Job Details

Payroll Specialist

Position Number: 6975622
Location: Kentfield, CA
Position Type: Business - Accounting

Payroll Specialist

Salary: $43.58 - $48.04 per hour, step 1 to 3.
Closing Date:
Job Type: Full-time
Location: Indian Valley Campus (Novato) - In Person, CA

Description

Priority Screening Date: March 23, 2026Open Until Filled
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY
College of Marin (COM) is committed to cultivating a proactively supportive, inclusive, and accountable environment where equity, equity-mindedness, anti-racism, and social justice are valued, centered, and practiced. Our mission is to employ qualified administrators, faculty, and staff who are dedicated to student success and committed to an inclusive, anti-racist campus culture that demonstrates sensitivity to and respect for a diverse population. We serve a county population of approximately 250,000 residents.

Based on fall 2025 credit enrollment data, the diversity of students at the College includes greater representation than the county with regards to enrollment with Hispanic/Latinx (37% of enrollment), Asian (7%), Black/African American (3%), white (44%), and multi-racial (7%) students. The high-quality education and training at the College are made possible by our faculty and staff who are committed to excellence. As of fall 2024, College of Marin's workforce includes Hispanic/Latinx (17%), Asian (7%), Black/African American (5%), white (57%), and multi-racial (3%) employees.

College of Marin does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, or perception of, race, ethnic group identification, ancestry, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, family and medical care leave, military or veteran status, or prior record of arrest or conviction, and is subject to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, Civil Rights Act of 1991, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In accordance with Executive order 11246 (as amended), the College of Marin is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

POSITION OVERVIEW
Under general supervision, performs a variety of technical payroll accounting duties to ensure District employees are paid in an accurate and timely manner; prepares, processes and reconciles payroll and timekeeping documents, accounting records and reports for management, faculty, classified and hourly employees; and performs related duties as assigned.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
A Payroll Specialist is distinguished from a Senior Payroll Specialist in that an incumbent in the latter class leads the unit and is responsible for ensuring the end-to-end payroll process is accurate and meets all regulations and legal requirements and for researching and resolving all payroll-related employee and technical issues.

Essential Functions

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this class.

Performs a variety of detailed and complex duties to prepare and process monthly payroll for full- and part-time employees in various employee groups; reviews, verifies, audits and reconciles pay types, pay rates, employee benefit plan participation, retirement contributions, tax and other deductions; ensures all earnings and deductions comply with District and regulatory limitations.
Enters deduction data for tax withholding, voluntary benefits, union dues, direct deposit information, and changes and pay adjustments for leave and workers' compensation absences; enters new-hire benefit enrollment documents; enters corrections, adjustments and employee payroll corrections and repayment agreements; enters authorizations for payment following approvals.
Prepares and transmits positive pay and ACH files for submittal to the County Office of Education; prepares and transmits budget and electronic funds transfers; prints and mails payroll checks and direct deposit notices; calculates and transmits payroll tax deposits.
Provides effective customer service and communication to all employees on payroll-related matters in a timely and professional manner; researches and resolves inquiries and issues with timecards, tax withholding, deductions, lost or stollen paychecks and direct deposit issues.
Communicates with external entities such as the County of Marin and financial institutions.
Distributes, receives and processes benefits applications and forms including participating in open enrollment; assists District employees activate a variety of voluntary deductions.
Prepares and processes a variety of District, county, state and federal payroll-related forms and reports.
Prepares third-party payment list for each payroll; mails payments and supporting documents immediately after third-party checks are issued.
Processes and maintains records on garnishments and levies and provides all necessary information and payments to entities and employees.
Maintains all hard copy and electronic files related to District payroll and related employee communications to use in reconciling discrepancies and resolving inquiries.
Compiles statistical and payroll data from a variety of sources to provide informational summaries to other staff and ensure compliance with established guidelines; maintains accurate records and system data.
Ensures all payroll and benefits duties are performed in a timely and accurate manner and are executed in accordance with all federal and state wage and hour laws, tax regulations, District policies and MOU guidelines.
Fosters an environment that embraces equity-minded practices, integrity, trust and respect. Supports, implements and promotes compliance with the District's Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity Plan in all aspects of employment and education.

OTHER DUTIES

Responds to requests for employment verifications received from outside agencies.
Manually calculates and processes off-cycle checks after senior management approval.
Attends meetings as assigned.
Represents the College and/or department on internal and external committees, as directed.
Refers people to other offices, services, campus locations and resources as appropriate.
Performs related duties as assigned.

Requirements & Desirables

REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience: Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be graduation from an associate degree program with coursework in accounting, and at least three years of progressively responsible full-charge bookkeeping or payroll processing; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
Demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.

Desired Qualifications:

A bachelor's degree in accounting or business administration and payroll or accounting experience in a college or university or public agency.
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or a related professional designation.
A valid California driver's license and the ability to maintain insurability under the District's vehicle insurance program or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of:

Principles and techniques involved in payroll preparation practices, monitoring and control.
Business math.
Use and operation of applicable modules of the District's payroll and accounting systems.
Collective bargaining agreements and memorandum of understanding (MOU) provisions applicable to timekeeping, payroll preparation and pay reporting.
Rules, regulations and policies of the District, the California Education Code, and federal and state laws pertaining to employee payroll, taxes, garnishments, reporting and associated penalties.
Customer service practices and etiquette.
Safety policies and safe work practices applicable to the work being performed.

Skills and Abilities to:

Understand and be sensitive to and respectful of the diverse academic, socio-economic, ethnic, cultural, disability, religious background and sexual orientation of community college students, faculty and staff.
Ensure a high degree of accuracy and the timely payment of wages to District employees in accordance with various deadlines and changing priorities, while ensuring excellence in customer service.
Collect, enter, evaluate and interpret technical and specialized payroll data and information; explain information accurately and precisely to managers and employees.
Understand, interpret, apply and reach sound decisions in accordance with applicable law, rules, regulations and procedures.
Exercise sound, independent judgment within areas of responsibility.
Organize and maintain office and specialized files.
Prepare clear, concise and accurate reports, correspondence and other written materials.
Maintain the confidentiality of documents and records.
Analyze situations accurately, exercise sound judgment and adopt effective courses of action.
Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
Operate a computer and use standard business software.
Exercise a high degree of tact and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive, complex and confidential personnel issues and employee situations.
Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Prior to employment, the selected candidate will be required to complete the following:

In accordance with Federal Law all employees must provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
Criminal Justice/Fingerprint Clearance.
COVID-19 Vaccination Status: All employees new to the District who access campuses or other District facilities, and/or participate in off-site work in-person for the District, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, prior to employment unless approved as exempt due to verified medical or religious reasons (as defined in federal or state laws and regulations).
California Education Code, Section 87408.6 requires persons employed by a community college in an academic or classified position to submit to a TB risk assessment developed by CDPH and CTCA and, if risk factors are present, an examination to determine that he or she is free of infectious TB; initially upon hire and every four years thereafter.
DISASTER SERVICE WORKERS: All Marin Community College District (MCCD) employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the MCCD requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency. For more information, please see the MCCD Emergency Operations Plan.
Candidates applying for positions with the Marin Community College District may be disqualified from consideration should their conviction history not meet the standards established under the California Education Code.

REQUIRED APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
The following documents must be attached to your application in order to render it complete. Use the Attachment

Cover Letter describing your interest in the Payroll Specialist position, including how you meet the minimum qualifications and are prepared to perform the essential functions outlined in the job posting. In your response, please also describe how you apply equity-minded and inclusive practices in payroll, administrative, customer service, or office support roles, particularly within a diverse community college environment.
Resume

Supplemental & Salary Information

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS
The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this class, employees are regularly required to communicate with others in person, over the phone and electronically; move about the office and campus; operate a computer and other office productivity machinery; and perform repetitive movements of hands or wrists. The employee is frequently required to lift up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include the ability to observe details at close range.
Mental Demands: While performing the duties of this class, employees are regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret data, information and documents; analyze and solve problems; observe and interpret situations; use math and mathematical reasoning; observe and interpret people and situations; learn and apply new information and skills; perform highly detailed work; work on multiple, concurrent tasks with frequent interruptions and under intensive deadlines.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Employees work under typical office conditions subject to frequent public contact and interruption and to intermittent exposure to individuals acting in a disagreeable fashion.

The employee may be required to travel to locations other than the assigned work site, and occasional evening, holiday and/or weekend work may be required in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement.

WORK SCHEDULE
Campus: Indian Valley Campus (Novato)
Full-time Equivalent: 1.0 - Full-time
Months per Year: 12
Work Days/Hours:
Monday - Friday
7.5 Hours per Day
37.5 Hours per Week

SALARY INFORMATION
FLSA Status: Non-exempt
Salary Range: CSEA 191
Full Salary Range: $43.58 - $52.96 per hour.
Starting Salary Range: $43.58 - $48.04 per hour, step 1 to 3. (Normal entering step is Step 1)

Please refer to our Human Resources web site for salary schedules.

CLASSIFICATION & RETIREMENT PLAN
Employees in classifications represented by the California School Employees' Association (CSEA) Chapter 196 and are required to comply fully with the CSEA/Marin Community College District (MCCD) Collective Bargaining Agreement. General information regarding rights and responsibilities under the Agreement can be found in the Collective Bargaining Agreements section of our Human Resources site. CSEA employees are also members of the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), to which the member contributes up to 8% of their reportable compensation on a monthly basis.

SELECTION PROCESS

Please be sure to review the Required Application Documents section below to ensure that you are attaching everything required. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
All application materials must be received by the Priority Screening Date to be considered during the initial screening.
Applications received after the priority date may be considered thereafter at the discretion of the College until the position is filled.
The initial screening will begin after the priority date, and applicants will be notified of their status, either way, thereafter. Applicants selected for interview will be contacted separately to schedule an interview appointment with the screening committee.
This position performs its duties on both the Kentfield and Indian Valley (Novato) campuses, so if not already residing within the Bay Area, the successful candidate must be willing to relocate.
Regrettably, College of Marin is not able to offer reimbursement for travel or relocation at this time.

THE BENEFITS OF EMPLOYMENT WITH COLLEGE OF MARIN
CSEA Full-time Employees:
Medical Insurance: The District offers six plan options through Kaiser and Blue Shield. Effective 10/01/2025, the District's contributions for medical insurance coverage are as follows:

Employee-only: $1,700/month
Employee plus one dependent: $2,400/month
Employee plus two or more dependents: $2,900/month

Dental and Vision Insurance - Delta Dental and VSP vision plans for employee and dependents, with no cost to employees
Vacation Leave - 90 hours of accrual annually, with additional accrual after 3, 10, and 14 years of service.
Paid Holidays - 17 paid holidays annually, which includes a paid winter holiday break at the end of December.
Sick Leave - 7.5 hours per month, 90 hours per year
Retirement through CalPERS - MCCD contributes 27.05% of employee's creditable earnings to CalPERS on a monthly basis (2024/2025). Vested after five (5) years. Mandatory employee contribution for 2024/2025 is 7% - 8%, depending on original date of membership and prior membership status.
Life Insurance - $50,000, with the option to purchase additional voluntary life insurance for the Lesser of 5x base annual salary or $500,000
Additional Retirement Savings Plans -Employees are also eligible to participate in a voluntary, tax-advantaged 403(b) or 457(b) retirement savings plan.
Short-Term Disability & Long-Term Disability (employee paid), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA's), pet insurance, Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Additional Benefits (at no cost to employee):

24/7 Helpline through the Employee Assistance Program (All members)
24/7 Physician Access through MD Live (Blue Shield members).
Expert Medical Opinions through Teladoc (All members).
Generic Medications through Costco (Blue Shield members).
Enhanced Cancer Benefit through Contigo Health (Blue Shield members).
Hip, Knee, and Spine Surgical Benefit through Carrum Health (Blue Shield members).
Personal Health Coaching through Vida Health (Blue Shield members).
Physical Therapy for Back and Joint Pain (Blue Shield members).
Discounts for Gym memberships, Hearing Aids and LASIK Eye Surgery (Blue Shield members).
ClassPass Kaiser Permanente has teamed up with fitness industry leader ClassPass to make it easier for employees to exercise from the comfort of their homes. (Kaiser members).

For more information regarding MCCD's comprehensive benefit plans, please see our Marin Community College District 2025/2026 Employee Benefit Guide (Download PDF reader)

To apply: https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/collegeofmarin/jobs/5252479/payroll-specialist?pagetype=promotionalJobs