Payroll Specialist

Santa Cruz Community Health; Santa Cruz (CA); On-site; USD 51,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Paid time off and holidays starting on

401(k) plan with employer match

Telecommuting stipend

Job summary

Santa Cruz Community Health is seeking a detailed Payroll Specialist to join our Administration team in Santa Cruz, CA. You will process payroll for all staff, review timekeeping data, and ensure compliance with wage and hour laws while coordinating with HR and finance.

The role supports year-end activities and payroll reporting, with opportunities to improve processes and ensure accurate, timely payments. Strong knowledge of ADP Workforce Now and MIP Abila is required.

Qualifications

• Two years of experience in payroll processing or four years in an accounting department with payroll coordination.
• Experience with MIP Abila and ADP Workforce Now required.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in payroll data and records.
• Excellent customer service orientation and communication skills.
• Understanding of payroll audits and compliance requirements.
• Ability to work collaboratively with HR and finance teams.

Responsibilities

• Process payroll accurately and on schedule for all employees.
• Review timecard records for completeness and accuracy.
• Verify payroll data including hours, rates, deductions, and benefits.
• Coordinate with HR to resolve timekeeping discrepancies.
• Prepare payroll-related reports and assist with audits and year-end activities.
• Maintain organized payroll records and support documentation.

Skills

Payroll processing

ADP Workforce Now

MIP Abila

Attention to detail

Customer service

Audit procedures

Education

Associate’s degree in accounting

Tools

ADP Workforce Now

MS Office

MIP Abila

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Payroll Specialist

Full Time Santa Cruz, CA, US

Salary Range: $36.77 To $40.86 Hourly

Santa Cruz Community Health (SCCH) is a multi-site, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving Santa Cruz County residents. SCCH began as a women's health collective in 1974 with the mission to improve the health of our patients and the community and advocate the feminist goals of social, political, and economic equality. Now, 50 years later, we serve that same mission at our three clinic sites: the Santa Cruz Women's Health Center in downtown Santa Cruz serving women and children; the Live Oak Health Center serving everyone; and the Santa Cruz Mountain Health Center providing appropriate and expanded access to care for our patients in the San Lorenzo Valley.

Driven by our commitment to health care as a human right, SCCH is a leading non‑profit provider offering comprehensive health services to our patients, regardless of their ability to pay. We have been recognized in the community as a leader in delivering high-quality, innovative care, and we are active in local, state, and national advocacy work that empowers our patients and community to be healthy, happy, and successful.

SCCH has a diverse patient population and an engaging and friendly work environment. Our caring and committed staff work as a team to fulfill our mission so that all our patients have access to quality, whole‑person health care.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Payroll Specialist is responsible for processing payroll accurately and on schedule while maintaining payroll records, reviewing time and attendance data, and ensuring compliance with applicable wage and hour laws, tax requirements, and internal policies. This role supports employees and managers by answering payroll-related questions, resolving discrepancies, coordinating with Human Resources and assisting with payroll reporting, reconciliations, audits, and year‑end activities. As a member of the Finance Team, the Payroll Specialist participates in department meetings and supports continuous improvement efforts within the department.

Classification: Full‑time, Hourly, Non‑exempt

Location: Administration

Reports to: Controller

Hours: 8:30am‑5:00pm; 40hrs/week

Pay Range: $36.77‑$40.86 per hour, DOE. Plus $0.50/hour bilingual differential Spanish/English.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Two years of experience in payroll processing, or four years of experience working in an accounting department with relevant coordination responsibilities.
• Experience with MIP Abila accounting system and ADP Workforce Now.
• Experience with and ability to perform precise, detailed work.
• Customer service experience and skills.
• Understanding of audit procedures.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Associate’s degree in accounting.
• Experience in an FQHC (Federally Qualified Health Center).
• Experience with payroll process and month end close.
• Experience with financial audits.
• Experience working with ADP Workforce Now, MS Office, MIP Abila, and others financial systems and processes.

CORE JOB RESPONSIBILITES :

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO

• Process payroll accurately and on schedule for all employees.
• Review timecard records for completeness and accuracy.
• Verify payroll data, including hours worked, pay rates, deductions, and benefits.
• Coordinate with HR to resolve timekeeping and payroll discrepancies.
• Review and maintain payroll information in the payroll system.
• Prepare adjustments reports for missed hours, overpayments, underpayments, and other payroll corrections.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations.
• Process final paychecks, including vacation, sick leave, and other accrued balances where applicable and PTO cash out requests.
• Monitors and reconcile employee benefits such as CME, FSA, HRA accounts.
• Send billing statements to employees on PTO for their share of cost on employe benefits.
• Respond to employee questions regarding pay, deductions, leave balances, and direct deposit.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and support documentation.
• Reconcile payroll reports and assist with audits and financial reporting.
• Prepare payroll‑related reports, summaries, and documentation for management.
• Assist with tax reporting, wage records, and payroll filings as needed.
• Support year‑end payroll activities, including W‑2 preparation.
• Perform other payroll and administrative duties as assigned and other task assigned.
• Track grant expenditures, budget balances, reimbursement requests, and financial documentation in coordination with the Grants and Accounts Payable team.
• Assist in providing expenditures back up documentation necessary to close out grants.
• Maintain organized grant files, award documentation, correspondence, reporting records, and audit‑ready support materials.
• Preparesannual financialaudit schedule.
• Assists with the annual agency fiscal year budget by providing FTE and salary data.
• Assists in ensuring that employee salary codes and allocations are aligned with the budget and Personnel Action Forms.
• Provides support for grant budget preparation and other financial analysis, as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

GENERAL JOB PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

KNOWLEDGE OF WORK - Posses and utilizes knowledge of the job which is essential to perform the specific functions and related work.

QUANTITY OF WORK - Accomplishes an appropriate volume of satisfactory work under normal conditions. Has the ability to produce desired results.

QUALITY OF WORK - Consistently demonstrates accuracy, thoroughness, neatness and dependability to produce work within acceptable standards.

TIMELINESS - Completes assignments on or ahead of schedule.

ABILITY TO LEARN NEW DUTIES - Interprets, learns and responds to instructions for new situations, procedures or methods.

JUDGEMENT AND COMMON SENSE - Decisions/actions are sound, including safety awareness.

COOPERATION - Willing to work with others toward common goals.

COMMUNICATIONS - Demonstrates relevance and clarity of written and oral expression. Effectiveness in exchanging ideas and information.

INITIATIVE - Ability to originate, develop or create new ideas or take steps to get things done.

PROBLEM SOLVING - Identifies and evaluates alternate solutions and selection of the most appropriate course of action.

ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY -Shows daily ability to be at work at scheduled time, including being prepared to work on time after breaks, meal periods, and other authorized absences from work.

BENEFITS THAT SUPPORT YOU:

We offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to support employee well‑being and work‑life balance. Benefits are available to employees working 20 or more hours per week, and include:

• Employer‑subsidized medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Optional coverage: pet insurance and other supplemental plans
• Coverage begins the first of the month after 30 days of employment
• Paid time off and holidays starting on day one
• 401(k) plan with 2% automatic enrollment and 2% employer match
• Wellness reimbursement and telecommuting stipend (as applicable)
• License and certification fee reimbursement (as applicable)

Internal Staff: Internal staff who transition into this position will retain their current benefits, tenure, PTO accruals, and retirement matching as applicable, with no lapse in coverage

Santa Cruz Community Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer (W/M/V/D).