Payroll Specialist Job at Robert Half (La Mesa)

Payroll Specialist

Robert Half

Location:
United States , La Mesa

Category:
Office Administration

Contract Type:
Not provided

Salary:

Not provided

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Job Description:

We are looking for an experienced Payroll Specialist to support a government entity in La Mesa, California through a Long-term Contract assignment. This position will play a key role in maintaining accurate, timely payroll operations for a large and varied employee population in a hands-on environment. The ideal candidate is comfortable managing detailed payroll tasks, working with manual processes, and partnering closely with finance to keep payroll activities running smoothly.

Job Responsibility:

Process biweekly payroll for a workforce of more than 290 employees, including part-time staff, while meeting established deadlines
Handle payroll administration for a mix of employee groups such as public safety personnel, salaried team members, and hourly staff
Collect, verify, and enter information from department-submitted paper timesheets into the payroll system with a high degree of accuracy
Complete payroll uploads, transmittals, and related processing steps required to finalize each pay cycle
Maintain employee deductions and wage garnishments, ensuring updates are applied correctly in payroll records
Support retirement and pension-related reporting, including CalPERS documentation and associated payroll data
Assist with quarterly payroll tax filing activities by following established procedures and timelines
Use Excel extensively for payroll tracking, reconciliations, and reporting, and work within a legacy payroll platform to support daily operations
Coordinate with finance personnel to resolve payroll questions and help sustain consistent processing during ongoing operational needs

Requirements:

Processing biweekly payroll for a workforce of more than 290 employees, including part-time staff, while meeting established deadlines
Handling payroll administration for a mix of employee groups such as public safety personnel, salaried team members, and hourly staff
Collecting, verifying, and entering information from department-submitted paper timesheets into the payroll system with a high degree of accuracy
Completing payroll uploads, transmittals, and related processing steps required to finalize each pay cycle
Maintaining employee deductions and wage garnishments, ensuring updates are applied correctly in payroll records
Supporting retirement and pension-related reporting, including CalPERS documentation and associated payroll data
Assisting with quarterly payroll tax filing activities by following established procedures and timelines
Using Excel extensively for payroll tracking, reconciliations, and reporting, and working within a legacy payroll platform to support daily operations
Coordinating with finance personnel to resolve payroll questions and help sustain consistent processing during ongoing operational needs
Strong working knowledge of full-cycle payroll practices, including deductions, garnishments, and payroll reporting
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills with the ability to organize, reconcile, and analyze payroll data
Proven ability to work effectively in manual workflows or legacy payroll systems with minimal supervision
Experience supporting pension or retirement-related payroll reporting responsibilities
Ability to learn established procedures quickly and manage payroll tasks independently
Background in public sector payroll is strongly preferred
Familiarity with large employee populations and complex payroll structures is preferred

Nice to have:

Background in public sector payroll is strongly preferred
Familiarity with large employee populations and complex payroll structures is preferred

What we offer:

Medical, vision, dental, and life and disability insurance
Enrollment in company 401(k) plan

Additional Information:

Job Posted:
May 10, 2026

Employment Type:

Fulltime

Work Type:

On-site work

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