Payroll Accounting Specialist

Why live in Helena, Montana?
Helena is Montana’s capital city of about 75,000 people, surrounded by rolling hills and lofty mountains just below the Continental Divide, offering a quiet place to call home where small‑town living meets year‑round outdoor adventure.

Why should you keep reading and consider working here?
We know you have other work options, but we invite you to consider joining us at the State of Montana Department of Administration. As a customer service–focused organization, we provide centralized services, specialized support, and practical solutions to state agencies, boards, and commissions, as well as local governments across Montana. Our vision is to transform how government services are delivered and accessed, serving state government with effective, efficient, and customer‑driven solutions that benefit all Montanans. (You can learn more about us here.)

What is this career opportunity?
The Payroll Accounting/Compliance Specialist performs advanced payroll accounting functions to ensure the accurate reconciliation, reporting, and distribution of payroll-related funds. This position serves as the agency's primary resource for Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) reconciliation and reporting while administering the timely remittance of employee payroll withholdings and employer contributions to retirement systems, benefit providers, government agencies, and other authorized vendors. The position performs complex reconciliations, maintains compliance with state and federal regulations, supports financial reporting and audits, and collaborates with internal and external partners to ensure the integrity of payroll accounting processes.

Responsibilities include:

Public Employee Retirement (PERS) Administration

• Serve as the agency's primary liaison for PERS payroll reporting and reconciliation.
• Reconcile retirement contributions, prepare required reports and adjustments, and resolve reporting discrepancies. 
• Monitor retirement eligibility, contributions rates, membership classifications, and retirement deductions. 
• Maintain supporting documentation and ensure compliance with PERS reporting requirements.
• Assist employees and coordinate with PERS representatives on retirement-related payroll questions and issues. 

 Payroll Liability and Vendor Remittance

• Process and reconcile payroll liabilities, employee deductions, and employer contributions for vendors, benefit providers, and government agencies.
• Verify liability balances and ensure payments are accurate, timely, and consistent with statutory and contractual requirements. 
• Reconcile payroll liability accounts with payroll records, vendor invoices, and the general ledger; research and resolve discrepancies. 
• Coordinate with Accounting, vendors, and state agencies to resolve payment and reporting issues.
• Maintain supporting documentation, prepare required reports, and ensure compliance with payroll deduction requirements and audit standards.

Year-End Payroll Reporting and Tax Compliance

• Complete year-end payroll closeout and reconcile payroll registers, general ledger accounts, employee wages, deductions, taxable benefits, employer contributions, and tax records.
• Prepare, review, submit, and distribute required federal and state payroll tax filings, including Forms W-2, Forms 941, and state withholding reports.
• Research and resolve payroll tax and year-end reporting discrepancies; process corrections and amended filings as needed.
• Maintain documentation and supporting reconciliations for financial reporting and internal and external audits.
• Monitor federal and state tax law and reporting changes and update payroll processes as needed.

 Payroll Administration

• Process payroll transactions and adjustments that affect retirement contributions and reporting. 
• Review payroll registers and retirement-eligible compensation to ensure accurate retirement deductions. 

Customer Service

• Respond to employee questions regarding retirement eligibility, deductions, contribution history, and payroll adjustments. 
• Work collaboratively with Human Resources, Finance, and agency management to resolve payroll and retirement issues.

 Systems and Process Improvement

• Maintain payroll and retirement reporting systems and related procedures.
• Identify process improvements, support system testing, and strengthen internal controls for payroll and retirement reconciliation.

Other Duties

• Crosstrain in payroll operations to provide backup support.
• Assist with special payroll, retirement, and financial projects; perform other related duties as assigned.