Human Resources Accounting Specialist
City of Grand Forks
Accounting & Finance, People & HR
Grand Forks, ND, USA
Posted on Mar 24, 2026
Description
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The City is seeking a detail-oriented and customer-focused Human Resources Accounting Specialist to support payroll, accounting, and front desk operations within the Human Resources Department. This position plays a key role in ensuring accurate payroll processing, maintaining financial and employee records, and providing excellent service as the first point of contact for employees and the public.
If you enjoy working with numbers, staying organized, and helping people, this is a great opportunity to contribute to a collaborative and service-driven team.
Examples of Duties
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DEFINITION
The Human Resources Accounting Specialist is responsible for supporting human resources operations with a primary focus on payroll processing, accounting assistance, and front desk reception. This role ensures accurate payroll administration and reporting, assists with basic accounting tasks and accounts payable, and serves as the first point of contact for visitors and employees answering questions and providing administrative support. The position requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and excellent customer service.
ESSENTIAL AND MARGINAL FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES --Essential responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Essential Functions:
- Maintain, calculate and verify payroll information; processing City payroll, verifying all employees regular, overtime and part time hours including related reports, records and documents.
- Provide payroll information, balance payroll accounts, maintain payroll guidelines, and comply with Federal, State and Local legal requirements.
- Complete benefits billing, compensation reports, and retain historical references of benefits, payroll and deduction accounts; reconcile pension and all benefit accounts; filing and retrieving benefit information.
- Prepare and maintain a variety of financial records; prepare federal tax deposits, quarterly and annual reports; participate in the preparation and verification of W-2's.
- Review, verify and process credit cards, accounts payable or receivable invoices and receipts and other miscellaneous disbursements.
- Serve as the front desk receptions; greet and assist visitors and employees, answer and route incoming calls.
- Provide a broad range of administrative support functions to assist the Human Resources Department.
- Maintain and manage electronic filing systems and records for all City employees, including confidential information, employment contracts, and personnel files. Regularly update, scan, and organize employee records; calculate compensation and time accruals; process employee benefit changes within the HRIS system.
- Assist with the processing and setting up of new and seasonal employees. Ensure employees are properly set up in the HRIS software.
- Coordinate with finance staff to ensure proper documentation and compliance, support monthly reconciliations and reporting.
- Assist in a variety of department operations; perform special projects and assignments as requested.
Marginal Functions:
- Maintain office supply inventory; research and reorder as necessary.
- Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.
Typical Qualifications
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Knowledge:
Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment; Principles of business letter writing and report preparation; English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation; Principles and procedures of accounting; bookkeeping, payroll, and cost accounting; Principles and procedures of financial and employee record keeping and reporting; Basic mathematical principles; Pertinent Federal, State and local laws, codes and ordinances.
Skills:
Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work; Customer service and interpersonal skills, problem solving and troubleshooting skills; Maintain mental capacity, which allows the capability of making sound decisions and demonstrating intellectual capabilities; Maintain effective audio/visual discrimination and perception to the degree necessary for the successful performance of assigned duties.
Abilities:
Understand the operations, services and activities of a comprehensive human resources program; Perform administrative support services; Work independently and as a member or a team; Understand and follow oral and written instructions; Type at a speed necessary for successful job performance; Ability to perform responsibilities in tactful and professional manner and maintain high degree of confidentiality; To apply excellent customer relations skills; Maintain accurate and in-depth HR records and documents; Perform work requiring close detail; multi-task, prioritize work, work within deadlines; Respond to requests and inquiries from City employees and the general public; Apply appropriate accounting principles in assigned area of work; Perform complex payroll work involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative; Prepare and maintain clear and concise financial reports; Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing and spreadsheet applications; Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Supervisory Controls:
The supervisor assigns work in terms of general instructions. The supervisor spot-checks completed work for compliance with procedures, accuracy, and the nature and propriety of the final results.
Guidelines:
Guidelines include FLSA guidelines, city personnel policies, benefit plant documents, the employee reference guide, and city and department policies and procedures. These guidelines are generally clear and specific but may require some interpretation in application.
Complexity/Scope of Work:
The work consists of related specialized human resource functions. Frequent interruptions contribute to the complexity of the position.
The purpose of this position is to perform specialized duties in support of city payroll, benefit administration, and other human resources processes. Success in this position contributes to the successful provision of personnel services in support of city operations.
Contacts:
Contacts are typically with co-workers, other city personnel, job applicants, benefit company employees, software company employees, consultants, representatives of financial institutions, and members of the general public.
Contacts are typically to give or exchange information, to resolve problems, or to provide services.
Supplemental Information
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Physical Demands/Work Environment:
Office environment; works with computers; Essential functions require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting for prolonged periods of time and maintaining physical condition necessary for light to moderate lifting; walking, bending, crouching, stooping and reaching.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
None.
Experience and Training Guidelines
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:
Experience:
Three years of increasingly responsible office administration including responsible accounting or bookkeeping experience preferably within a human resources program.
Education or Training:
Equivalent to an Associates degree from an accredited college or university with major course works in accounting, finance, office administration or a related field.
License or Certificate:
Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid driver's license.
