Payroll Services Supervisor (Substitute)

West Hills Community College District; Coalinga (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Part time

Job summary

West Hills Community College District seeks a Payroll Services Supervisor for a temporary substitute position up to 25 hours per week with flexible scheduling. The role handles complex payroll activities, prepares state and federal payroll reports, and supervises payroll accounting staff to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Required is a Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance and four years of payroll experience with a valid California driver’s license; temporary assignment through October 2026

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in accounting, finance, or related field; four years of payroll experience.
• Knowledge of California payroll laws and federal/state regulations in higher education.
• Experience interpreting labor contracts and payroll deductions.

Responsibilities

• Oversees payroll processing for all District employees and coordinates payroll operations.
• Develops internal control procedures to safeguard payroll processing.
• Prepares payroll journal entries and cash projection reports.
• Maintains employee records and government reports including tax returns and retirement reports.
• Audits payroll deductions and earnings registers for accuracy and reasonableness.
• Supervises and evaluates assigned payroll staff.

Skills

Payroll accounting

Spreadsheet proficiency

Payroll laws & regulations

Labor contracts understanding

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance or related field

Tools

Payroll software

Data entry systems

Spreadsheets (Excel)

Job description

West Hills Community College District

Payroll Services Supervisor - Substitute Position

Classified Management

Range 32

Schedule: Up to 25 hours a week - Flexible Schedule

This is a temporary assignment through October 2026 which may be extended depending on need.

Summary

Performs complex and responsible accounting activities in the preparation and maintenance of financial or statistical records including the coordination and maintenance of the District's payroll system; prepares State and federal reports related to payroll. Supervises payroll accounting staff.

Distinguishing Career Features

The Payroll Services Supervisor performs highly complex payroll duties including interpreting state and federal law, educational codes, retirement system regulations, and general accounting principles in the processing of employee payroll. The Payroll Services Supervisor requires specific training in the computation of a variety of technical/clerical payroll transactions, working knowledge of payroll-related computer programs, payroll posting procedures, general accounting data entry, and office management.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversees and coordinates payroll processing for all District employees and oversees all payroll operations including data entry, and accounting organization-wide. Communicates deadlines, quality reviews, and other requirements to departmental staff submitting payroll information.
• Develops and implements internal control procedures to ensure adequate safeguards in payroll processing.
• Examines accounts to assure the classification and recording of transactions are in conformance with regulatory, contractual, and operating requirements.
• Prepares payroll journal entries as required.
• Prepares projection of cash needs.
• Administers the maintenance of accounting records, which consists of verification of account codes, payroll encumbrances, position approvals, and payroll.
• Reviews and evaluates performance of assigned staff.
• Prepares, reviews, and maintains employee records, government-required reports including tax returns, and various other documents including retirement reports.
• Verifies payroll related computer input and output.
• Collects, summarizes, audits and analyzes payroll related data in order to develop a variety of reports in compliance with established laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Prepares correspondence regarding payroll issues.
• Investigates and resolves difficult problems involved in payroll and retirement system deductions.
• Serves as District liaison for payroll audits.
• Posts onto a computer-aided data entry format, payroll-related employee data in a timely and accurate manner. Verifies and processes necessary payroll deductions for benefits and related items. Audits payroll deductions and earnings registers for reasonableness and accuracy.
• Computes and interprets miscellaneous forms of compensation and deductions. Prepares calculations for special payroll checks, computes and prepares any necessary adjustments.
• Oversees and prepares a variety of payroll documents such as, but not limited to, manual warrants, hourly and monthly payrolls, federal withholding forms, retirement forms, adjustments, etc.
• Receives, analyzes, and processes statutory payroll actions such as fees and garnishments. Prepares reports to billing agencies and communications to affected employees.
• Audits time sheets or preliminary payroll lists to verify hours, rate of pay, and budget account numbers.
• Answers questions or concerns from employees requiring explanation of calculations, rules and regulations governing payroll processing. Provides employees with necessary forms and assist employees with questions regarding payroll procedures, tax shelters and voluntary deductions. Assists employees with miscellaneous questions and requests.
• Interacts closely with Human Resources, Accounting, Budgeting, and other functions to assure all information regarding payroll adjustments, problems, employment status, and salary accounts are up to date and accurate.
• Prepares employer information for court subpoenas. Responds to and sets up payroll adjustments for garnishments and other forms of salary reduction.
• Prepares payroll distributions for charging appropriate payroll costs to departments.
• Oversee, train and assign work to other payroll accounting staff.
• Performs other duties as assigned that support the overall objective of the position.

Knowledge and Skills

The position requires in-depth technical knowledge of the practices and terminology of payroll accounting practices, clerical and office procedures and methods, business mathematics and record keeping. Requires knowledge of the laws and regulations governing payroll. Requires working knowledge of spreadsheet programs and in-depth procedural knowledge of the data entry system for payroll and other fiscal information. Requires sufficient knowledge of labor and other contracts to properly interpret and calculate salaries. Requires sufficient human relations skill to convey technical concepts to others and to exercise patience in frustrating exchanges of information. Requires sufficient writing skill to document conversation, prepare memos, and prepare procedures.

Abilities

Requires demonstrated ability and dexterity to enter data onto standardized formats within computerized data base programs using keyboards, basic keyboarding or 10-key skills and calculators. Requires the ability to learn and apply laws, codes governing payroll and retirement in California higher education, as well as policies, procedures, and labor contracts used by the District. Must be able to prepare clear, complete and concise financial records and analyze payroll and accounting. Requires the ability to conduct technical research, complete complex arithmetic computations and prepare reports. Requires the ability to use a range of personal computer software such as spreadsheets, word processing, and databases. Requires the ability to extract data from databases and import into formats that produce reports. Requires the ability to ensure the confidentiality of private information. Requires the ability to maintain cooperative and productive relationships with others. Requires the ability to supervise and evaluate assigned staff.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in an office environment with minimal exposure to health and safety considerations. Travel within and outside of the district.

Education and Experience

Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in accounting, finance, or other closely related field or the equivalent; four years of full-time experience in payroll.

Licenses and Certificates

Valid California driver's license.