Payroll Secretary

City of Elkhart; Elkhart (IN); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Elkhart is seeking a Payroll Specialist to manage monthly payrolls, attendance, and personnel changes within the Police Department. You will support Administrative staff and HR with clerical duties while ensuring timely payroll processing.

The role requires high school completion, payroll familiarity, and strong attention to detail. Expect regular office work with potential overtime and a focus on accuracy and confidentiality.

Qualifications

• Requires graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent.
• Payroll experience is preferred and beneficial.
• Strong math aptitude and accurate record-keeping are essential.

Responsibilities

• Prepare all payrolls for department employees, including special pays, in compliance with laws and City policies.
• Maintain service records per State requirements and process status changes for new hires and pay increases.
• Maintain confidential personnel files and ensure accuracy of HRIS data.

Skills

General math

Attention to detail

Office equipment operation

Excel

Word

Data entry

Confidential information handling

Communication skills

Teamwork

Time management

Education

High school diploma

Payroll experience preferred

Tools

Excel

Word

10-key calculator

Job description

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for the preparation of payroll, recording attendance and processing personnel changes. The incumbent provides assistance to the Administrative Assistant, the Chief and Assistant Chief with administrative/clerical tasks, subject to timely completion of payroll-related tasks. Position could potentially require some overtime work. Professionalism in all aspects of position is paramount.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for preparing all payrolls involving employees of the department, including sick incentive payroll and clothing allowance payroll, in compliance with all legal, contractual and City policy requirements, subject to the direction and approvals provided by the Legal and Human Resources Departments.
• Maintain service records as required by the State Board of Accounts.
• Process all change of status forms for job changes, new employees and January 1 st increases.
• Maintain personnel records on computer and maintain files on all present employees, past employees, retirees and widows, employee tax and address listings, and employee emergency information files.
• Prepares correspondence, helps with filing and various other clerical tasks as assigned by Human Resources Payroll Manager, Human Resources Safety Payroll Administrator, Chief or Assistant Chief.
• Assists in the calculation of the Department’s Salary Budget.
• Prepares End-of-the-Month reports on employees’ vacation, sick time, personal days and comp time.
• Prepares police professional liability reports.
• Responsible for ensuring the integrity of Police personnel information in City’s HRIS and in any internal department program

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist with Administrative Assistant’s duties during scheduled time off or absences.
• Assists with administrative phone calls and the direction of visitors when needed.
• Performs other duties as requested by supervisor and the Human Resources Department.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent.
• Secretarial and/or clerical work experience.
• Payroll experience preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• General math skills and strong attention to detail. Accuracy with figures is essential.
• Ability to operate office equipment: computer, fax machine, 10-key calculator, and copy machine.
• Word processing and data entry skills. Proficiency in various computer programs, such as Excel and Word, are helpful.
• Ability to process, maintain and safeguard sensitive and/or confidential information.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, supervisors, and other city employees.
• Skilled in communicating, decision-making, and following instructions.
• Ability to complete assignments in an efficient and timely manner with minimal errors.
• Ability to be courteous, tactful, respectful and diplomatic when dealing with employees and members of the general public.

PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND VISUAL SKILLS

• The incumbent is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, bend, stoop, crouch; use hands to finger, grasp, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, do occasional lifting up to 25 pounds; talk and hear.
• Clarity of vision, with or without correction.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is conducted in a 40 hours per week standard office environment. Incumbent will sit stationary the majority of the day at a computer work station.

DRUG TEST REQUIRED

The City of Elkhart is a Drug Free Workplace. Therefore, a post offer, pre-employment drug screen is required. Random drug testing may be conducted after employment.

POLICY STATEMENT

• The incumbent is required to possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities, and the physical, mental, and visual skills described in this job description to perform the principal duties, responsibilities and essential job functions.
• This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the incumbent. Principal duties and responsibilities are intended to describe those functions that are essential to the performance of this job and “other” duties and responsibilities include those that are considered incidental or secondary to the overall purpose of this job.
• This job description does not state or imply that the above are the only duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Employee holding this position will be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by the Mayor. All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with a disability.

City of Elkhart
229 South Second Street
Elkhart Indiana, 46516
Phone: [phone]