Payroll Technician, Auditor-Treasurer’s Office

StearnsCountyMN; Saint Cloud (MN); On-site; USD 35,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

Stearns County in Minnesota is seeking a Payroll Clerk to manage biweekly payrolls, verify wages, deductions, and benefits, and generate required reports to support the county budget and audits. You will process payroll using payroll software, handle tax deposits, vendor payments, and employment verifications, following union contracts and personnel policies.

Normal hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, with occasional overtime; candidates should have strong Microsoft Office

Qualifications

• High School graduate or equivalent.
• Two years of post-secondary formal preparation/training/education in accounting, payroll or similar related field and three years of accounting or payroll experience
• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite

Responsibilities

• Maintains payroll data accuracy by verifying wages, employment status, benefits and deductions.
• Processes biweekly payroll using payroll software for various pay types in accordance with contracts.
• Audits new hires, terminations and timesheet entries for policy and union compliance.
• Prepares and audits tax deposits and regulatory reports, and processes payments to vendors.
• Prepares employment verifications.
• Audits insurance billings and ensures correct plan enrollments and payments.
• Assists with related accounting tasks and real estate tax payments as needed

Skills

Payroll processing

Accounting basics

Education

High School diploma

Post-secondary training in accounting/payroll

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Salary Hiring Rate: $25.33/hour, Grade 13, Non-Exempt, Non-Union

Stearns County Mission: Provide Exceptional Public Services to Assure a Safe, Healthy, Vibrant County for All.

Stearns County Values: Professional | Approachable | Responsive | Collaborative | Fair & Equitable

Stearns County is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, public assistance status, veteran status, disability or sexual orientation.

Full Salary Range: $25.33 - $37.18/hour

Position Objective: To provide processing of personnel transactions and produce biweekly payrolls for all County departments and generate County, Federal and State reports. This position is responsible for ensuring accurate payment to all personnel and providing reports used for implementation of the County’s budget and external audit needs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Maintains personnel files by verifying, and auditing employee wages, employment statuses, benefits, and deductions to ensure that payroll data is accurate, timely and verified.
2. Processes accurate biweekly payroll using payroll software for a variety of pay types, including step increases, severance, longevity, accruals, and retroactive pay, in accordance with County Union Contracts and personnel policies. Reviews and audits, benefits, deductions, accruals, and FMLA tracking following all applicable rules and policies.
3. Audits new hires, terminations, and personnel movements to ensure proper setup and compliance, and conducts detailed reviews of timesheet entries to confirm those entries align with personnel policies and union contract requirements.
4. Prepares and audits tax deposits to comply with federal and state withholding laws. Prepares and audits various regulatory reporting that occurs bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly and/or annually. Process payments to vendors for payroll deductions, PERA, Nationwide, Wex, etc.
5. Prepares employment verifications.
6. Audits and prepares insurance billings and notifies vendors of adjustments to ensure employees are enrolled in correct plans with accurate coverages and payments.
7. Maintains information and collaborates on modifications to union and non-union language used during labor relations negotiations.
8. Assists with processing real estate tax payments.
9. Attends work regularly and in a timely manner.
10. Performs other duties as assigned or apparent.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School graduate or equivalent
• Two years of post-secondary formal preparation/training/education in accounting, payroll or similar related field and three years of accounting or payroll experience
• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the Workday HCM software.
• Knowledge of contract and employment law.
• Knowledge of deposit requirements for payment of payroll taxes.
• Knowledge of the filing requirements for various government payroll reports.
• Knowledge of fund accounting and public finance.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work.
• Ability to prepare statistical reports.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing.

Accountabilities Shared By All Employees

• Consistently performs job responsibilities with a positive attitude and in a manner consistent with the County’s mission and values.
• Develops and maintains a respectful and collaborative professional relationship with all County employees and the public we serve.
• Values and respects the diversity each employee brings to the organization.
• Develops and maintains knowledge and understanding of all department and County-wide policies, protocols and procedures that apply to the performance of this position.
• Complies with all rules and policies to maintain a safe work environment.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

The primary responsibilities for this position will be performed approximately 100% of the time indoors. May require travel to offsite locations and minimal attendance at evening meetings. Will have infrequent exposure to health hazards and accidents; requires a low level of physical effort.

All employees are required to reside within the state of Minnesota. Responsibility for Public Contact Minimal.

Hours of Work

Normal work hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; may include hours outside of normal work hours on occasion.

Interview Date

If you are selected to be interviewed for this position, interviews will be held on a date to be determined. Invitations to interview will be sent to the email address listed on the job application and will be based upon an assessment of education and experience. A job specific background check and/or physical, drug and psychological exam may be required before appointment.

Benefits

Benefits To view Stearns County benefits go to: Stearns County Benefits Page

At Stearns County we live by our mission to provide exceptional public services to assure a safe, healthy, vibrant county for all. We accomplish this through our values of being Professional, Approachable, Responsive, Collaborative, and Fair & Equitable. If you have a passion for public service and the desire to make an impact in our community, a career with Stearns County may be a good fit for you! Explore our County’s main website to learn more about our departments, programs, and the many ways we serve our community at StearnsCountyMN.gov.

Stearns County Mission

Stearns County Mission: "Provide Exceptional Public Services to Assure a Safe, Healthy, Vibrant County for All."

Stearns County Values

Stearns County Values: Professional | Approachable | Responsive | Collaborative | Fair & Equitable

Equal Opportunity Statement

Stearns County is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, public assistance status, veteran status, disability or sexual orientation.

Job Postings Deadline

Job postings close at 11:59 p.m. CT prior to the specified End Date (if designated).

Employer Information

Stearns County participates in E-Verify. All employees must be continuously authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis and must be a resident of Minnesota. Stearns County does not provide sponsorship for employment visas.