, status, withholding, and deduction changes.
• Prepares payroll reports and maintains a variety of financial information for budgeting and tracking labor for each department.
• Calculates and processes employee salaries, wages, and deductions including federal, state, and local taxes, health insurance and benefit premium deductions, retirement contributions, and garnishments.
• Prepares, reconciles, and submits quarterly and annual payroll tax and other government required reporting including but not limited to:
  • Dept of Revenue and State quarterly tax filings
  • 941 reporting
  • W-2
  • 1095 B & C
  • SUI for state unemployment
  • PCORI
  • MCIT Payroll Reports
• Maintains the Employee Medical Leave Bank balances, contributions, and withdrawals.
• Applies union contract terms with payroll process and maintains accurate recordkeeping for conformity such as the Dispatch 2080 Plan.
• Ensures complete and accurate payroll data applying current rates and limits set by state and federal government entities for submission of employee income taxes, PERA and FICA payments.
• Prepares year-end payroll informationincluding details like gross pay, federal and state income tax withholdings, Social Security and Medicare taxes, and any other relevant payroll deductions.
• Responsible for annual audits including State Audits, CLA Audits, MCIT Payroll Audits, and a variety of other payroll audits that may come up throughout the year.
• Assists other departments in gathering information for audits they may have.
• Processes garnishments/levies/orders from courts and IRS.
• Ensures complete and accurate employee benefit enrollment and payroll deductions for maintaining employee eligibility for benefit coverage.
• Ensures conformity with terms and conditions of union contacts affecting payroll management.
• Generates and analyze payroll reports to identify trends, discrepancies, and potential issue and brings about resolutions.
• Develops a variety of personnel and payroll related reports.
• Maintains inventory and purchases supplies for payroll processing and compliance with state and federal tax document filings.

All County Jobs:

• Regular attendance is required.
• Attends meetings and trainings, as needed.
• Other duties as assigned or apparent.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Finance, or related field; OR
• Associate’s degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Finance or related field and two years of experience.

• Possess a strong understanding of payroll principles, tax laws, and employment regulations.
• Proficiency in payroll software applications.
• Excellent attention to detail and numerical accuracy.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong knowledge of general ledger accounting and reconciliation process.
• Strong knowledge of payroll functions and procedures.
• Strong knowledge of rules and regulations pertaining to payroll which includes, FICA max, PERA, state and federal deduction limits and the reporting required
• Knowledge and experience in financial software and payroll administration.
• Knowledge and skill in clerical functions, Microsoft Office Suite, and computer database operation.
• Knowledge of financial accounting/office management principles relating to fiscal management and payroll processing.
• Ability to show initiative in resolving problems.
• Ability to assume responsibility, be well organized, execute initiatives from directives and approved self-initiatives.
• Ability to build open, honest, and trustworthy relationships with people of various personality styles and behaviors – internally and externally.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality is mandatory.
• Strong knowledge of payroll functions and procedures.
• Strong knowledge of rules and regulations pertaining to payroll which includes, FICA, PERA, state and federal deduction limits and the reporting required.
• Knowledge and experience in financial software and payroll administration.
• Knowledge and skill in clerical functions, Microsoft Office Suite, and computer database operation.
• Ability to obtain and apply knowledge of County organization, administration policies and procedures and practices.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written or oral forms.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to use moderate analytical ability to select, evaluate and interpret data from several sources; interpretation of guidelines, policies and procedures is required.

Position is a Grade 6 with an entry hourly wage range of $27.08 to $30.36, DOQ.

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