JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

JOB TITILE: PAYROLL & BENEFITS SPECIALIST

School: District Office	School Year: 2024-25
Reports to: Executive Director of Business & Finance	Bargaining Unit: Exempt
Days Per Year: 260	Start Date: When filled
Wage Range (Salaries are stated as an estimate only. Actual salary is confirmed only upon hire/job offer.) $72,474 - $80,529 – Depending on Experience

Note: Employees are paid the last working day of each month.

Terms of Employment

Full-time hourly wage position working twelve months per year. Full Time: M-F; 8:00-4:30; 260 days per school year. General work hours are 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday. Employee may be required to modify work schedule and/or work overtime depending on employer needs.

Job Overview

The Payroll & Benefits Specialist works collaboratively with Human Resources and Business Office staff as well as other stakeholders to support the onboarding, benefits, payroll, and offboarding of staff. The Payroll & Benefits Specialist is responsible for all functions required to process the district’s monthly payroll. This includes processing all pay and leave data, benefits administration, state, and federal reporting, reconciling benefit invoices, garnishments, retirement reporting, W-2s, etc.

The Payroll & Benefits Specialist works with the Executive Director of Business and Finance to create the HR portion of the annual fiscal budget.

This position requires the individual to take initiative, work independently without supervision and to exercise good judgment in fulfilling the responsibilities of the essential job functions.

The Payroll & Benefits Specialist will have a vast amount of personal contact with employees, substitutes, administrators, state, federal, and local agencies.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

Payroll

Responsible for all payroll functions to ensure accurate and timely payroll.
Reconcile all payroll taxes and deductions following payroll to ensure correct monies are disbursed. This includes annuities, credit unions, support enforcement, bankruptcy, union dues, federal deposits and retirement.
Process monthly timecards for substitutes and district employees.
Manages W-4 and direct deposit forms.
Prepare Annual GASB 16 report.
Maintain systems for internal controls; audit information received from buildings and departments to ensure accuracy.
Process all contracts, adjustments and changes in salaries, supplemental payments, resignations, retirement eligibility and deductions.
Responsible for notifying employees of the status of the various types of leave and important changes in payroll. Allocate annual leave. Maintain staff absence (leave) records. Prepare and deliver sick leave buy back notices. Manage VEBA voting process.
Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual payroll reports: W2’s, Social Security, Internal Revenue, IRS 941, Unemployment, Labor & Industries and Health Care Authority, WA State Retirement transmittal and Affordable Care Act, OESD, payroll vendors, WA Paid Family & Medical Leave Act, WA Cares Act, Long Term Disability to The Standard.
Prepare all correspondence related to payroll.
Keep current on applicable district and state policies.
Maintain a high-level of accuracy with account codes, figures, contracts and numbered reports.
Process monthly timecards for substitutes and district employees.

Benefits

Coordinate employee health related benefits. Serve as liaison with insurance brokers. Maintain knowledge of coverage offered. Keep up to date with rules relating to each one, including changes in coverage and premiums.
Conduct new employee benefit orientations.
Communicate and update employees during annual open enrollment period on health care coverage and premium changes.
Assist employees with health benefit enrollment forms; enter data into the computer system and maintain files.
Balance monthly vendor billing with payroll records and submit to vendors with payment; maintain files.
Research and respond to employee and vendor questions pertaining to health benefits.
Process and maintain benefit pooling for all bargaining groups.
Responsible for managing the district’s leave sharing plan; COBRA activity and sick leave recovery for injured workers.
Monitor COBRA laws and enrollment, process personal checks for Cobra premium payments, including Leave of Absence. Monitor benefit payments for employees on FMLA.
Oversee 403(b) plans, salary reduction agreements, maximum exclusion allowance, data input and monthly balancing of vendor warrants.
Monitor FSA plan yearly enrollment, data input, and ensure miscellaneous reporting requirements are met.
Coordinate and oversee, with HR, the district’s workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance matters.
Responsible for SEBB reporting and providing SEBB support to District Staff.

Retirement

Create, maintain and audit employee retirement (TRS, PERS, SERS) records for eligibility determination, enrollment forms and data input. Continuously monitor records for changes and corrections.
Audit and prepare electronic transmittal of contributions and deductions, reconcile various payroll reports and balance to vendor warrants.
Review transmittals, edit reports and reconcile retirement accounts receivable statements, monitor for system generated errors, make corrections for the next payroll cycle.
Communicate with substitutes regarding eligibility and buying of service credit.
Monitor retire/rehire employees for reporting of hours and employer contributions.
Research and respond to requested information from DRS and/or employee for final compensation reports, verification of employment and proof of service requests.
Maintain current knowledge of rules, regulations, and legislation governing retirement and payroll matters and ensure district compliance. Act as district liaison with Department of Retirement Systems.
Communicate and update retirement information to employees through orientations, seminars, and notification of quarterly bulletins and annual statements.
Input work calendars used in calculating employee pay and retirement service credit and earnings.

Personnel

Review negotiated agreements and provide information to district negotiation team.
Respond to Verification of Employment requests.
Work with Executive Director to provide reports to budget managers and preparation of personnel budgeting.
Input new hire paperwork and enter into payroll database system. Conduct verification of SSN using SSA BSO. Work with Human Resources to verify accuracy of records and ensure that personnel changes are accurately reflected in payroll records.

Future Job Duties

Washington State school district payroll systems change over time and the Payroll & Benefits Specialist must be able to adapt to a changing environment. This includes but is not limited to the upcoming conversion from Skyward HR/Payroll system to Qmlativ (Q) HR/Payroll system.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of experience in an applicable financial position
Experience in Skyward (preferred, not required)
Successful experience processing payroll in a public education setting (preferred, not required)
Ability to effectively use Microsoft Office applications to complete tasks
Ability to work in an environment with hard deadlines and flexibility, organization, and attention to detail to complete tasks accurately and on time
Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and staff as a team to accomplish goals
Ability to develop and maintain positive, professional relationships with other staff
Willingness to maintain an upbeat, positive, and collaborative demeanor
Willingness to maintain confidentiality and tact in all aspects of employment
Willingness to serve as a think-partner and use critical thinking skills to perform tasks and make decisions.
Ability to interpret and apply collective bargaining agreements, policies, procedures, statutes, and regulations accurately
Ability to perform all the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Prior customer service experience
Ability to work with multiple and often changing software systems
Ability to troubleshoot complex accounting and reporting issues
Detail oriented with high level of accuracy
Knowledge of Federal and State reporting (preferred, not required)
Experience with Washington State Department of Retirement reporting (preferred, not required)

Application Material Required

Go to https://www.csd49.org/Content2/employment-application to submit an online application. Complete online applications include: letter of interest, completed district application, resume, and three (3) letters of recommendation.

Questions? Please contact:

Upuli Murray – Executive Assistant

Upuli_murray@csd49.org

(360) 302-5891

Open Until Filled

About Chimacum Schools

Surrounded by farms and forests at the base of the Olympic Mountains and the edge of the Salish Sea, Chimacum Schools are the heart center of a proud and vibrant community in East Jefferson County. We offer a deeply rewarding work environment with dedicated colleagues, enriching professional development, community partnerships, and regionally competitive compensation. Chimacum provides PreK-12 students engaging place-based and hands-on learning, locally produced school lunches, and an invitation to educational innovation and support, among other amazing opportunities!

The district reserves the right to modify, interpret, or apply this job description in any way the district desires. This job description is illustrative and in no way implies that these are the only duties, including essential duties, to be performed by the employee occupying this position. The job requirements are subject to change within the district’s sole discretion to reasonably accommodate qualified disabled individuals.

Chimacum School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employee has been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

Civil Rights Coordinator: Stephanie McCleary, HR Director, 360.302.5894

Title IX Coordinator: Ryan Stevens, CJSHS Principal, 360.302.5905

Section 504 Coordinator: Sarah Walker, CCP Principal, 360.302.5823

Gender-Inclusive Schools Coordinator: Sarah Walker, CCP Principal, 360.302.5823

Chimacum School District will also take steps to assure that national origin persons who lack English language skills can participate in all education programs, services and activities. For information regarding translation services or transitional bilingual education programs, contact Sarah Walker (360)302-5823.

NOTE: All new employees are required to undergo a criminal history check via fingerprint cards with the Washington State Patrol and FBI. Employment is conditional pending a satisfactory background check. Chimacum School District is a smoke and drug free workplace which includes nicotine delivering devices.