Payroll Specialist

Pay Range: $26.57 - $33.21/hr.

Job Posting Closing on: Friday, November 13, 2026 📅

Workdays & Hours: Monday – Friday, 7 am – 4 pm with a rotating late week schedule of 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Benefits for this position include: 11 Paid Holidays, Medical, Dental, Vision, Paid Time Off, Pension Plan, Professional Development Opportunities. Find Out More!

The City of Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing large cities in the U.S. Our employees serve the needs of over 1,000,000 residents, promoting our values of exceptional customer experience, mutual respect, embracing our diversity, continuous improvement, ethical behavior, and accountability.

The City of Fort Worth Fire Department, Fire Administration Division, located at the Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex, 505 W. Felix, Fort Worth, TX 76115, is seeking a detail-oriented Payroll Specialist to support payroll operations for more than 1,000 Civil Service and civilian employees. This position requires strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills to research and resolve complex payroll discrepancies, ensure accurate and timely payroll processing, and maintain compliance with applicable labor agreements, City policies, and procedures. The ideal candidate is organized, proactive, and able to manage multiple priorities while providing effective customer service in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in business, finance, accounting, or a related field
• Two (2) years of experience in payroll operations

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of enterprise resource planning (ERP) payroll systems
• Strong research, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to perform mathematical calculations and interpret payroll-related data
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and the ability to analyze reports and reconcile information across multiple data sources
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain payroll issues and resolutions clearly
• Knowledge of Civil Service payroll operations and applicable labor agreements

The Payroll Specialist's job responsibilities include

• Prepare and enter daily overtime transactions and other assigned payroll entries, ensuring accuracy and compliance with established deadlines and procedures
• Review and validate employee time entries using multiple databases and supporting documentation. Identify discrepancies and follow up on incomplete or missing entries
• Research complex payroll discrepancies, analyze reports and supporting records, determine appropriate corrective action, and coordinate the resolution of payroll issues
• Review and analyze Time and Labor and Absence Management reports to identify and resolve exceptions that may affect payroll accuracy or prevent correct and timely payment
• Validate payroll errors and ensure transactions are processed correctly in accordance with City policies and procedures, applicable labor agreements, Civil Service requirements, and other governing rules and regulations
• Investigate payroll errors, identify contributing factors, prepare or coordinate corrections, and communicate findings and resolutions to the appropriate parties
• Train Fire Department timekeepers on payroll procedures, timekeeping requirements, and system processes. Communicate policy and procedural changes and provide guidance to support accurate payroll submissions
• Work collaboratively with Fire Department personnel, Human Resources, and other internal stakeholders to resolve discrepancies, clarify payroll requirements, and ensure timely processing
• Maintain accurate supporting documentation, monitor outstanding payroll issues, and provide clear records of research, corrections, and follow-up actions
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Working Conditions

Depending on assignment, positions in this class typically require touching, talking, hearing, seeing, grasping, standing, walking and repetitive motions.

Physical Demand

Sedentary Work – Depending on assignment, positions in this class typically exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, a negligible amount of force frequently, and/or or constantly having to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Apply Now! Come be part of something special in Fort Worth. 🌟

Conditions of Employment

The City of Fort Worth is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is the policy and practice of the City to recruit, hire, train and promote a diverse workforce without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or another non-merit factor.

The City of Fort Worth is committed to full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions.

Candidates who do not meet the Education requirement, may be considered if they have more relevant work experience than the position requires. Those selected for employment will be required to pass Pre-Employment checks depending on the position requirements. Those could include, but are not limited to: criminal background check, drug screen, education verification, etc. criminal convictions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Employees are paid by direct deposit only.