Senior Human Resources Analyst (Payroll Focused)

The City of Stockton is currently seeking a Senior Human Resources professional to fill one (1) vacancy within our Budget/Payroll division. The incumbent will provide guidance to management and department officials on complex management and staff budgetary and payroll issues in accordance with City policies, directives, procedures, regulations, and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs).

The ideal candidate will have experience in the preparation, processing, reporting, and maintenance of payroll; possess excellent customer service skills, have the ability to effectively build and maintain collaborative working relationships, and have strong analytical skills.  Other duties will include but not be limited to handling complex payroll and timekeeping related issues, financial record keeping and reporting, and auditing and reconciliation.

This is an At-Will (Unclassified/Unrepresented/MW) position.  Only those applicants who best fit the needs of the City will be referred to the hiring department.  (Applicants who fail to fully complete the on-line application/supplemental questionnaire will be subject to rejection.)

Prior to appointment, eligible candidates will be required to submit to and successfully pass a background investigation, which will include fingerprinting.

Under general direction, performs a variety of professional activities of various levels of complexity in support of a centralized human resources system, including recruitment and selection, job analysis, classification and compensation plan administration, equal employment, training, safety, payroll, employee/labor relations, benefits, retirement, or other designated functions; performs related work as assigned.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

Senior Human Resources Analyst is the working lead level in the professional human resource series.  Incumbents possess detailed knowledge of unit operations, assignments, procedures, and requirements sufficient to independently assign and/or review the work of others for accuracy, completeness, and compliance to established standards.  Incumbents are also expected to perform the most complex professional human resource work requiring a substantial level of professional training and experience.  While primary assignments are normally in one or more specific areas of the broad human resource function, responsibilities may include providing support in other areas as the need arises.  This level is distinguished from Supervising Human Resources Analyst in that the latter has full responsibility for the day-to-day supervision of a designated section of the Human Resources Department.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES
Depending upon area of assignment, duties may include but are not limited to the following:

All Levels:

Designs and implements recruitment programs to obtain qualified candidates; prepares job announcements, advertisements, and other recruitment materials.
Coordinates, designs, and administers job-related selection procedures, including, but not limited to, application reviews, written and performance tests, oral examinations, and assessment centers; screens applications for qualifications; provides for the establishment of employment lists.
Conducts organizational studies, audits new or modified analysis documentation and performs complex research. Collects compensation and benefit data and prepares analyses and reports to include staff reports for City Council; provides classification, compensation, benefits, retirement, and other information to other agencies.
Develops, prepares, and maintains databases, spreadsheets, and reports for purposes of file management for area of specialty.
Assists in the implementation and monitoring of compliance policies and programs; drafts complex directives, memos, correspondence.
Develops and implements various employee training programs; provides and develops technical training to City staff in area of specialty.
Collects information and serves as backup during negotiations with employee organizations and/or for grievance proceedings; reviews and recommends changes to existing labor agreements; drafts contract labor proposals and Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) language.
Conducts grievance and discipline investigations; makes recommendations on level of discipline and provides related technical support.
Assists management with the preparation for and handling of various types of hearings.
Receives, reviews, verifies and processes payroll records, documentation and related records; audits all payroll data for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with policies and procedures.
Reviews and maintains timecard submissions; audits timecard records; reviews and reconciles calculated payroll figures including salaries, benefits, taxes, and garnishments; finalizes payroll journal entries.
Audits timekeeping records for compliance with established standards and overtime rules; integrates various leave payments.
Assures compliance with City, State, and Federal requirements; prepares quarterly, annual and tax reporting statements, processes retirement plan contributions; analyzes employee pay, deductions, and benefits to determine the correct amount to report to state and federal agencies.
Provides guidance to department officials on human resources issues.
Answers a variety of payroll and benefits-related questions from City employees; researches and resolves payroll issues; explains City payroll policies and procedures.
Audits, reconciles, researches, and prepares various types of information for area of specialty.
Researches and resolves complex issues related to all leave entitlements.
Confers with and interprets MOU’s, policies, procedures, and regulations to City staff and the public.
Conducts varied analytical studies; prepares reports, correspondence, and a variety of written materials.
Monitors developments in the human resources field, evaluates their impact on City activities, and recommends policy and procedural improvements.
Interprets retirement laws and policies.

Senior Level (in addition to the above duties for all levels):

Provides lead direction to staff in work procedures; may plan, direct, and review the work of assigned staff on a day-to-day or project basis in area(s) of specialty.
May serve as the administrator for the City’s payroll and timekeeping systems including implementation, testing, and troubleshooting.

QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:

Principles, practices, and techniques of public human resources administration;
Recruitment and testing, selection, and job analysis techniques;
General practices and procedures related to processing claims;
Basic statistical concepts and methods; financial record keeping, bookkeeping, and basic accounting principles;
Principles and practices of payroll preparation, processing, reporting, and maintenance;
Basic principles of employee development and training;
Classification and compensation, benefits analysis, and administration techniques;
Applicable state and federal laws; regulations and requirements related to entitled leaves and benefit programs;
Basic equal employment principles and practices;
Basic labor relations principles and practices in a collective bargaining environment, conflict resolution and negotiation techniques; Standard office practices and procedures, including basic business usage of personal computers including databases, spreadsheet and word processing;
Methods of auditing, reconciling records and budgeting principles; and
Basic supervisory principles and practices.

Skill in:

Designing effective recruitment programs to obtain qualified candidates;
Developing valid and effective selection procedures;
Conducting classification, organizational, and compensation studies;
Technical and analytical report writing;
Calculating payroll and paid time off deductions; reviewing and reconciling calculated payroll data computations including salaries, benefits, taxes, and garnishments; finalizing payroll journal entries;
Organizing and prioritizing work; meeting critical deadlines; following up with assignments;
Evaluating alternatives and making sound independent judgment calls within established guidelines;
Analyzing complex technical information, evaluating alternatives, and making sound, independent judgment within established guidelines;
Interpreting and applying laws, regulations, and policies;
Communicating clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing;
Preparing and maintaining accurate records and files;
Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work; and
Operating standard office equipment, including a personal computer.

Education/Experience:

Human Resources Analyst I: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in business or public administration, industrial relations, or a related field.

Human Resources Analyst II: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in business or public administration, industrial relations, or a related field and two years of professional-level experience in a centralized human resources system, which has included experience in more than one functional area of human resources (i.e., recruitment, selection, classification, compensation, employee/labor relations, benefits, payroll and/or retirement). Experience in a public agency setting is desirable.

Senior Human Resources Analyst: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in business or public administration, industrial relations, or a related field and three years of professional-level human resource experience in a generalist capacity, which has included responsibilities in more than one of the functional areas outlined above.   Experience in a public agency setting is desirable.