Payroll Administrator

City of Bend; United States; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Bend is seeking a Payroll Administrator to oversee daily payroll operations and serve as the subject matter expert for assigned payroll functions. This exempt, salaried role supports the Finance Department and collaborates across city departments to ensure accurate, timely payroll processing.

Ideal candidates will have strong HRIS experience, knowledge of state and federal payroll rules, and a focus on continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Education: Associate's Degree; AND
• Experience: At least 2 years' experience providing payroll processing and support; OR
• An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job.

Responsibilities

• Oversees daily payroll operations and serves as the subject matter expert for assigned payroll functions.
• Provides training, guidance, and support to payroll staff to ensure consistent, accurate service delivery.
• Plans and manages payroll processes to meet service goals and drive continuous improvement.
• Ensures all payroll activities comply with laws, City policies, labor agreements, and regulatory requirements.
• Investigates and resolves payroll errors, service issues, and employee concerns through research and collaboration.
• Reviews payroll and timekeeping data to identify trends, discrepancies, and opportunities for improvement.
• Develops reports and dashboards that support leadership decision making.
• Proactively collaborates with departments and Finance leadership to develop and implement efficient, compliant payroll workflows and procedures.
• Evaluates and enhances payroll and timekeeping systems, including automation, integrations, and configuration updates.
• Coordinates payroll projects and manages vendor relationships while supporting day to day payroll operations.
• Function as lead for all payroll processes in the absence of Payroll Supervisor.

Skills

Payroll processing

HRIS systems

Data analysis

Communication

Education

Associate's Degree

Job description

About The Role

The City of Bend is accepting applications for one (1) regular, full-time Payroll Administrator in the Payroll Division of the Finance Department. This is a salaried, exempt (overtime in-eligible) non-represented position. The City may use this job posting to create an eligibility list for future hiring purposes. Please review the entire job posting, including the application requirements at the end.

As a key member of the City's payroll team, the Payroll Administrator plays a central role in delivering accurate, timely, and compliant payroll services for the entire organization. This position is ideal for someone who thrives in a detail-driven environment and takes pride in ensuring that every employee is paid correctly and on schedule. With a blend of technical expertise and service-oriented problem-solving, the Payroll Administrator helps keep one of the City’s most essential functions running smoothly.

Working closely with the Payroll Supervisor and HR Information Systems team, this role serves as the subject matter expert for assigned payroll services and processes. The Payroll Administrator partners with departments across the City, providing guidance, resolving payroll issues, implementing collective bargaining agreements, and supporting the rollout of new or enhanced processes.

Classification Framework:

Payroll Administrator

What You'll Do

The following duties are a sample of major duties performed in this role and not intended to be an exhaustive list.

• Oversees daily payroll operations and serves as the subject matter expert for assigned payroll functions.
• Provides training, guidance, and support to payroll staff to ensure consistent, accurate service delivery.
• Plans and manages payroll processes to meet service goals and drive continuous improvement.
• Ensures all payroll activities comply with laws, City policies, labor agreements, and regulatory requirements.
• Investigates and resolves payroll errors, service issues, and employee concerns through research and collaboration.
• Reviews payroll and timekeeping data to identify trends, discrepancies, and opportunities for improvement.
• Develops reports and dashboards that support leadership decision making.
• Proactively collaborates with departments and Finance leadership to develop and implement efficient, compliant payroll workflows and procedures.
• Evaluates and enhances payroll and timekeeping systems, including automation, integrations, and configuration updates.
• Coordinates payroll projects and manages vendor relationships while supporting day to day payroll operations.
• Function as lead for all payroll processes in the absence of Payroll Supervisor.

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone with a strong attention to detail and an analytical and process improvement mindset. This person is tech-savvy, able to operate within multiple systems, and excels at forward thinking, relationship building, and communicating to a variety of audiences.

The ideal candidate has a solid grasp of core payroll processing practices, state and federal payroll tax rules, wage laws, and FLSA overtime requirements. They have a strong payroll and HRIS systems background and are familiar with government payroll practices including collective bargaining agreements, project management/coordination, payroll auditing practices for accuracy, data analysis and reporting.

Candidates who meet the listed minimum qualifications, including an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered for an interview. Please ensure your application includes information about your education, relevant paid and unpaid work experience, and applicable licenses and certifications. Avoid referencing your resume in the job duties section of the application.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Associate's Degree; AND
• Experience: At least 2 years' experience providing payroll processing and support; OR
• An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job.

Desired (but not required) Attributes:

• Professional Payroll certification preferred
• Government experience preferred
• Experience implementing union contracts preferred

What To Know Before Applying

Application Deadline:

Applications received by Friday, August 21, 2026, at 12:00 PM (noon) Pacific Time will be included in an initial review and consideration for interview; however, the position will remain open until filled.

Interview Process:

Selected candidates will be invited to participate in initial interviews, anticipated to be scheduled the week of August 31, 2026.

Equity Statement:

The City of Bend remains committed to building a workforce that advances diversity and inclusion within our community and all we do. We recognize that not everyone starts from the same place, and that gender, race, ability, sexual orientation, and other identities face different barriers. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are dedicated to creating an inclusive, safe, and respectful workplace where employees can thrive without these barriers. A more extended version of the City of Bend’s Organizational Equity Statement is available upon request.

Benefits:

The City of Bend offers an excellent competitive benefits package for Employees and Dependents for health and dental coverage, retirement benefits, and a robust paid leave program. Details are available on the benefits tab of the job posting.

Starting Compensation:

Starting compensation is determined based on a pay equity analysis considering the candidate’s education, applicable work experience, and internal equity. Please include all relevant information on your application.

Diversity & Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The City of Bend is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. At the City of Bend, we don't just accept differences; we value them. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and support the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAAA) and the Oregon Equal Pay Act.