Senior Payroll Accountant

City of Mountain View; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 124,000 - 188,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Mountain View is seeking a Senior Payroll Accountant to lead and manage payroll functions. In this mid-senior level role, you will ensure accurate and timely payroll processing while supervising a team, leveraging technology to streamline operations. Ideal candidates will have strong experience in public sector payroll and excellent leadership skills. The position offers flexibility and a competitive salary within a supportive work environment.

Benefits

Guaranteed 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)

Flexibility for hybrid work schedule

Qualifications

• Three years of increasingly responsible payroll experience, including at least one year in a lead or supervisory role.
• Experience with collective bargaining agreements and tax codes is essential.

Responsibilities

• Support payroll operations while supervising a team.
• Ensure compliance with payroll requirements and accuracy in reporting.
• Collaborate independently and mentor team members.

Skills

Advanced Excel Skills

Payroll Technology Fluency

Labor Union & MOU Knowledge

Regulatory Expertise

Detail-Obsessed Accuracy

Independent Follow-Through

Leadership With Heart

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, human resources, or related field

Job description

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City of Mountain View provided pay range

This range is provided by City of Mountain View. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$124,824.44/yr - $187,236.40/yr

What's The Role And What You'll Do

The City of Mountain View is looking for a Payroll Supervisor who's ready to lead, roll up their sleeves, and help shape a high-performing, service-driven payroll team. In this role, you won't just supervise —you'll be hands-on in making sure our employees are paid accurately, timely, and in full compliance with some of the most complex payroll requirements in the public sector. If you're fueled by precision, love partnering with people and technology, and get a little spark of joy from balancing every last decimal, this is your moment!

Why This Role Stands Out

• Lead AND Do: We're looking for a working supervisor — someone who can inspire a team, while also personally tackling the intricate tasks that keep payroll running smoothly. You'll model what great looks like while helping your team grow and thrive.
• Bring Your Tech Game: This isn't old-school payroll. You'll flex your advanced Excel skills, navigate payroll systems with fluency, and help streamline processes that ensure we stay agile and efficient.
• Stay Sharp on the Details: You'll oversee and complete complex tasks such as FMLA compliance from a payroll lens, processing tax forms, and handling critical reports like the State Controller's Report. Accuracy, compliance, and careful follow-through are key.
• Navigate Nuance Like a Pro: From interpreting MOUs and labor contracts to understanding the finer points of tax codes and specialty pay, you'll handle the nuanced complexities of working in a labor union environment with confidence and ease.
• Collaborate and Own It: We need someone who's not just collaborative—but also highly independent when the job calls for it. If you can follow instructions carefully and see them through with pride, you'll thrive and make a meaningful impact here.
  
  

The Essentials

Experience and Training Guidelines:

Qualifications

To thrive in this role, you should have a combination of relevant experience, education, and training that satisfies the required minimum qualifications. Ideally, you bring:

• Three years of increasingly responsible payroll experience, including at least one year in a lead or supervisory role.
• A bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, human resources, or a related field is highly desirable.
  
  

Are We a Match?

What You'll Bring

• Advanced Excel Skills: You’re the person who actually enjoys pivot tables, formulas, and spreadsheets—and you use them to make processes smarter.
• Payroll Technology Fluency: You know how to navigate, troubleshoot, and optimize payroll systems like a pro.
• Labor Union & MOU Knowledge: Experience working with collective bargaining agreements, tax codes, and payroll intricacies tied to MOUs is highly desirable.
• Regulatory Expertise: A clear understanding of FMLA, tax reporting requirements, and payroll compliance expectations—plus the ability to apply them correctly.
• Detail-Obsessed Accuracy: You double-check (and maybe even triple-check) your work, because you know in payroll, the little things matter.
• Independent Follow-Through: You take direction well and run with it—delivering top-quality work without needing a lot of hand-holding.
• Leadership With Heart: You mentor and support your team members, creating an environment that’s inclusive, collaborative, and growth-oriented.
  
  

Apply Now

Work Schedule And Salary

We believe the best work happens when we work together. That's why this role isn't fully remote but don't worry, we understand flexibility matters too and there is flexibility once you've had time to settle into your role. After successful completion of your probationary period, you may be eligible for a hybrid schedule and 9/80 schedule.

The control point for this position is $156,030.42. The full salary range is $124,824.44 to $187,236.40 (posted to comply with California law). Successful candidates can expect a starting offer between $124,824.44–$156,030.42 depending on experience and qualifications—with room to grow over time.

Even Better News

As an Unrepresented Confidential employee, you’ll receive a guaranteed 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on July 1st — ensuring your salary keeps pace as you grow your career with us.

Who You Are

You know that payroll isn't just about pushing buttons—it's about trust, service, compliance, and making sure employees feel confident and cared for. You thrive in a fast-paced environment, stay calm under pressure, and take pride in doing things right the first time.

For this role, experience matters. We are specifically looking for someone with strong public sector payroll expertise, including processing payroll across multiple bargaining groups (including Police and Fire with shift-based schedules) and navigating the complexities of CalPERS Classic and PEPRA membership reporting. Handling nuanced labor agreements, tax rules, and pension structures will be a core part of your success here.

We still believe the best candidates aren't just those who check every single box—they're the ones who bring their authentic selves to the table, ready to collaborate, innovate, and lead. But for this critical role, prior experience managing these types of payroll complexities isn't just preferred—it's essential.

Ready to put your skills, passion for payroll and leadership into action? Apply by 5:00pm on June 12, 2025, and let’s build something great together!

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Human Resources

• Industries

  Hospitals and Health Care, Non-profit Organizations, and Government Administration

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