Payroll Officer 1 (Hybrid)

Introduction

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe State of Connecticut, Department of Social Services (DSS) has an anticipated vacancy for a Payroll Officer 1 to join our team located at our Central Office in Hartford, CT. The Payroll Officer 1 will be responsible for the preparation and maintenance of DSS payroll approximately 1,780 employees spanning across 12 field offices and the central office. The Payroll Unit includes one Associate Fiscal Administrative Officer and two (2) Payroll Clerks. The selected candidate will report directly to the Associate Fiscal Administrative Officer within the Payroll Unit.\r\n\r\n\r\nPosition Highlights:\r\n\r\n\r\n LOCATION: 55 Farmington Ave, Hartford, CT\r\n SHIFT: First (1st) (full time | 40 hours per week)\r\n SCHEDULE: Monday through Friday from 8:00am - 4:30pm | Hybrid Schedule\r\n NOTE: You must be a current State of Connecticut employee to be considered. Please see selection plan for additional details.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Role:\r\n\r\n\r\n Assist with assigning and reviewing the work of payroll clerks.\r\n Assist with determining priorities and plan unit work.\r\n Utilize Core-CT and EPM reporting modules for unit oversight and required agency reporting.\r\n Provide staff training and assistance regarding payroll processing and benefits.\r\n Oversee complex factors including bargaining units’ employees.\r\n Respond to employee inquiries regarding benefit and compensation information.\r\n Calculate and process additional payments such as Longevity, retroactive salary adjustments, retirement accruals and termination payouts.\r\n Establish and maintain unit procedures.\r\n Act as liaison with other units, agencies, and outside officials regarding unit policies and procedures.\r\n Manage competing priorities while meeting strict deadlines.\r\n\r\nAbout Us:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDSS delivers and funds a wide range of programs and services as Connecticut’s multi-faceted health and human services agency. DSS serves about 1 million residents of all ages in all 169 Connecticut cities and towns. We support the basic needs of children, families, older and other adults, including persons with disabilities. Services are delivered through 12 field offices, central administration, and online and phone access options.\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat’s In It For You:\r\n\r\nVisit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!\r\n\r\n\r\n Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.\r\n A healthy work-life balance to all employees.\r\n State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loan forgiveness after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.\r\n\r\n\r\nDiscover the opportunity to: \r\n\r\n\r\n Engage in a rewarding career\r\n Assist our employees so they can achieve success\r\n Make a difference in the public sector\r\n Work together in a collaborative team environment\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Selection Plan

In order to be considered for this job opening, you must be a current State of CT�employee, who has worked for the state for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening.� You must�specify your qualifications on your application.\r\nFOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:\r\nCheck out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Reference Library for additional support throughout the recruitment process. \r\nBEFORE YOU APPLY: \r\n\r\n Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. \r\n Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below.\r\n Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency. \r\n Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift. \r\n Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov. \r\n Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other. \r\n\r\n\r\n Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the ‘Apply’ or ‘Apply Online’ buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.\r\n\r\nAFTER YOU APPLY: \r\n\r\n Some email providers may experience delays or issues delivering messages. To avoid missing important updates—such as referral questionnaires or interview scheduling links—please check your Personal Status Board regularly. For added convenience, you can also enable text (SMS) notifications. To do this, log in to your Personal Status Board and select “Update My Contact Information.”\r\n Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire’s expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). \r\n Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression! \r\n Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks. \r\n The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class. \r\n Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.\r\n\r\nQUESTIONS? WE’RE HERE TO HELP: \r\nDue to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to at Christopher.Lavallee@ct.gov. \r\nJoin the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!\r\n

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency, facility or institution this class is accountable for supervising a small payroll operation or assisting in supervising a moderate to large size payroll operation.\r\n

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

\r\n\r\n Schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work of staff;\r\n Provides staff training and assistance;\r\n Conducts performance evaluations;\r\n Determines priorities and plans unit work;\r\n Establishes and maintains unit procedures;\r\n Develops or makes recommendations on development of policies and standards;\r\n Acts as liaison with other operating units, agencies and outside officials regarding unit policies and procedures;\r\n Prepares reports and correspondence;\r\n Reviews accuracy of payroll including shift differential payments, annual increases, collective bargaining increases, retirement calculations, workers compensation benefits and revisions for attachments;\r\n Prepares or closely supervises more complex portions of a payroll such as retroactive payments or garnishments;\r\n Supervises reconciliation of payroll deductions and coding of payroll expenditures;\r\n Supervises maintenance of time records including issuing semi-annual leave balances;\r\n Supervises control and distribution of paychecks;\r\n Answers employees questions relating to payroll;\r\n May compile payroll expenditure data for budget preparation;\r\n May provide information and process paperwork regarding employee fringe benefits;\r\n Performs related duties as required.\r\n\r\n\r\n

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

\r\n Considerable knowledge of\r\n \r\n relevant agency policies and procedures;\r\n and ability to apply relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations;\r\n \r\n \r\n Knowledge of\r\n \r\n and ability to apply state payroll policies and procedures;\r\n uses of office machinery used in accounting work;\r\n governmental accounting as it applies to payroll;\r\n \r\n \r\n Considerable\r\n \r\n interpersonal skills;\r\n oral communication skills;\r\n skill in performing arithmetical computations;\r\n \r\n \r\n Supervisory ability.\r\n\r\n

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Five (5) years of experience in complex clerical work in accounting or payroll.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have had payroll preparation as the principal responsibility.\r\n\r\n\r\nNOTE: For state employees this experience is interpreted at the level of a payroll clerk.\r\n

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of two (2) years.\r\n

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

\r\n\r\n Experience applying human resources statutes, regulations, policies, procedures and bargaining unit contract and agreement terms to payroll.\r\n Experience working in a payroll office and processing the payroll of a large agency (1000 or more employees).\r\n Experience processing payroll functions in Peoplesoft/Core-CT for the lifecycle of payroll.\r\n Experience processing medical, dental and group life benefits.\r\n Experience using Microsoft 365 suite to include Word, Excel, and Outlook.\r\n Experience identifying problems, researching solutions, making a decision, and verifying the accuracy of that decision.\r\n Experience with adapting to changing work priorities and compressed deadlines.\r\n Experience communicating to a diverse population.\r\n\r\n\r\n

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Persons having responsibility for supervising or observing the behavior of inmates or custodial individuals will be required to possess a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) certification by the time of permanent appointment.\r\n

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER\r\nThe State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.\r\n

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes.� As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.\r\n