Payroll Supervisor (Supervisor II)

Job Appointment: Full-Time
Typical Schedule: Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm, alternate schedule may be available after probation.
Work Location: This is a supervisor position. All manager and supervisor positions will be expected to report to their worksites full time. Alternate schedules may be available, but the typical work schedule is Monday through Friday, with occasional after-hours work required to support critical projects or address system issues. Remote workdays remain an option, to accommodate travel, or occasionally focus on major work projects. In-Person work to be conducted at The Portland Building, 1120 SW 5th Ave, Portland, OR 97204. Remote work must be performed within Oregon or Washington. For more information, click here .
Benefit: Please check our benefits tab for an overview of benefits for this position
Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position is or may be eligible for Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees (Include this for classifications identified as eligible or if bureau requests languages)
Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland's online portal. You will need to respond to the supplemental questions and attach a resume.

Position Summary:
The City of Portland's Bureau of Human Resources is seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Payroll Supervisor to oversee payroll operations for a workforce of more than 9,000 employees represented by 18 bargaining units . This position plays a critical role in ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time, while maintaining compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, union contracts, and administrative rules.

The Payroll Supervisor provides leadership and direction to the payroll team, manages payroll policies and procedures, and partners with internal and external stakeholders to resolve complex payroll and accounting issues. This position also contributes to the City's financial integrity by supporting audits, preparing reports, and ensuring payroll processes align with accounting standards.

The Bureau of Human Resources has a supportive and diverse workforce that values teamwork and strives for high-quality service through knowledgeable, helpful, and responsive interactions with its customers. The Payroll Supervisor is expected to have a high-level attention to detail, be a payroll expert, and be an active contributor to the Bureau of Human Resources team. This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to bring their expertise to influence positive change for the City of Portland and its employees.

As the Payroll Supervisor, you will directly contribute to the City's ability to serve the community by ensuring accurate and compliant payroll for more than 9,000 dedicated employees. This is a dynamic leadership opportunity to influence payroll practices, strengthen accountability, and support an engaged and diverse workforce.

As a Payroll Supervisor, you will:

• Supervise payroll staff, including assigning work, providing coaching and performance feedback, and ensuring cross-training and professional development.

• Oversee end-to-end payroll processing for the City's 9,000 employees, ensuring timeliness, accuracy, and compliance with multiple collective bargaining agreements.

• Interpret , apply, and ensure compliance with federal and state labor and tax laws, City administrative rules, and court-ordered deductions (e.g., garnishments, levies).

• Review and approve complex payroll transactions, including off-cycle checks, ACH reversals and accounting transactions.

• Develop, implement, and update payroll policies, standard operating procedures, and process documentation that adhere to applicable payroll accounting standards.

• Collaborate with bureaus, employees, accounting staff, auditors, and external agencies (IRS, Oregon Department of Revenue) to resolve payroll and tax-related inquiries.

• Prepare and review payroll reports, including audit schedules and public reporting requests.

• Support system testing, upgrades, and process improvements in coordination with the City's enterprise business solutions (EBS) team.

• Ensure internal controls and compliance standards are met to safeguard payroll accuracy and financial accountability.

Virtual Zoom Meet & Greet Opportunity
Come meet the hiring manager and the senior recruiter! We'll be talking about the position duties and responsibilities, day to day life in the role, review the announcement, discuss how to apply, and answer questions you may have about the position.

October 14, 2025
12:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID:
Please note: AI Notetaking apps will not be allowed into virtual sessions hosted by the Bureau of Human Resources Recruitment Team. If you need accommodations as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, then please contact the Recruiter or Program Lead for assistance.

Have a question?
Contact Information:
TroyLynn Craft
Senior Recruiter

The following qualifications are required for this position:

1. Exper ience in managing full-cycle payroll processing and utilization of an enterprise payroll software module (i.e. SAP, Oracle, Workday, etc ) including the following: all payroll activities required to calculate net pay; all withholdings and deductions; administration of third-party payments and reconciliations, including state pension programs; submission of tax filings and payments; generation of paychecks and electronic funds transfers; preparation of audit schedules; and W-2 generation.
2. Experience effectively managing the work of a team and s trong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and develop staff.
3. Ability to interpret and apply collective bargaining agreements in payroll operations.
4. Ability to use a nalytical and problem-solving skills to evaluate payroll issues and recommend solutions.
5. Ability to effectively communic ate and provide excellent customer service skills when working with employees, managers, business partners, auditors, and external agencies.
6. Knowledge of enterprise payroll/HRIS systems (experience with SAP highly desirable).

Applicant must also have:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting , Business, Finance, or Human Resources
  
  AND
• 3 years of progressively responsible experience in a public agency, working in payroll and accounting, with a minimum of 2 years of experience in a supervisory role.

Although not required, you may have one or more of the following:

• 8 years of progressively responsible experience in full-cycle payroll, including at least 5 years in a supervisory or lead role.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation from the American Payroll Associatio n .

STEP 1: Apply online between October 6 - 20, 2025

• Required Application Materials: Resume
• Answer to the Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions)

Optional Application Materials:

• If you would like to request Veteran's Preference, please submit your Veteran documents (ex, DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter, etc.) by the closing date of the recruitment.
• We have recently updated our veteran preference process. Starting March 3 rd , 2025. If you made the eligible list and met the eligibility to receive veteran preference, you will no longer need to submit veteran documents for future recruitments. If you need to update or remove your veteran preference for a specific recruitment or from your master profile, please contact the recruiter listed in the job announcement.

Application Tips:

• Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training and/or experience, and where obtained, which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement.
• Your résumé should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions.
• How We Determine Pay: The City of Portland is covered by the Oregon Equal Pay Act . Your salary is determined based on the experience listed in your resume that is directly related and equivalent to the position for which you are applying. It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all your relevant experience.
• Do not attach any additional documents.
• Please note, all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment.
• You may use AI tools to assist with your job application, but please be sure to personalize your responses to supplemental questions. Avoid copying and pasting. We encourage using AI to generate ideas and then tailor them to reflect your own experiences and skills.
• All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process.
• E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.

Step 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: . click apply for full job details