Payroll Specialist

Berkeley Unified School District; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Berkeley Unified School District is seeking a Payroll Clerk to prepare and process payroll for certificated and classified staff. You will audit time reports, verify pay data, deductions, and salary adjustments while maintaining detailed payroll records.

The role requires knowledge of payroll practices, tax withholdings, and the ability to respond to inquiries with accurate information. On-site work within the district’s facilities is expected.

Qualifications

• Advanced payroll principles and tax rules are required.
• Ability to audit time reports and payroll-related forms.
• Experience maintaining payroll records and reports.

Responsibilities

• Prepare payroll for employees and audit time reports.
• Process time sheets, pay data, deductions and bonuses accurately.
• Maintain automated and manual payroll records and reports.
• Provide payroll guidance on policies, procedures, and calculations.
• Distribute paychecks and resolve payroll inquiries.

Skills

Payroll processing

Tax withholdings

Record keeping

Data processing

Communication

Job description

BASIC FUNCTION

Under the direction of an assigned supervisor, perform a variety of specialized and complex payroll accounting duties to pay employees accurately and timely; prepare and maintain a variety of automated and manual records and reports related to the payroll function; provide consultation concerning payroll processes, policies and procedures.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Perform a variety of specialized and complex duties in the preparation of payroll for employees; receive and audit time reports; process and evaluate the accuracy of a variety of payroll-related forms and applications
• Process and verify input into an assigned computer system, daily, hourly, per diem, extra duty, substitute, overtime, stipends, and higher duty employee time sheet and pay information including deductions; generate computerized lists and reports accurately; process data accurately; calculate and input salary adjustments, coding, time vouchers and overtime pay as needed; verify proper authorizing signatures, coding, calculations and accuracy of payroll adjustments
• Establish and maintain detailed automated permanent records regarding personnel; process new hire, rehire, retirement and termination paperwork; input and update a variety of data including pay rates/salary schedule information, tax status, deductions, salaried FTE changes, changes in classification and other employee information
• Provide consultation concerning payroll processes, policies and procedures; respond to inquiries, resolve issues and conflicts and provide technical information concerning calculations, pay rates, taxes, wage garnishments, and leaves; provide documentation, forms or applications to employees as needed
• Receive, sort and distribute paychecks and warrants according to established procedures and guidelines; process special payroll transactions such as corrections, awards, professional growth, longevity, shift differentials, bonuses, replacements, final checks and retro-pay as appropriate
• Compile information and prepare and maintain a variety of records and reports related to employee information, time sheets, pay rates, salary adjustments, voluntary pay deductions/changes, disability, workers compensation, payroll data, and submit payroll reports to appropriate personnel for processing
• Process and apply payroll changes relative to bargaining unit contracts, PERS, STRS, County, State, IRS, and Social Security rules and regulations
• Prepare and process a variety of required tax forms accurately and as assigned; perform periodic tax procedures and related payroll reconciliation functions; prepare and distribute mandated tax reports; compile and verify related employee information
• Research and provide current and past payroll information in response to employee inquiries, subpoenas, workers compensation claims, and inquiries from State and County agencies according to established guidelines; provide employment and wage verification for court orders from County and State agencies
• Operate a variety of office equipment including a calculator, copier, fax machine, printer, sealing machine, computer and assigned software

OTHER DUTIES

Perform related duties as assigned

KNOWLEDGE OF

• Advanced principles and techniques involved in payroll preparation and processing
• Tax withholding, voluntary deductions, garnishments and supplemental insurance
• Preparation, maintenance, verification and processing of payroll records and reports
• Generally accepted accounting principles, practices and procedures
• Preparation, review and control of assigned accounts
• Organizational payroll policies and objectives
• Financial and statistical record-keeping techniques
• Preparation of financial statements and comprehensive payroll accounting reports
• Applicable laws, codes, regulations, policies and procedures
• Principles and practices of data processing
• Modern office practices, procedures and equipment
• Technical aspects of field of specialty
• Operation of a computer and assigned software
• Oral and written communication skills
• Interpersonal skills including tact, patience and courtesy
• Arithmetic computations

ABILITY TO

• Perform a variety of specialized and complex payroll and accounting duties in the preparation of payroll for certificated, classified and/or hourly personnel
• Pay employees accurately and timely according to established processes and timelines
• Prepare and maintain a variety of automated and manual records and reports
• Interpret, apply and explain laws, rules and regulations related to payroll activities
• Provide consultation concerning payroll processes, policies and procedures
• Process payroll and related records for payrolls
• Monitor, audit, adjust and reconcile payroll data
• Identify, investigate and resolve financial errors and discrepancies
• Reconcile and balance assigned payroll accounts
• Operate a variety of office equipment including a computer and assigned software
• Compare numbers and detect errors efficiently
• Operate standard office equipment including a computer and assigned software
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Assemble, organize and prepare data for records and reports
• Work confidentially with discretion
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others
• Meet schedules and time lines
• Make arithmetic computations with speed and accuracy

WORKING CONDITIONS

ENVIRONMENT

• Office environment
• Constant interruptions
• Contact with dissatisfied or abusive individuals

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard
• Seeing to read a variety of materials
• Hearing and speaking to exchange information
• Sitting for extended periods of time