Payroll Specialist

Join the City of Chattanooga Team

Chattanooga, a vibrant and growing community of over 190,000 residents within a metropolitan area of nearly 600,000 is known as the "Scenic City" for a reason. Nestled along the Tennessee River and surrounded by the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, we are a hub of outdoor adventure and innovation. Home to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and Chattanooga State Community College, our city blends a rich industrial history with a tech-forward future—famously powered by the nation’s first community-wide "Gig" fiber-optic network.​  The City of Chattanooga was also recently designated as a "National Park City,” the first of its kind in the United States.  

Our Organization

As a City, we are powered by a dedicated workforce of approximately ​2,600 employees committed to excellence in public service and making Chattanooga the best community in the country. Our team ensures our city thrives through a wide range of municipal services, including:

• Public Safety: Chattanooga Police and Fire Departments.

• Infrastructure & Utilities: Public Works, Waste Resources, and specialized Stormwater management.

• Quality of Life: Award-winning Parks and Outdoors and Community Development systems and the Chattanooga Public Library.

• Transportation: The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) and citywide transit and pedestrian friendly initiatives.

• Innovation: Leading-edge  smart-city programs with a commitment to cutting edge workforce development policies to ensure all our residents can get ahead.

Why Choose Chattanooga?

The City of Chattanooga’s workforce is the heartbeat of our community. We don't just offer jobs; we offer careers with purpose: making Chattanooga the best city in America. We are committed to being the premier employer of choice in Southeast Tennessee by providing:

• Competitive Compensation: Robust pay scales that reflect our commitment to our staff.

• Work-Life Balance: Generous paid time off and flexible scheduling where possible.

• Exceptional Wellness: Comprehensive health benefits and wellness programs designed for you and your family that deliver savings to you beyond your paycheck, featuring a centralized health clinic and pharmacy for all City employees. .

• Growth: A focus on professional development and upward mobility within the organization.

• ​The Great Outdoors: Your Backyard Playground:  Chattanooga isn't just near nature, it's immersed in it.  As one of the most biodiverse cities in North America, the "Scenic City" offers an ecological richness that few places on earth can claim.  Whether you are an 

• adrenaline junkie or a weekend wanderer, world-class adventure is always less than an hour away.

• ​Vertical Adventures: Scale legendary sandstone cliffs in what is widely considered the premier rock climbing hub of the Southeast.

• Water & Rapids: From the high-octane whitewater kayaking of the Ocoee River to world-class bass fishing and peaceful paddling on the Tennessee River.

• Trails for Miles: Explore a massive network of mountain biking and hiking trails that wind through lush ridges, hidden waterfalls, and deep river gorges.

In Chattanooga, "work-life balance" means you can finish your shift and be at a trailhead or on the water before the sun sets.

Our mission is to work together to build a safe, vibrant, and sustainable city for all Chattanoogans. To do that, it takes a team of skilled and passionate individuals. So, if you’d like to call Chattanooga home – or maybe you already do! – and want to further your career through meaningful work that makes a true impact where you live, we’d love to talk to you.

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Salary: $20.96 - $25.32 Hourly (GS.07N)

Work Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. (EST)
*Hours may vary due to work assignments, or projects.*

Work Location: City Hall, 101 East 11th Street

FLSA Status: This is a Non-Exempt position.

Department:  Finance - Payroll Office

CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY:  
Incumbents in this classification are responsible for ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing for all City of Chattanooga departments. This role supports the City’s diverse workforce by managing and processing multiple biweekly payrolls, administering payroll-related deductions, maintaining compliance with applicable laws and policies, and troubleshooting payroll and timekeeping issues. The Payroll Specialist plays a critical role in safeguarding payroll data integrity, providing exceptional support to employees and departments across the organization, and supporting the City’s “One Chattanooga” vision by ensuring efficiency, transparency, and accountability in payroll.

SERIES LEVEL: 
The Payroll Specialist is the second level of a two-level payroll series.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
(The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.)

Processing multiple bi-weekly payrolls for multiple City departments on established schedules.

Review and validate employee time and labor entries, troubleshoot discrepancies, and resolve payroll errors.

Validate payroll data for accuracy, completeness, and compliance prior to disbursement.

Process voluntary and mandatory payroll deductions such as benefits, garnishments, wage attachments, and retirement contributions.

Handle complex transactions such as garnishments, retro pay, tax corrections, and special pay types.

Ensure accurate calculation, filing, and payment of federal, state, and local payroll taxes on a quarterly and annual basis.
Interpret and implement federal, state, and local labor laws, IRS regulations, and City policies in Coordination with Department leadership

Assist with external and internal payroll audits.

Maintain detailed payroll records in compliance with record retention policies and audit requirements.

Support employees and departments with payroll-related inquiries while maintaining confidentiality.

Monitor compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and City policies; identify and report risks or discrepancies.

Collaborate with HR, Finance, and departmental staff to resolve payroll discrepancies and support cross-functional processes.

Analyzes payroll data trends and prepares reports and summaries (e.g., payroll registers, deduction reports, comp time balances) for management and auditing purposes.

Prepare and file quarterly and annual payroll tax reports in compliance with federal, state, and local requirements.

Investigate and resolve discrepancies in time and labor entries, payroll calculations, and deduction errors.

Provide support, training and guidance to department staff regarding payroll deadlines, timekeeping process and procedures, and compliance requirements.

Serve as a point of contact for employees with payroll-related inquiries.

Assist in system testing, upgrades, and implementation of payroll-related software enhancements (e.g., Oracle Fusion Time & Labor/Payroll).

Optimize payroll-related workflows in coordination with department leadership

Maintain payroll systems to ensure data accuracy, confidentiality, and security.

Participate in testing system upgrades, patches, and new implementations.

Support the development of payroll-related reporting for management and compliance needs.

Provides training, guidance, and quality assurance review of payroll runs prepared by technicians to identify and eliminate disbursement errors

May serve as escalation point for complex discrepancies that exceed payroll technician’s scope, such as intricate retro-pay calculations or multi-state tax corrections

Must meet regular attendance requirements.

Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers, and citizens.

Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner.

Performs other duties as assigned.

DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC DUTIES (if any):

N/A.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
High School Diploma or GED and four (4) years of any combination of relevant education, training, progressively responsible administrative experience in payroll processing, or experience sufficient to perform the essential duties of the job will be considered. Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or human resources is preferred.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS:
Valid Driver’s License
Payroll certification (FPC, CPP, or equivalent) preferred  

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Knowledge of payroll tax compliance, including quarterly and year-end reporting (IRS, SSA, state agencies). Strong understanding of payroll principles, wage and hour laws, and regulatory requirements (federal, state, and local). Familiarity with garnishments, levies, child support orders, and other involuntary deductions. Proficiency with payroll and ERP systems (Oracle Fusion or equivalent strongly preferred). Knowledge of changes in payroll laws, tax regulations, and best practices. Experience with and understanding of Payroll Taxes, strong understanding of Payroll Compliance, and Year-End W-2 support.

Solid skills with Google Workspace (for documentation and Gmail for communication) and Microsoft Office Suite (Excel for reporting). Proficiency spreadsheets and reporting tools. Analytical and problem-solving skills for reconciling and auditing payroll. Strong troubleshooting skills for resolving time and labor issues, payroll variances, and system errors. Strong customer service skills with a helpful and professional approach. Effective written and verbal communication skills. Teamwork and collaboration skills, contributing to a culture of efficiency and transparency. Strong time management and prioritization skills.

Ability to review and reconcile payroll data for accuracy and identify discrepancies. Ability to clearly explain payroll policies and processes to employees at all levels. Ability to manage multiple payroll cycles and meet strict deadlines. Ability to prioritize and meet strict deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Ability to adapt to evolving technology, new systems, and process improvements.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 
Positions in this class typically require reaching, fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 
Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Safety Sensitive: N
Department of Transportation - CDL: N 
Child Sensitive: N

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
This position requires pre-employment screening(s) that include: background check.

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

260506 - KF/MF