Management Specialist - Payroll

Job Description:

Management Specialist - Payroll

Description

Description

The Administrative Services Department is looking for a detail-oriented payroll professional ready to make an impact!

At the City of Palo Alto we’re committed to serving the public with integrity, innovation, and impact. We’re looking for a passionate and dedicated Management Specialist Payroll to support our payroll team during an exciting transition to the S/4HANA platform. If you have experience with SAP PY (Payroll) modules and time evaluation (CATS), and thrive in fast-paced environments, we want to hear from you.

This limited part-time role will play a role in the transition to the S/4HANA Project. This project will upgrade the current SAP payroll system to the newer S4/Hana platform. This position will support the testing and validation of the new system, while assisting current payroll staff on payroll processing duties to allow capacity for support.

This position offers a hybrid work model, combining remote and onsite work, and is a temporary appointment funded for up to six months.

Department
The Administrative Services Department (ASD) provides analytical, organizational, and administrative support for a wide variety of projects throughout the organization. The Department prides itself on a high-level of customer service to decision-makers, the public, employees, and other departments in the City. ASD records, monitors, and protects the City’s assets through essential financial management, including forecasting, budgeting, and financial reporting. ASD’s divisions include Accounting, the Office of Management and Budget, Purchasing, Treasury, Real Estate, Revenue Collections, Stores and Administration. Learn more about the Administrative Services Department.

Our Organization
The City of Palo Alto is located in the heart of Silicon Valley and home to global technology and business leaders, startups, Stanford University, and a highly educated and engaged constituency. The City is committed to cultivating a creative and progressive economy and is actively engaged in making a difference both locally and globally. Working at the City, you will join a culture that strives for excellence and encourages leadership, new ideas, and creative solutions.?

Essential Duties

In this position, you will:
- Assist with payroll processing, testing, and documentation
- Support system transition efforts with accuracy and efficiency
- Handle sensitive information with professionalism and discretion
- Troubleshoot and document system discrepancies
- Update and provide clear detailed process flows
- Ability to adapt to change quickly and work independently to support current payroll staff in varied tasks as necessary.

What you bring:
- Strong attention to detail and the ability to work independently
- Quick learning skills and adaptability
- Excellent interpersonal communication
- Confidence working under pressure and meeting tight deadlines

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Knowledge of payroll functions and procedures; office equipment; telephone etiquette
- Basic arithmetic; rules of proper English usage, grammar, punctuation, and spelling
- Familiarity with excel tables and formulas
- Prior SAP knowledge or comparable platform
- Ability to provide clear written and verbal communication
- Knowledge working in public sector payroll with multiple bargaining units highly desirable
- Experience reviewing and comprehending complex payroll calculations

Minimum Qualifications

Education, training and/or work experience which demonstrate possession of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities which would typically be acquired through:

• Two years’ experience in accounting and/or payroll office preferred.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Background in excel and Adobe
• Some experience with SAP and other similar system/ platforms

Supplemental Information

Tentative Timeline:
Applications Open - Thursday, March 26th
Applications Close - Sunday, April 12th
Interviews - week of April 20th

The Selection Process:

• Recruitment status notifications will be sent via email or text (please enroll in text alerts when applying).
• Updates can also be found on your governmentjobs.com account.
• Applicants will be screened throughout the posting process and highly qualified candidates may be invited to interview at any time.
• The screening process for this position may include a virtual recorded interview and/or panel interviews preceding final interviews with the hiring manager or their designee.
• More than one position may be filled through this posting.

Our online application system is provided by NeoGov. If you have problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.

The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

This is a non-benefited position.

Closing Date/Time: 4/12/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$48.43 - $59.20 Hourly