Payroll Specialist

North County Regional Fire Authority; Stanwood (WA); On-site; USD 64,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

North County Regional Fire Authority seeks a Payroll Specialist to administer NCRFA’s payroll, coordinate employee benefits and retirement, and manage HRIS processes. The role tracks leaves and provides administrative support for leave and disability programs under the Human Resources Manager.

You will ensure timely, accurate pay, proper coordination of benefit transactions, confidentiality, and compliance with laws, collective bargaining agreements, and agency procedures.

Qualifications

• Process payroll, benefits, and leave accurately within deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, process, audit, and reconcile payroll and related adjustments.
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Skills

Payroll processing

Timekeeping

Benefits administration

HRIS systems

Confidentiality

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Education

Associate degree in accounting/finance/business/Human Resources

Tools

HRIS

Job description

Position Purpose

The Payroll Specialist administers NCRFA’s payroll and coordinates employee benefits, retirement, and related HR information system processes. The position also tracks employee leaves and provides administrative support for leave and disability programs under the direction of the Human Resources Manager.

The position ensures employees are paid accurately and timely, benefit and retirement transactions are properly coordinated, and employees receive responsive assistance with payroll, benefits, timekeeping, and leave processes. Work requires accuracy, confidentiality, sound judgment, and consistent application of applicable laws, collective bargaining agreements, benefit provisions, personnel actions, and agency procedures.

Supervisory Responsibilities

None. The position may coordinate assigned activities with employees, vendors, contractors, billing services, and other agency departments.

Specific Duties, Responsibilities, and Accountabilities

The following duties are representative of the position and are not intended to be all-inclusive.

Payroll Administration

• Prepare, process, audit, and reconcile payroll, including earnings, deductions, leave accruals, specialty pay, retroactive adjustments, and other compensation.
• Review timekeeping, schedules, and personnel actions; resolve discrepancies; and ensure payroll changes are properly documented.
• Complete payroll reporting, remittances, reconciliations, journal-entry support, regulatory filings, and year-end processing.
• Assist employees and supervisors with payroll, timekeeping, deductions, and leave-balance questions.

Benefits and Retirement Coordination

• Coordinate enrollments, changes, eligibility, billing, reconciliation, records, and employee communications for benefit, retirement, and deferred-compensation programs.
• Support open enrollment, plan renewals, program changes, and coordination with benefit providers, brokers, retirement systems, and other partners.
• Review employee deductions and employer contributions, resolve discrepancies, and provide employees with general benefit and retirement information.

Leave Tracking and Administrative Support

• Track employee leave requests, usage, documentation, deadlines, benefit status, payroll impacts, and return-to-work dates.
• Prepare and distribute leave notices, forms, correspondence, and informational materials.
• Coordinate approved leave arrangements with employees, supervisors, payroll, benefits, retirement, and workers’ compensation programs.
• Maintain accurate leave records and provide administrative support for eligibility review, leave designation, accommodations, and return-to-work processes.

Systems, Records, and Compliance

• Maintain accurate payroll, benefit, retirement, leave, and employee information in assigned HR, payroll, timekeeping, and benefit systems.
• Maintain confidential records in accordance with applicable requirements, agency procedures, and retention schedules.
• Support audits, system testing, data validation, reporting, process improvement, and development of employee resources and procedures.
• Identify and assist in resolving discrepancies, compliance concerns, and process weaknesses.

Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

To succeed in this role, individuals must effectively perform the essential functions listed. Required knowledge, skills, and abilities are outlined below. Reasonable accommodations are available for individuals with disabilities by contacting HR at [e-mail].

Knowledge of

• Payroll, timekeeping, benefits, retirement, and leave-administration practices.
• Applicable wage and hour, payroll tax, retirement, workers’ compensation, benefit, and leave requirements.
• Payroll and HR information systems, reconciliations, documentation standards, confidentiality, and internal controls.
• Collective bargaining agreements, personnel actions, benefit documents, and employment policies as they relate to payroll and benefit administration.

Skills and Ability to

• Process detailed payroll, benefit, and leave information accurately within established deadlines.
• Interpret and apply laws, labor agreements, policies, benefit provisions, payroll rules, and approved personnel actions.
• Analyze data, identify discrepancies, complete reconciliations, and prepare accurate reports and supporting documentation.
• Explain payroll, benefit, and leave processes clearly while recognizing matters requiring review or determination by the Human Resources Manager.
• Maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, provide responsive customer service, and manage competing priorities.
• Effectively use payroll, HRIS, timekeeping, benefits, reporting, spreadsheet, and other assigned technology systems.

Physical and Mental Capabilities, Working Conditions, and Attendance Requirements

The position primarily works in an office environment with occasional travel to fire stations, meetings, and other locations. The employee must be able to:

• Sit, stand, move, communicate, and perform detailed computer and numerical work for extended periods.
• Manage firm payroll and reporting deadlines, interruptions, competing priorities, confidential information, and employee questions.
• Maintain consistent on-site attendance during assigned work hours and work outside regular hours when necessary to meet payroll, benefit, or reporting deadlines.
• Operate computers, office equipment, and a passenger vehicle and occasionally move office materials weighing up to 20 pounds.

Minimum Selection Qualifications

• Three years of experience processing payroll for an organization with at least 75 employees.
• Associate degree in accounting, finance, business administration, human resources, or a related field.
  • Two additional years of qualifying payroll experience may substitute for the degree requirement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional payroll certification, such as the FPC or CPP or other benefit or human resources related certification.
• Experience coordinating employee benefits, retirement programs, and leave-related processes.
• Experience working in a Washington public-sector or unionized environment with at least 100 employees.
• Experience with HRIS, payroll, timekeeping, benefits, or financial systems.