WHO MAY APPLY:  Open to the public.

NOTE:  Applicants must be US citizens or Legal Permanent Residents who are able to read and write the English language and meet the required background qualifications for employment with King County Sheriff's Office (KCSO). Please be sure to review the list of automatic disqualifiers for employment with KCSO.   An Eligibility List is created from this recruitment and is valid for one year from date of certification and will be used to fill future vacancies. 

Please visit Civil Service Application Requirements. 

The Payroll Specialist at the King County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) is an exciting opportunity to join a team responsible for processing a complex payroll for more than 1,100 employees in KCSO!  We are currently going through a conversion from semi-monthly to bi-weekly payroll and invite you to apply and be a part of our team.  
 
CONTACT INFORMATION: If you have questions regarding this recruitment please contact the Civil Service Administration, Michelle Kobuki at michelle.kobuki@KingCounty.gov or at 206-477-4740.

Required Application Materials: Please carefully review the list of required materials before submitting your application.
 
•    Online application
•    Answers to all the supplemental questions.

WORK SCHEDULE: This is full-time Civil Service is overtime eligible with prior supervisor approval. Typical work schedule is 40-hours per week, Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM, but may vary by assignment. Additional hours may be necessary to respond to workload needs, which may include evenings and weekends.

WORK LOCATION: This position is currently teleworking but when we return to in person work it will be at the King County Courthouse in downtown Seattle; located at: 516 - 3rd Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104.

Teleworking Requirement:
The work associated with this position will be performed through a combination of teleworking complemented with onsite work and meetings as needed. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required, including the wearing of masks in some situations. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.

The payroll processes performed are some of the most complicated in the county and contain many variables based on multiple labor contracts, Sheriff's Office policies, procedures and past practices. The successful candidate welcomes new challenges and is able to analyze, investigate and problem solve. The position will work directly with all levels of management and provide high-level customer service to commissioned and non-commissioned roles.  

•    Process payroll (overtime, attendance exceptions, holiday pay, action pay, step increases, leave donations) and all other routine maintenance functions.
•    Prioritize workload and monitor to make sure all deadlines are met.
•    Review overtime slips for coding and compliance, validation reports for overtime accuracy and attendance reports for accuracy.
•    Review, calculate and process specialty pay(s) including; lead, out of class, standby, and contract related premiums. Periodically, audit special records to ensure labor contracts and memorandums of understanding (MOU) are met.
•    Interpret established payroll rules and procedures for labor contracts in addition to County and State rules and regulations to internal and external customers. Respond to third party inquiries regarding employee payroll data.
•    Perform special assignments and projects as needed.
•    Organize, oversee, and maintain payroll files.

Qualified candidates will have a minimum of two years demonstrated experience performing financial/payroll processes with knowledge and skills in the following areas:
  

• Interpreting and analyzing policies and procedures;
• Advanced problem-solving skills;
• Ability to respond to unanticipated requests and work in a high-pressured environment with strict deadlines while remaining calm and professional;
• Strong ability to successfully organize and multi-task, working with various forms of data;
• Proven experience validating and reconciling reports
• Working cohesively with a team to meet objectives as well as working independently with minimal supervision;
• Basic skills in Microsoft Excel
• Exceptional communication and customer service skills (with diverse audiences) orally, written and in person and the ability to be diplomatic and sensitive while effectively communicating information
• Reliable and predictable attendance
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
 
•    Experience working with large payroll systems such as PeopleSoft, Enterprise, etc.
•    Experience processing payroll for 200 or more employees.
•    Experience working with multiple union contracts and applying terms within a payroll system.
•    Experience in creating Excel spreadsheets for data analysis including data filter, subtotals and pivot tables.
•    Knowledge of payroll compliance laws including FLSA and FMLA.

GENERAL TIMELINE OF RECRUITMENT: This is a tentative timeline for this recruitment. Dates may change depending on available resources.
 
•    Written Technical Examination – mid October: qualified candidates may be invited to self-schedule a written examination session.
•    Oral Board Interview – late October.  Candidates who pass the written examination will be invited to an oral board examination, which is a panel interview.

UNION MEMBERSHIP: This position is represented by the Public Safety Employees Union (PSEU).

 Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.    
   

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.    

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans. 

Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement 

As of October 18, 2021, most* King County employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If hired, you will be required to submit proof of vaccination by October 18th. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine. Employees may make requests for a reasonable accommodation based on a medical disability or for sincerely held religious beliefs. Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation. This directive applies to employees in the Executive branch*, the Assessor’s Office, Elections, the King County Sheriff’s Office, and the Executive Office.  
   

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer   

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.