Manager, Payroll (Finance)

POSITION TITLE: Manager, Payroll (Full-Time Regular) (Classified)
REQUISITION #: req8110
DEPARTMENT: Accounting and Treasury
LOCATION: 215 OFFICE BLDG
BENEFIT CATEGORY: Classified (Non-CBU) View Classifications & Benefits
EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full-Time Regular
ANNUAL SALARY RANGE: $81,360.00 - 135,600.00 (Salaries are paid biweekly)
ANNUAL ANTICIPATED HIRING RANGE: $91,000.00 - $113,000.00 (Salaries are paid biweekly)
SELECTION PROCESS: Application deadline is 3:00 p.m. MT on 6/3/2025.

The City of Fort Collins is a bias-conscious employer. We ask that you please avoid the use of photos when submitting a resume and/or an application for employment. You will receive an email acknowledgment when you have successfully submitted an application. Your completed application will be forwarded to the hiring manager. You will be notified if you are selected for further testing or interviews. Please keep your contact information up-to-date. The status of your application will be updated in your applicant profile. Post-offer background check required.

Why Work For the City of Fort Collins?

• Medical, dental, vision (for self, spouse, children) - eligible on the 1st of the month following date of hire
• Paid vacation, paid holidays, sick leave, and additional one-time bank of 40 PTO hours for new, full-time, Classified and Unclassified Management hires
• Retirement + company contributions - after 6 month probation period and immediate vesting
• Flexible spending: Medical expenses FSA, dependent FSA or both
• Employee Assistance Program: counseling, legal, financial assistance
• Life insurance, short-term and long-term disability
• Wellness program, workout facilities
• Employee/family onsite health clinic
• Learning and development opportunities at all levels in the organization with opportunities for career mobility
• Collaborative work environment

To learn more about The City of Fort Collins and Our Community, please read Our Community and Our Organization Brochure

Job Summary

The City of Fort Collins is looking for a strategic and service-minded Payroll Manager to join our Finance Department and help shape the future of public service in one of Colorado's most vibrant communities. The anticipated salary range for this position is $91,000-$113,000 a year!

As our Payroll Manager, you'll be the go-to expert for everything payroll-from managing complex compensation processes to ensuring compliance across local, state, and federal regulations. You'll lead a dedicated team, streamline systems, and collaborate across departments like HR, Finance, and IT to support the City's diverse workforce and organizational goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties and responsibilities are illustrative of the primary functions of this position and are not intended to be all inclusive.

• Payroll Processing & Administration
  • Oversee and manage payroll operations for City staff and affiliated entities utilizing City payroll services as defined by Internal Governmental Agreements.
  • Ensure timely and accurate payroll processing, including salary, overtime, benefits, and deductions.
  • Maintain strong partnerships with Human Resources and various time keeping System Administrators to ensure the timely and accurate creations and maintenance of employee records (new hires, terminations, promotions, employment contracts, applicable benefits, etc).
  • Process wage garnishments, tax withholdings, and retirement contributions.
• Compliance & Regulations
  • Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal tax laws, labor laws, and government reporting requirements.
  • Stay updated on changes to tax laws, pension regulations, and collective bargaining agreements.
  • Prepare and submit payroll tax filings, W-2s, and other required reports.
  • Coordinate with accounting staff and auditors for payroll-related audits and ensure proper record-keeping.
  • Develop and maintain Payroll policies, processes and procedures.
• Financial & Budget Management
  • Support the finance department to reconcile payroll accounts and ensure proper fund allocations.
  • Assist in budgeting and forecasting payroll-related expenses.
  • Ensure accurate payroll funding and reporting of expenditures.
• System Management & Process Improvement
  • Manage payroll software systems, ensuring data integrity and efficiency.
  • Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes and implement best practices.
  • Establish and maintain key performance metrics for throughput, quality and customer satisfaction.
  • Collaborate with Human Resources, Finance Systems Information department and Information Technology services to maintain system security and troubleshoot technical issues.
• Employee Relations & Customer Service
  • Address employee inquiries related to payroll, benefits, and deductions.
  • Resolve payroll discrepancies and disputes efficiently.
  • Provide payroll training and guidance to City staff and department heads.
• Team Leadership & Supervision
  • Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains payroll staff, ensuring a skilled and efficient team capable of accurate and timely payroll processing, while fostering a positive and compliant work environment.
  • Supervise payroll staff, assign tasks, and ensure adherence to deadlines.
  • Conduct performance reviews and provide training opportunities for payroll team members.
  • Ensure proper delegation and workflow management within the payroll department.

Management Responsibilities

Yes

City Competencies

• Demonstrated cultural competence to effectively interact, work, and develop meaningful relationships with people of diverse identities, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds.
• Strong learning orientation. Leverages all resources and is creative in ways of learning for self to continue adapting to changing issues and trends.
• A desire and ability to understand the diverse needs of internal and external customers, and to create experiences and deliver services that exceed their expectations.
• A desire and ability to utilize digital tools for organizational information, individual, and teamwork.
• Experience building teams and implementing practices to lead others well in an inclusive, high-performance organization. Skill in integrating and synthesizing others' viewpoints to build alignment of diverse perspectives to achieve results.
• Capable of creating conditions of emotional safety and demonstrates self-awareness and regulation in responding to others.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Excellent analytical, problem solving, and mathematical skills with high attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality; strong knowledge of data privacy and cyber security.
• Knowledge of relevant tax laws and regulations to ensure accurate tax withholdings and filings.
• Understanding of relevant labor laws, such as minimum wage, overtime, and discrimination laws.
• Ability to coach and develop others.
• Strong proficiency in payroll software and MS Office Suite, particularly Excel.
• Familiarity with payroll software systems (e.g., JDE, ADP, SAP)
• Specific knowledge of the automated finance system functions and features and ability to apply those functions to user needs.

Required Education

MinimumPreferredCollege degree or equivalent work experience. Some positions may require functionally related certification or advanced degrees Public or Business Administration, Finance, Accounting or a related field required.

Experience Requirements

• 5 or more years payroll management and/or human capital management systems experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from a less traditional background. The City may consider an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.

Certifications/Licenses/Specialized Training

• CPP preferred

The content in this posting was created for recruitment purposes. To view the full job description click the link below.

Manager, Payroll

The City of Fort Collins will make reasonable accommodations for access to City services, programs and activities and will make special communication arrangements for persons with disabilities. Please call (970) 221-6535 for assistance.

Notice Regarding Medical and/or Recreational Marijuana Use:
Because the possession and use of marijuana, whether for medical use or otherwise, constitutes a federal offense and because the City is a drug free workplace, the City will not accommodate the medical use of marijuana and enforces written policy prohibiting working for the City while marijuana is in the body. The fact that state law recognizes medical marijuana as a prescribed, or otherwise permitted, medication does not alter or otherwise change this policy.

The City of Fort Collins is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants are considered for positions for which they have applied without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, sexual orientation (including perceived sexual orientation), gender identity and expression, disability, age 40 years or older, pregnancy or related condition, genetic information, and, in certain specific circumstances, marriage to a coworker or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIRED.

Note: Some information in your application may be public information under the Colorado Open Records Act.Job Summary

The City of Fort Collins is looking for a strategic and service-minded Payroll Manager to join our Finance Department and help shape the future of public service in one of Colorado's most vibrant communities. The anticipated salary range for this position is $91,000-$113,000 a year!

As our Payroll Manager, you'll be the go-to expert for everything payroll-from managing complex compensation processes to ensuring compliance across local, state, and federal regulations. You'll lead a dedicated team, streamline systems, and collaborate across departments like HR, Finance, and IT to support the City's diverse workforce and organizational goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties and responsibilities are illustrative of the primary functions of this position and are not intended to be all inclusive.
Payroll Processing & AdministrationOversee and manage payroll operations for City staff and affiliated entities utilizing City payroll services as defined by Internal Governmental Agreements.Ensure timely and accurate payroll processing, including salary, overtime, benefits, and deductions.Maintain strong partnerships with Human Resources and various time keeping System Administrators to ensure the timely and accurate creations and maintenance of employee records (new hires, terminations, promotions, employment contracts, applicable benefits, etc).Process wage garnishments, tax withholdings, and retirement contributions.Compliance & RegulationsEnsure compliance with local, state, and federal tax laws, labor laws, and government reporting requirements.Stay updated on changes to tax laws, pension regulations, and collective bargaining agreements.Prepare and submit payroll tax filings, W-2s, and other required reports.Coordinate with accounting staff and auditors for payroll-related audits and ensure proper record-keeping.Develop and maintain Payroll policies, processes and procedures.Financial & Budget ManagementSupport the finance department to reconcile payroll accounts and ensure proper fund allocations.Assist in budgeting and forecasting payroll-related expenses.Ensure accurate payroll funding and reporting of expenditures.System Management & Process ImprovementManage payroll software systems, ensuring data integrity and efficiency.Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes and implement best practices.Establish and maintain key performance metrics for throughput, quality and customer satisfaction.Collaborate with Human Resources, Finance Systems Information department and Information Technology services to maintain system security and troubleshoot technical issues.Employee Relations & Customer ServiceAddress employee inquiries related to payroll, benefits, and deductions.Resolve payroll discrepancies and disputes efficiently.Provide payroll training and guidance to City staff and department heads.Team Leadership & SupervisionRecruits, interviews, hires, and trains payroll staff, ensuring a skilled and efficient team capable of accurate and timely payroll processing, while fostering a positive and compliant work environment.Supervise payroll staff, assign tasks, and ensure adherence to deadlines.Conduct performance reviews and provide training opportunities for payroll team members.Ensure proper delegation and workflow management within the payroll department.
Management Responsibilities

Yes