Payroll Specialist

Current employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity.

Pay Range:

$35.80 - $43.83 Hourly

Department:

Department of County Management (DCM)

Job Type:

Regular Represented

Exemption Status:

United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):

May 12, 2026

The Opportunity:

Overview

This recruitment will close when 150 applications are received or May 12, 2026, at 11:59 PM, whichever comes first. Please apply without delay!

The Central Payroll team of the Department of County Management (DCM)  is looking for its next Payroll Specialist (Finance Specialist 2) to assist them in ensuring employees get paid correctly and timely.

Who We Are & What We Do:

Payroll's mission is to produce timely and accurate wage payments to all county employees, payroll tax employment reports to governing agencies, and informational reports and feedback to county departments and the public.

At Multnomah County, we don't just accept differences; we value it and support it to create a culture of dignity and respect and an environment of safety, trust and belonging, for our employees. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

The Role: 

The Payroll Specialist (Finance Specialist 2) assists the Payroll Team in ensuring the semi-monthly payroll for all County employees and related functions are processed properly and timely. Each Finance Specialist in the unit works independently with minimal supervision to administer all remaining payroll functions (such as off-cycle manual checks, tax withholding and payments, garnishments, other employee deductions, payroll discrepancy research, and necessary entries into their Workday records). The Finance Specialist 2 provides high quality customer service to both internal and external customers. 

Responsibilities:

Manual Final & Correction Checks 

• Department specific lead on payroll corrections and final payments that are processed daily

• Validate time is entered and approved for final payment

• Calculate payout in accordance with union agreement and county personnel rules

• Manually adjust vacation, sick, comp and holiday accruals and payouts

• Validate deductions and make adjustments as appropriate; includes settlement checks, lump sum and accrual payouts

• Ensure payments are ready within the guidelines of state law, multiple union contracts and county personnel rules

Payroll Edit, Auditing, & Reporting

• Run and validate payroll edit reports

• Analyze, correct, and/or adjust employee pay, deductions, and related data, communicate with department liaisons and verify the changes have been properly implemented

• Troubleshoot errors arising from current or retroactive status changes and validate impacts to pay, partnering with department human resource staff as needed   

Court Orders & Garnishment Processing

• Confirm validity of legal documents received by the County for garnishment, served by state and federal legal entities as well as other organizations entitled to order withholdings

• Respond in writing to garnishments and complying with timelines and limitations established by state statutes and federal IRS codes

• Record garnishment deductions in the Workday human capital management (HCM) system; audit for accuracy and ensure compliance with all relevant statutes governing the deduction, including maintaining priority for multiple withholding orders

• Audit pay records for accuracy

• Release order and refunds when required in a timely manner

Direct Deposit & ACH Management

• Process direct deposits and returns; review routing number requirements, and communicate with employees when the routing number or account is problematic

• Work directly with the bank to request reversals and deletions of ACH transactions when necessary

• Create paper trail for auditing purposes

• Verify funds are returned prior to issuing a replacement check

• Provide documentation to the general ledger each pay period for auditing and reconciliation

New Hire & Unemployment Reporting

• Comply with state law to report all new hires and process unemployment verifications and ensure accuracy of reported dollar amounts

• Submit reports and claims for inaccurate wages through the state e-response system as a part of the fiduciary responsibility 

Ideal Attributes: 

• Superior customer service skills using a variety of communication methods

• Experience meeting multiple deadlines in high pressure environment

• High level analytical skills and attention to detail

• Demonstrate a commitment to promoting equity and inclusion

To Qualify:

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant.  

Minimum Qualifications/Transferable Skills*: 

• Bachelor's Degree in accounting, finance, or a related field; experience may substitute for a degree

• Three (3) years of progressively responsible accounting or fiscal management experience

• Background check and reference checks: All finalists must pass a thorough criminal records check and reference check

Preferred Qualifications/Transferable Skills*: You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider some or all of the following when identifying the most qualified candidates. Please clearly explain on your application how you meet any of the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills.

• Full cycle payroll experience in a public sector, union environment.

• Full cycle payroll experience in a complex Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software environment (SAP, Workday, Success Factors)

• Professional certifications in payroll, accounting, finance or directly related field 

*Transferable skills: Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience (including the military) or life experience that are relevant for this position. Be sure to describe any transferable skills on your application and clearly explain how they apply to this position. 

Screening and Evaluation 

The Application Packet: Your completed application must include the following items:

• A completed online application.

• A resume that contains your relevant experience and education. Please be sure your resume includes the following for each employer: name of employer, location, dates of employment, your title, a brief summary of your responsibilities, and if applicable the number of employees under your supervision.

• A cover letter that expands on your resume and addresses 

  • why you are interested in this position and;

  • demonstrates how your experience and skill set aligns with the minimum and preferred qualifications listed.

Note: The application,  resume and cover letter should demonstrate your work experience/skills and how it is related to those shown in the Overview and To Qualify sections of the job announcement. Please be thorough, addressing how you meet the minimum and any preferred qualification listed, as these materials may be scored and determine if you move forward in the process.

The Selection Process: For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page. We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows:

• Initial review of minimum qualifications: We may do an additional preferred review, phone screen, and/or send out additional supplemental questions to identify those highest qualified.

• Consideration of top candidates: We will consider qualified candidates in order of rank and score from the list of eligible candidates. This may include panel interview(s), a hiring interview, and/or additional testing to determine the best candidates for a position.

• Background check and reference checks: All finalists must pass reference checks and some departments may require a criminal records check.

Additional Details  

This recruitment may be used to fill full-time, part-time, temporary, limited duration and on-call positions.

Type of Position: This is an hourly, union represented position that is eligible for overtime.

Schedule: Monday - Friday; there may be some flexibility with scheduling, and daily start and end times. 

Hybrid Telework: This position is designated as “hybrid telework,” meaning you will be working both remotely (from home) and in person at an onsite location. The designation of Hybrid Telework may be subject to change at a future time. All employees must reside in Oregon or Washington; the county cannot support ongoing telework from other locations. The onsite work location for this position is Multnomah Building:  501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214

Multnomah County offers an exceptional benefits package, including employer-funded retirement savings; health and dental insurance at very low cost to full-time employees and their dependents; paid parental leave; wellness programs; a focus on work-life balance; and much more. Find more details on our benefits website.

Equal Pay Law: Please be advised that the pay range listed for this position is intended to provide general guidance on the earning potential for the role. However, actual compensation will be determined in accordance with the Oregon Equal Pay Law and will take into account factors such as the candidate's relevant experience and education. Candidates should expect that initial offers will be made within the listed pay range and may not be at or near the top of the range.

Serving the Public, Even During Disasters

Everyday, Multnomah County staff work together to serve as a safety net for our communities. During a disaster, this safety net becomes even more critical. All County employees have a role in serving the public during inclement weather, natural disaster, or other types of community emergency response. During these emergency responses, while typically there begins with a call for volunteers, county employees may ultimately be reassigned from their current position to a role in the emergency response in order to support the critical needs presented by our communities. For more information, please visit the Disaster Service Worker Information page.  

In accordance with Oregon Law, Multnomah County is not collecting school attendance dates in the initial application process; please do not include these dates in your resume, cover letter and other application materials.

Diversity and Inclusion: At Multnomah County, we don't just accept difference; we value it and support it to create a culture of dignity and respect for our employees.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO Know Your Rights poster is available for your reference. Multnomah County is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We request priority protected veteran referrals.

Veterans’ Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply.

Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act: We gladly provide reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing an application or participating in this recruitment process. Please contact the recruiter below in advance to request assistance. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may contact the recruiter through the Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing 711.

Questions?

Recruiter:

Jessi Rhodes

Email:

jessi.rhodes@multco.us

Phone:

+1 (971) 8650407

Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.

Disclaimer: This announcement is intended as a general descriptive recruitment guide and is subject to change. It does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

Job Profile:

6030 - Finance Specialist 2