HR and Payroll Specialist

Why join our countywide agency?

• Because each day we are making a difference in our community, and because we have a positive, employee- and client-centered work culture.
• We pay competitive rates and offer a strong benefits package that includes generous vacation, sick leave, and holiday pay, employer-paid medical insurance, a free subscription to the meditation/sleep app Calm, and much more!
• We offer continuous employee education and development and paid clinical supervision.
• We work with our staff to offer flexibility whenever possible.

The Position:

The HR & Payroll Specialist supports the Human Resources Operations team in delivering seamless and efficient HR services across payroll, benefits, terminations, compliance, and employee relations. In partnership with the Senior HR Manager, this role ensures accurate payroll processing, benefits administration—including open enrollment—and compliant offboarding procedures.

This position serves as a key resource for interpreting HR policies, enhancing operational effectiveness, and fostering a positive employee experience. With both strategic and administrative responsibilities, the HR & Payroll Specialist manages sensitive personnel matters and contributes to initiatives in onboarding, retention, training, workers’ compensation, and leave management. Reporting to the Senior HR Manager, this role is essential in maintaining compliance, driving process improvements, and supporting a culture of transparency and engagement. This position is offered to work in any one of our countywide offices.

FSA strives to be a trauma-informed and resilience-oriented organization. Because working with those impacted by trauma can affect staff in various ways, FSA actively identifies and employs methods to support staff to embody a healthy and sustainable balance of care for both them and others.

Sample Job Duties and Responsibilities

I. Program Development, Compliance, and Evaluation

• Support Senior HR Manager to continuously educate FSA’s directors, managers, and supervisors about relevant Agency policy and employment/payroll law best practices.
• Ability to answer employee questions and/or concerns regarding HR policy, procedures, or employee handbook questions.
• Manage employment-related inquiries from employees and escalates to Senior HR Manager as needed.
• Regularly review, update, and maintain timekeeping and HRIS systems.
• Frequently update systems with employee change information.
• Manage payroll timesheet review on a semi-monthly basis. This requires a continued liaison with employees, supervisors, and managers to assess any timesheet issues.
• Lead semi-monthly payroll submission process.
• Facilitation of FSA’s employment, onboarding, and termination processes for all staff
• Responsible for maintaining updated and accurate personnel records. Involving both paper and electronic documents and forms.
• Responsible for overseeing that all policy, financial, and legal HR orientation documents have been accurately completed and signed by respective parties.
• Participate in new employee orientations for all paid and unpaid staff.
• Maintains proper Form I-9 records.
• Manage termination process, including exit interviews, final checks, and termination packets.
• Coordinate with Operations Department for onboarding and termination of all staff.
• Maintain HR filing system and the facilitation of proper purging of files according to the records retention policy.
• Administer employee health and retirement benefits, including invoice reconciliation, approval for payment, and communication of benefit information to employees.
• Maintain payroll system compliance with IRS, ACA and state regulations by supporting employee access to benefits and providing year-round assistance with related inquiries.
• Support Senior HR Manager with creation of annual Open Enrollment health and benefit options.
• Manage FSA’s annual Open Enrollment.
• Oversight of FSA’s electronic web benefits administration portal through payroll system and include administration of any supplemental benefits.
• Process applicable employee benefit remittances per payroll submission.
• Responsible for continually maintaining updated and accurate personnel records. This involves managing paper documents and forms, as well as updating electronic records. Revolving around payroll.
• Coordinate with Senior HR Manager to develop and maintain recruitment strategies as necessary, including research and networking efforts as needed.
• Responsible for working with HR Associate on the candidate recruitment process, including posting job ads to appropriate platforms, receiving and processing candidate applications through Applicant Tracking System (ATS); forwarding to appropriate hiring supervisors; and responding to candidates, as necessary.
• Support of researching/implementing new advertisement opportunities (in-person, online, etc.) if applicable.
• Support of partnering/communicating with all recruitment-related vendors as needed.
• Communicate and engage with hiring managers for hiring purposes, including conducting any needed reference checks.
• Coordinate the posting and removal of job ads with hiring managers.
• Supports monthly recruitment report for use at FSA Finance and Board Meetings as needed.
• Continuously researches and updates HR department with the latest recruitment trends.
• Coordinate with Senior HR Manager around completion of annual/regular HR-related projects. May utilize HR Associate for support in completing projects as needed.
• Regular projects include annual 403(b) retirement account audit, other program audits, annual BWell background checks, annual MVR Check, workers comp audit, sexual harassment prevention trainings, other annual trainings, changing deductions for school-based staff in the spring and fall, processing agency-wide pay increases, etc.
• Coordinate with Sr. Senior HR Manager on annual updates to Employee Handbook as it relates to payroll.
• Assist HR associate as needed with administration of Workers’ Compensation claims, including communication with Workers’ Compensation insurance company, leave tracking, paperwork maintenance, and any needed follow-up, including ongoing communication with employees.
• Support HR Generalist as needed with administration of employee personal, disability, and/or medical leaves, including oversight of qualified leave protections (FMLA/CFRA/PDL/ADA/etc.), leave tracking, paperwork maintenance, benefit deductions, and necessary follow-up.
• Collaborate with Balance Financial Management and financial personnel to support operational needs.
• Travel as needed to FSA’s county-wide office locations (Santa Barbara, Lompoc, Santa Maria, and Guadalupe).
• Participate in CARES Committee, which provides team building and morale-building opportunities to improve work relationships and contribute to a healthy and safe work environment.
• Obtain and improve knowledge of employment, payroll law and best practices as pertains to the essential functions of the position; attending recommended and appropriate workshops and trainings as needed.
• Organize and coordinate FSA trainings or workshops, as necessary. This may include networking with outside organizations for scheduling events, booking venues, and providing necessary materials and amenities.
• Maintain updated Job Manual.
• Other duties as assigned.

Employment Qualifications and Standards:

• Must have working knowledge of trauma-informed care.
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Human Resources, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3–5 years of payroll experience, preferably within a California-based organization; Excellent working knowledge of California labor laws and payroll regulations required.
• 1–3 years of direct HR experience, including exposure to benefits, terminations, and compliance.
• Proficiency in HRIS and payroll systems (e.g., Paylocity, NOVAtime, Paycom, UKG) and Microsoft applications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including editing and proofreading.
• Professional certifications such as CPP, FPC, or PHR are highly desirable.
• Exceptional attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to manage confidential information with discretion.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment with professionalism and sound judgment.
• Experience working with quantitative data is preferred.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish highly desirable.
• Requires valid California driver’s license, insurance, and reliable transportation for occasional county-wide travel.

Classification, Hours and Pay Rate:

• This position is full-time, non-exempt and offers a comprehensive benefits package, including 90-100% employer-paid medical (HMO/PPO), dental, vision, HSA/FSA, and generous PTO/vacation. Additionally, you'll receive generous holiday pay and a 403(b) retirement plan.
• The hourly compensation for this position ranges from $25-$30 / hour dependent on education and experience.