Administrative Assistant-Finance, Bureau Of Disbursements, Payroll/Accounts Payable

Howard County

Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community.

Howard County Government

Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, sustainability, and consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2023, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 51 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) - the most in the state of Maryland. NACo is the leading organization representing county-level government operations. These awards recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policymaking.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations.

What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:

• We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.

• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace.  Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!  

• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs.

• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Responsible for senior technical level administrative support work performed for the daily operations and activities of the Bureau of Disbursements, Payroll and Account Payables processes. Work includes preparing time sensitive transactions, auditing, denial, and/or final approval of vendor payments through the County's SAP Financial Application. Duties also include edit, review, and verify hours for electronic submission within critical deadline.  Responsible for payroll and vendor reconciliation process.  Responsible for the review of quality assurance reports for duplicate invoice and payment transactions created by County SAP users. Knowledge of the County's financial system and the County's 3rd party Payroll Provider (ADP and Kronos) and effective communication with County's agencies and employees are essential.

STARTING SALARY HIRING RANGE:

$27.88 - $31.46

$57,984 - $65,441

CLASS DESCRIPTION:

Performs senior technical level administrative support work, which may include supervisory responsibility, under general supervision from an administrative or technical superior. Work typically involves administrative, technical and para-legal work providing staff assistance to various Boards; or administrative secretarial or constituent services work assisting the County Executive, The State's Attorney, the Chief Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, Chief of Staff or Chief Administrative Officer. Assumes responsibility for clerical procedures and office operations; maintains executive calendar and appointments. May supervise a support staff. Work at this level may include independent responsibility for a difficult and complex administrative or clerical process not requiring the attention of a professional or technical expert. 

Included in the following assignments. Other related duties may be assigned as required.

• Reviews various payroll production output and management reports for approval, and performs other significant payroll functions during the absence or unavailability of an administrative or technical superior.

• Trains and provides guidance to both staff of Bureau of Disbursements and County Timekeeper staff in various payroll applications.

• Audits various SAP quality assurance reports to identify, avoid, or resolve potential vendor overpayments, invoice problems, duplicate or replicated payments made by SAP users.

• Assists in preparation and understanding of year end 1099 and W2 process

• Audits, corrects, inputs, approves Direct Payment Claims through the County's SAP Financial application

• Processes vendor payments through the weekly County Disbursement run on a rotating basis for the County vendors.

• Audits, corrects, and inputs payroll batches into the County's Third party payroll provider's (ADP) System.

• Approves uploaded payroll batches for balancing in the ADP payroll process for production of payroll.

• Collaborates, recommends, creates, and tests enhancements and program changes for special projects such as new reconciliation processes, new GL process, and other unit activity.

• Prepares journal vouchers for payroll and enters transaction in the SAP Financial Application.

• Serves as a liaison between the County's third-party payment processor, Repay, departments, and vendors for AP.

• Sets up and maintains garnishment and Child Support orders as received and corresponds with employees as needed.

• Researches and computes retroactive pay adjustments.

• Schedules, reviews, and processes unique billing summary invoices and requests for various County departments and follows through until payments are transmitted.

• Customer Service: answers calls and requests from internal and external customers and vendors.

• Addresses issues and questions regarding payroll from employees and supervisors.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

There is no supervisory responsibilities associated with this position. Associates Degree and four (4) years related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Associate Degree and substantial payroll-related experience.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit.

• The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception.

• The work environment characteristics are consistent with those found in a typical office setting.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS AND REASONING ABILITY:

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.

• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.

• Ability to speak effectively with employees of the County and/or with customers on the phone or in person.

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

• Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

• Ability to regularly use independent judgment, analysis, evaluation, creativity, and consultation to carry out instructions presented in written, oral, or diagram form.

• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.