Senior Finance Analyst (Clerk of the Court and Comptroller)

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelors degree. A minimum of three years of professional experience in the support of payroll business processes, business analysis, Financial/HR information systems, to include project management responsibilities are required.

Recruitment Notes

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Finance Analyst is responsible for overseeing and supporting complex payroll and financial operations for over 30,000 employees, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, regulatory compliance, financial reconciliations, and reporting activities. This advanced professional position performs in-depth financial and payroll analysis, manages payroll-related projects, supports system implementations and enhancements, and collaborates with Human Resources, Information Technology, Finance Business Solutions Division, and external agencies to maintain operational efficiency and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. The position also assists with payroll audits, tax reporting, retirement contributions, general ledger reconciliations, and process improvements while providing technical guidance and support to payroll staff and stakeholders.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Confirms the "biweekly" payroll for over 30,000 employees and oversees the end-to-end payroll process, including payroll calculations, tax withholdings, benefits deductions, and disbursements following a very tight deadline.
• Ensures timely and accurate payroll processing for all employees, including regular (on-cycle) and off-cycle payrolls.
• Processes the county-wide payroll for Miami-Dade County (MDC) and the Constitutional Offices (CO's) to include reconciliation of each CO's payroll, ACH file, Child Support ACH file, Garnishment Single Payment Voucher file to Accounts Payable (AP), Bank Reconciliation file and HR Accounting line.
• Supports the payroll process from processing payable time, to issuing paychecks, resolving payroll error messages, confirming payroll, and issuing and distributing paychecks on a biweekly basis.
• Validates and reconciles the HR Accounting line and provides correct chart fields to items posting to the Suspense Account.
• Works with central HR in clearing payroll distribution errors and/or updating GL distribution lines for MDC and the COs.
• Reviews the Garnishment reconciliation for MDC and the COs and process the Single Payment Voucher to AP. Process involves running separate jobs and a reconciliation per company.
• Ensures payroll processes comply with federal, state, and local regulations, including tax laws and labor laws. Stay up to date on changes in payroll legislation and adjust processes accordingly.
• Oversees the implementation of the tax updates to INFORMS- Human Capital Management (HCM) and work in collaboration with the central HR and IT teams in reviewing the test results and providing functional approval for migration to production. The timely application of tax updates is critical to remain tax compliant and a requirement for the issuance of the W-2 forms by the specified Internal Revenue Service (IRS) deadline.
• Ensures accurate withholding of federal taxes, and timely submission of payroll taxes to IRS. This includes preparing and filing quarterly and annual payroll tax returns such as Form 941, Unemployment Report to State of Florida, among others.
• Audit payroll checks over $10,000 in gross amount.
• This position involves a high level of reconciliation and regulatory compliance to ensure that all financial aspects of payroll are handled correctly.
• Manages special projects by planning and coordinating with various stakeholders in the HR department, Finance Business Solutions Division, ERP consultants and IT personnel.
• Assists with the monthly reconciliation of the FRS file for the County and the COs and remittance of payment to FRS for an average monthly contribution of $50 million.
• Process FRS invoices and bill departments.
• Conducts in-depth financial analysis of payroll data, identifying trends, discrepancies, and opportunities for enhancements based on best practices. Prepare detailed reports for senior management.
• Assists with the issuance of W-2 forms and end-of-year processing activities for the (6) companies.
• Collaborates with central HR and IT department to resolve system issues and implement upgrades or enhancements to include but not limited to reviewing design documents, execution of test scripts and validation of test results for Directors approval before migration to production.
• Assists with regular audits of the payroll process to ensure accuracy and compliance with internal controls.
• Provides guidance and support to payroll staff, including training on system functionality and enhancements.
• Serves as the point of contact for payroll-related inquiries from employees, departments, and external auditors.
• Provides support and guidance to employees on payroll-related matters, including pay stubs, deductions, and tax forms.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Advanced knowledge of payroll accounting, accruals, reconciliations, and general ledger integration processes.
• Advanced knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, garnishments, wage attachments, and compliance reporting requirements.
• Advanced knowledge of payroll financial reporting, labor distribution, cost allocation, and payroll expense forecasting.
• Thorough knowledge of ERP systems, payroll processing systems, and automated financial reporting tools.
• Thorough knowledge of internal controls, audit procedures, and payroll risk management practices.
• Considerable knowledge of payroll interfaces, file transmission protocols, and system integration processes between HR, payroll, and finance systems.
• Considerable knowledge of accounting standards, journal entry preparation, month-end close, and account reconciliation procedures.
• Knowledge of business intelligence tools, dashboard reporting, and data visualization methodologies.
• Knowledge of process automation and continuous improvement methodologies related to payroll and finance operations.
• Ability to analyze large payroll datasets and perform complex reconciliations across payroll and general ledger systems.
• Ability to identify payroll variances, audit discrepancies, and resolve financial reporting issues with accuracy and efficiency.
• Ability to prepare detailed financial analyses, payroll forecasts, labor cost projections, and executive-level analysis.
• Ability to design, implement, and maintain payroll controls and compliance procedures.
• Ability to interpret payroll legislation, tax updates, and accounting standards and apply changes to payroll operations and reporting processes.
• Ability to manage month-end and year-end payroll close activities, including accruals, reconciliations, and tax reporting.
• Ability to develop automated reports, dashboards, and data validation processes to improve operational efficiency.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with Finance, HR, IT, auditors, and external agencies.
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority deadlines and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced analytical environment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Primarily office-based, with potential for remote or hybrid work (as approved by Manager), depending on organizational policy, position, and job duties. These arrangements are subject to change at any time.

NOTE

This description is a representative summary of major job duties. Additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary.