Statewide Payroll Specialist

Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 118,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Health insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Office of the Comptroller (CTR) in Boston seeks a Statewide Payroll Specialist (Program Coordinator III) to ensure accurate and timely statewide payroll operations, ACA compliance, and data integrity. You will reconcile data, support ACA reporting, and work with departments to resolve payroll issues.

The role requires reviewing timekeeping data, testing TRCs, and documenting configurations to reflect policies and collective bargaining provisions in systems.

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor's degree or higher in business administration, management, accounting, or related field.
• Minimum of four years of professional, administrative, or managerial experience in program coordination or administration.
• Experience implementing or supporting ACA compliance and payroll processes.

Responsibilities

• Process and reconcile statewide payroll data in accordance with schedules and policies.
• Investigate payroll discrepancies prior to processing and respond to department questions.
• Lead ACA compliance tracking, reporting, and Forms 1094-C/1095-C preparation.
• Document testing scenarios for Time & Attendance/Time & Labor changes and support audits.

Skills

Payroll processing

Timekeeping

ACA compliance

Data analysis

Audits

TRC requirements

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration or related field

Tools

HRCMS

Mosaic/LCD

CIW

1094-C/1095-C reporting

Job description

OFFICE of the COMPTROLLER (CTR)

Statewide Payroll Specialist, Program Coordinator III

FY27-005

About the Office of the Comptroller

The Office of the Comptroller ensures that the more than $50 billion in annual transactions authorized by the general appropriations act and supplemental appropriations are executed in accordance with all statutory requirements and recorded in compliance with accounting standards. We also oversee capital assets, federal funding inflows, and other transactions. We also own and maintain statewide payments and payroll systems, safeguarding critical financial information. We operate in support of our partners, the financial staff at more than 150 departments and agencies across the Commonwealth.

As stewards of the public trust, we aspire to inspire confidence by maintaining our core principles: clarity, integrity, and accountability.

The powers and obligations of the Office of the Comptroller are generally dictated by M.G.L. c. 7A.

The mission of the Statewide Payroll Team is to ensure accurate, timely and compliant payroll services while promoting department accountability, consistent statewide practices, and responsible stewardship of public resources. Through education, guidance and collaboration, we empower departments with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively manage payroll responsibilities and support a strong, reliable statewide payroll operation.

The Statewide Payroll Team promotes the consistent application of payroll policies and practices across multiple systems, supporting the integrity, accuracy, and reliability of statewide payroll operations. The team serves as a trusted resource for payroll professionals across the Commonwealth.

Position Summary

CTR is seeking qualified candidates for one full-time (37.5 hours/week) Payroll Specialist (Program Coordinator III) position on the Statewide Payroll Team. The Payroll Specialist supports the accurate and timely administration of statewide payroll and serves as a key resource for payroll, Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance, and Time & Attendance/Time & Labor processes. The position is responsible for reviewing and reconciling payroll and timekeeping data, supporting ACA eligibility monitoring and required reporting, and analyzing and testing Time & Attendance and Time & Labor functionality. The Payroll Specialist works closely with departments to resolve issues, maintain data quality and compliance, and ensure that payroll policies, collective bargaining provisions, and business requirements are accurately reflected in system processes and configuration.

Specific Duties

• Support accurate and timely payroll processing in accordance with established payroll schedules, policies, procedures, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
• Review payroll and timekeeping data for completeness and accuracy and investigate discrepancies prior to payroll processing.
• Reconcile payroll results and identify and resolve payroll exceptions.
• Respond to department questions regarding pay, time reporting, deductions, and payroll procedures.
• Maintain payroll documentation, procedures, controls, and audit records. Support internal and external payroll audits and compliance reviews.
• Lead the administration of the Commonwealth’s Affordable Care Act compliance program, including employee eligibility tracking and reporting.
• Monitor employee hours and applicable measurement, administrative, and stability periods in accordance with Commonwealth’s ACA measurement methodology.
• Review employee data to identify potential ACA eligibility or compliance issues and coordinate corrections with departments. Manage preparation, validation, and filing of Forms 1094-C and 1095-C.
• Perform regular audits and reconciliations of payroll, benefits, HR, and ACA data to ensure completeness and accuracy.
• Serve as a subject matter resource for Time & Attendance and Time & labor functionality, process, and configuration. Define and document Time Reporting Code (TRC) requirements, including payroll mapping, eligibility, reporting, and downstream impacts.
• Translate business policies, collective bargaining agreements, and payroll rules into system configuration requirements. Analyze the interaction between time reporting, Time & Labor rules, payroll calculations, and downstream reporting.
• Perform impact assessments before implementing changes to TRCs, Time & Labor rules, or related system configuration. Develop detailed test scenarios and test scripts for Time & Attendance system changes. Perform unit, regression, integration, and user acceptance testing related to TRCs, Time & Labor rules, payroll interfaces, and system enhancements. Validate calculated time, payable time, overtime, premiums, exceptions, and payroll results against expected outcomes.
• Use and create queries, reports and other data analysis tools to identify data issues.
• Work with departments to ensure data quality and compliance.
• Ensure payroll and employee information is handled in accordance with confidentiality and data-security requirements.
• Maintain clear documentation supporting system changes, testing, approvals, reconciliations, and compliance activities.
• Assist with development and maintenance of standard operating procedures and process documentation.
• Identify root causes of recurring issues and recommend sustainable process or system solutions.
• Ensure departmental communication is timely and informative.
• Actively assist Team and Leadership with cross training, knowledge transfer, disaster recovery, risk assessment and internal control review.

Bargaining Unit / Salary Range

NAGE UNIT 6 / Grade 14: $80,411.50 - $117,590.46

As per the Unit 6 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the National Association of Government Employees. The range is based upon a series of steps. Any potential offer is determined based upon an analysis of the minimum entrance requirements, the candidate’s relevant work experience and educational achievement level.

When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

CTR is pleased to offer a comprehensive benefits package to its employees. The specific components and eligibility may vary based upon position classification, hours worked per week and other variables. Therefore, specific benefits for this position may be discussed as part of the interview and offer process.

The overall benefits available include paid vacation, sick and personal leave time, health, dental and vision insurance, and optional pre-tax Health Savings Account plans.

In addition, CTR provides employees the opportunity to elect life insurance, long term disability insurance, deferred compensation savings, tuition remission, pre-tax commuter account plans, along with other programs. This position may be eligible for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program administered by the Federal Government.

CTR Hybrid-Work Model

CTR operates under a Hybrid work model. Under this policy, employees are currently required to work a minimum of four business days per month (two set by management and two set by the employee) on-site at CTR’s Boston office and may work remotely the remainder of the time at a location approved by their supervisor, so long as they comply with the requirements of the telework policy. Under this policy, all employees must be able to report to the Boston office with little or no notice, even including the same workday should an exigent circumstance arise. Therefore, a reasonable proximity to the office is necessary. CTR does not reimburse for employees to travel to the office.

On-site work is an essential function of this position.

In addition, the successful candidate may be required to work primarily on site in Boston during the initial training and orientation period and/or for certain positions a primarily on-site role may be necessary.

Commitment to Diversity

CTR is committed to building a diverse staff at all levels across its entire agency.

The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law.

CTR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Required Background Check – Including Tax Compliance

CTR requires a background check on all prospective employees as a condition of employment.

Candidates should know that the background check is not initiated until:

• A candidate is invited to a second or subsequent interview and
• The candidate has signed the Background Check Authorization Form and related releases.

This background check includes:

• a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check,
• Commonwealth Department of Revenue state tax compliance.

Candidates with advanced degrees and professional licenses may have these credentials verified.

Individuals other than those references provided by a candidate may be contacted in the course of completing a full background and qualification check.

This position requires a self-starter with the following capabilities and attributes:

• superior time management;
• ability to contribute and work productively as part of a team and equally as an individual contributor;
• positive attitude;
• capacity to remain flexible and learn new standards and guidelines as necessary; and
• ability to work well under pressure.

Preferred Qualifications

• 1–2 years of experience supporting Affordable Care Act (ACA) administration, including employee eligibility tracking, ACA data review and reconciliation, and preparation or support of Forms 1094-C and 1095-C.
• Working knowledge of ACA employer reporting requirements
• Experience administering or supporting Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance, including eligibility monitoring, measurement periods, data validation, and required reporting.
• Experience with Time & Attendance and/or Time & Labor systems, including time reporting, payable time, overtime, premiums, and exception processing.
• Experience analyzing, defining, or maintaining Time Reporting Codes (TRCs) or comparable timekeeping and payroll codes.
• Experience translating payroll policies, collective bargaining agreements, and business rules into system or configuration requirements.
• Experience developing and executing test scenarios and test scripts, including regression, integration, and user acceptance testing (UAT) for payroll or Time & Labor system changes.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in business administration, business management, accounting, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including demonstrated experience using advanced formulas and features to analyze and reconcile data.
• Working knowledge of the Commonwealth’s HR/Payroll system (HRCMS).
• Working knowledge of the Commonwealth’s Finance/Labor Cost Distribution system (Mosaic/LCD).
• Working knowledge of the Commonwealth Information Warehouse (CIW) or a comparable data warehouse or reporting solution.

Minimum Entrance Requirements

Applicants must have at least (A) four years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in business administration, business management or public administration the major duties of which involved program management, program administration, program coordination, program planning and/or program analysis, and (B) of which at least one year must have been in a supervisory capacity, or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.

• I. A Bachelor’s degree with a major in business administration, business management, or public administration may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required (A) experience.*
• II. A Graduate degree with a major in business administration, business management or public administration may be substituted for a maximum of three of the required (A) experience.*
• III. A Bachelor’s or higher degree with a major other than in business administration, business management or public administration may be substituted for a maximum of one year of the required (A) experience.*

*Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.

If you have Diversity, Aff ... contact Diversity Officer / ADA Coordinator : Monica Middleton - 6178239689