Texas Department of Agriculture

PAYROLL ANALYST

Salary Information:          B19, $4,800 – $5,000.00/MO.

State Classification:          1293 – Payroll Specialist III

FLSA Status:                        Exempt

Posting Number:               25-57268-1R

Location:                              Austin, TX

 

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online via CAPPS. Applicants applying in WIT must complete the supplemental questions to be considered for the position. To complete the supplemental questions, go to CAPPS Recruit: https://capps.taleo.net/careersection/551/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en.

 

WHO ARE WE

The Texas Department of Agriculture Financial Services Division supports TDA programs by performing financial duties in the areas of accounting, budget, purchasing, contracting, accounts payable and payroll. The Accounting Section manages the agency general ledger, prepares the Annual Financial Report, administers cash management, and develops agency financial reports. TDA receives and distributes grant funds, and Accounting provides additional oversight to grant program disbursements and reporting.

 

WHAT YOU’LL DO

The Payroll Analyst will perform complex payroll processing technical support and assistance work for the Financial Services Division. You will be responsible for various payroll processing activities and providing a variety of technical support and assistance for the Centralized Accounting and Payroll/Personnel (CAPPS) system to division staff and agency employees. You will serve as the backup to the Payroll Officer and the CAPPS Analyst in their absence. You will work under general supervision with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgement.

 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Work closely with the Payroll Officer in reviewing and processing payrolls to ensure compliance with agency, state, and federal compensation procedures and regulations are legal, proper, and documented as required.  Work with internal and external staff on problem situations related to payroll operations.

Assist with the preparation and processing of overtime and annual leave lump sum entries for payroll processing.

Assist with auditing and reconciling employee time and leave records to verify payable time to include leave without pay, return to work retiree and hourly reports.

Review monthly payroll allocation reports for unusual entries and verify the accuracy of allocation totals. Interpret pay policies to include vacation, leave of absence, governmental regulations, withholding, etc. and ensure amounts/deductions are calculated and applied to various ledger accounts correctly.

Serve as the first point of contact for internal and external inquiries; answer questions and resolve issues related to payrollmatters and tax issues; respond to verifications of wages requested by other state entities and respond to earnings inquiries pursuant to credit applications. Escalate as necessary to the Payroll Officer.

Maintain appropriate payroll processing controls and assist with setups of deductions, garnishments, voluntary deductions, termination, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificates (W-4s), and direct deposits, including returned monies and payment cancellations.

Assist with the preparation and/or review of reports such as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement; the Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return (IRS Form 941); and unemployment wages for submission to various state and federal agencies.

Analyze payroll documentation and data to develop management reports on payroll expenditures. Discuss with users their reporting needs in CAPPS and work with the CAPPS Analyst in designing, testing and developing solutions to meet those needs.

Provide support to the CAPPS Analyst and assist with providing technical assistance to division staff. Serve as a point of contact for and resolve issues and escalate first level help support to the CAPPS Analyst.

Assist in other areas of the Accounting department.

Perform other duties as assigned.

 

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POSITION

Graduation from an accredited college or university with Bachelor’s degree in business analysis, accounting, finance, or related field (one year of work experience related to the essential duties may substitute for one year of college).

Two (2) years’ experience in payroll processing.

Experience with State of Texas accounting system Centralized Accounting and Payroll/Personnel (CAPPS), PeopleSoft, BI Publisher or related.

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Work experience in business analysis, accounting, finance, or related field.

Experience with State of Texas accounting system Centralized Accounting and Payroll/Personnel (CAPPS).

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

Knowledge of state and federal payroll rules, regulations, and laws; Internal Revenue Service, Social Security and State Comptroller regulations related to payroll; automated payroll systems; and state governmental accounting, generally accepted accounting principles and procedures, office practices, and governmental regulations applying to accounting records.

Skill in providing customer service excellence to both internal and external customers; operating a personal computer with applicable software; effective verbal and written communication, human relations; organization and effective critical thinking.

Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment; analyze problems, evaluate alternatives and recommend effective solutions; process information in logical manner and to assess validity; explain technical accounting information in an understandable manner; perform and interpret numerical analyses, interpret statutes, analyze and summarize financial and management records for accuracy and compliance and appropriately communicate findings; work in a setting requiring self-motivation/cooperative decision-making and to work effectively with diverse groups of people; work effectively under pressure and meet strict deadlines while maintaining extreme attention to detail; efficiently organize, prepare and maintain volumes of detailed records, files, procedures, and reports; organize information and provide clear audit trails for documentation; to exercise sound judgment and discretion; and to maintain the highest level of confidentiality.

 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKING CONDITIONS

Normal office work environment and may have exposure to dust and environmental allergens consistent with normal business activities and human contact. Mostly sedentary in nature but may involve walking; standing; pulling and pushing; kneeling, stooping and bending; performing tasks requiring fine motor skills and coordination; and safely lifting and carrying items weighing up to 30 pounds. Must be able to work extended periods at a computer and may require working extended hours and some evenings and weekends, as needed. May involve travel (up to 5%), occasionally overnight.

 

TELEWORK & WORK HOURS

TDA has a telework policy that will allow eligible positions to telework up to two (2) days per week after completing six (6) months of employment with the agency. The employee must meet eligibility criteria set forth in the Telework Policy.

 

BENEFITS

The State of Texas offers a variety of benefits for you and your family that are comprehensive and, on average, make up about one-third of total compensation. Benefits include:

ü     Retirement Plan	ü     Paid Group Health & Life Insurance for employees
ü     Paid Holidays	ü     Paid Vacation Leave
ü     Paid Sick Leave	ü     Longevity Pay
ü     Dental	ü     Vision
ü     Dependent Optional Life Insurance	ü     Voluntary AD&D Insurance
ü     Dependent Health & Life Insurance	ü     Health & Dependent care flexible spending accounts

 

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. A skills exercise may be conducted at the time of the interview.

 

Due to the high volume of applications, we do not accept telephone calls.  If you submitted your application through the CAPPS Career Center, you may also check the status of your application by accessing your profile and selecting My Jobpage and selecting My Submissions.

*A valid government-issued driver’s license, which is recognized by the Texas Department of Public Safety and in good standing, and an acceptable driving record are required. TDA will verify this information with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Applicants with a driver’s license not issued by the State of Texas should obtain and be prepared to provide a copy of their current driving record on or before their first day

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO): The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (gender, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, disability, age, military status, genetic information or protected activity (retaliation). TDA provides accommodations for persons with disabilities in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act. If you need help with the employment process or require other accommodations, please contact the Human Resources office for assistance at (512) 463-7423.

TDA participates in E-Verify and will provide the Social Security Administration and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security, with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.

Military and Former Foster Child Employment Preference: TDA complies with the provisions of the veterans and former foster child employment preference acts. Please contact our Human Resources-Veterans Liaison at (512) 463-7454 for assistance.

Go to https://texasskillstowork.com/, https://www.onetonline.org/, or http://www.careeronestop.org/ for assistance translating your military experience and training courses into civilian job terms, qualifications/requirements, and skill sets.

Additional Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) Code or Crosswalk information is available from the Texas State Auditor’s Office at  Program Management MOS Codes.