Senior Payroll Specialist

Job Description and Duties

The Senior Personnel Specialist (Sr. PS) serves as the expert staff resource responsible for the most difficult and complex personnel/payroll issues including disability and leave transactions. The Sr. PS researches critical personnel problems and recommends alternative solutions; reviews various control agency letters, memos, and bargaining contract provisions; and develops, revises, and recommends internal procedures as necessary. The Sr. PS also functions as a team member on personnel-related projects.

Eligible for annual Recruitment & Retention pay differential 30 days following the completion of 12 consecutive qualifying pay periods.

Annual pay schedule is as follows:

$2,400.00 after 12 or more qualifying months

$3,000.00 after 24 or more qualifying months

$3,600.00 after 36 or more qualifying months

$4,800.00 after 48 or more qualifying months

Incumbent working hours will be Monday-Friday 8:00 am -5:00 pm

For additional information about the classification, please review the Exam Bulletin below:

In July 2025, the State of California implemented the Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2025. This program temporarily reduces employees’ monthly base pay in exchange for paid leave credits. This position is subject to PLP 2025 and will have a monthly base pay reduction of 3% in exchange for 5 hours of leave credits through June 2027. The salary ranges shown on this job posting do not reflect the salary reduction.

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Position Details

One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Personnel Specialist, Range D, or a Personnel Services Specialist II.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

Telework Information

This position may be eligible for telework. The amount of telework permitted is at the discretion of the Department and is subject to change, consistent with CDPH’s Telework Program. All employees who telework are required to be California residents in accordance with Government Code 14200. Candidates who reside outside of the state of California may be interviewed; however, the selected candidate must have a primary residency in the state of California prior to appointment (and continue to maintain California residency) as a condition of employment. Failure to meet this requirement may result in the job offer being rescinded.

Travel may be required for this position. Reimbursement for travel takes into consideration an employee’s designated headquarters, as reflected in the duty statement, and is subject to regulations and bargaining unit contract provisions. All commute expenses to the designated headquarters office will be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

The headquarters office location for this position is identified in the attached duty statement.

Special Requirements

For experience/education to qualify during the application screening process, and to ensure that minimum qualifications can be determined, applicants should include all employment history on the Employment Application (STD 678) and/or Resume, including detailed job descriptions, hours worked per week , and start/end dates (MM/DD/YYYY) . Application packages without this information will experience delayed processing times and your eligibility for this position may be impacted.

A completed State application (STD. 678) and any other relevant documents (e.g. unofficial transcript, copy of degree, resume, etc.) should be submitted electronically via your CalCareers Account. Please reference Job Control #(499547) and indicate the basis of your eligibility in the Examination(s) or Job Title(s) section. SROA and surplus candidates should submit a copy of their letter with their application . Please remove any confidential information (i.e. social security number, date of birth) from your documents prior to submission.

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareers Account at Submitting an electronic application through your CalCareers account is strongly recommended since electronic applications will be received/processed faster than other methods of filing. Please submit only one application.

If you are unable to submit your application electronically through your CalCareers account, please email [email protected] for assistance and a CDPH Human Resources Division staff member will contact you to assist with the online application process or, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method as explained in the How to Apply section below. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

1. Think logically, multitask, and apply laws, rules, regulations, and bargaining contract provisions concerning personnel transactions.
2. Independently interpret and use reference material.
3. Give and follow directions.
4. Gather data.
5. Design and prepare tables, spreadsheets, and charts.
6. Consult with supervisors on alternative actions which they may take on various transaction situations.
7. Communicate effectively.
8. Operate a computer keyboard/terminal.
9. Establish and maintain cooperative working relations with those contacted while the working.
10. Organize and prioritize work.
11. Create/draft correspondence.
12. Maintain personnel records.
13. Represent the department on intra/interdepartmental teams.
14. Coordinate a variety of personnel/payroll transactions.
15. Research critical transactions and recommend alternative solutions.

Knowledge of and/or experience:

1. Knowledge of the State's payroll, benefits, leave accounting, disability, and workers' compensation programs.
2. Ability to conduct thorough research and communicate findings clearly and concisely.
3. Ability to interpret and apply laws, rules, regulations, and bargaining unit contracts.
4. Possession of good communication skills both written and orally.
5. Ability to meet and adhere to multiple due dates.
6. Current office methods, procedures, equipment, and basic math principles
7. Laws, rules, regulations, and bargaining contract provisions affecting personnel record keeping, personnel transactions, payroll, and certification processes used in State departments.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.