Director of Timekeeping, Bureau of Controller

About the role

The Office of Payroll within the Division of Finance’s Bureau of the Controller seeks an exceptional, highly motivated, and detail oriented professional to serve as the Director of the Timekeeping Unit. This position provides executive oversight of agency-wide timekeeping operations and ensures compliance with citywide policies, labor agreements, and payroll regulations.

Position Summary

The Director of Timekeeping reports directly to the Assistant Commissioner/ Controller and is responsible for leading and overseeing all agency-wide timekeeping operations within the Office of Payroll. This role ensures the integrity, accuracy, and compliance of time and attendance records in accordance with Citywide regulations, labor agreements, and agency policies.

The Director provides strategic oversight of the CityTime Administration and PATS units, supervises timekeeping staff, and partners closely with other units in Payroll, Human Resources, and Labor Relations to ensure accurate pay processing and leave administration.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Direct the daily operations of the Timekeeping Unit, including supervision of two Timekeeping Supervisors, the Personnel Automated Triggering System (PATS) Unit, and CityTime Administration Unit.
• Ensure the accuracy and financial integrity of time and attendance transactions affecting payroll, including regular salary, overtime, leave without pay, differentials, holiday payments, and other payroll adjustments.
• Review, analyze, and reconcile timekeeping and payroll reports to identify discrepancies, overpayments, underpayments, unusual transactions, and other conditions requiring corrective action.
• Establish and maintain internal controls and quality assurance procedures to ensure transactions are properly authorized, supported, recorded, and accurately reflected in payroll.
• Monitor agency compliance with Citywide payroll, timekeeping, leave, and attendance regulations through the review and analysis of exception, reconciliation, and management reports.
• Oversee employee leave and pay status changes, including managerial/non-managerial transitions, leave vesting and balance adjustments, pay class changes, and holiday pay for eligible part-time physicians.
• Perform quantitative and financial analyses of payroll-related activity, including overtime, leave without pay, attendance trends, payroll adjustments, and other transactions affecting personnel expenditures.
• Develop reports and analytical tools to identify payroll trends, financial risks, operational deficiencies, and opportunities to strengthen controls and improve efficiency.
• Conduct periodic audits and reconciliations of timekeeping and payroll-related transactions and ensure discrepancies are researched, documented, and resolved timely.
• Assist with internal and external audits involving timekeeping, payroll transactions, leave balances, and related financial records.
• Interpret and implement Citywide and Agency policies, payroll procedures, collective bargaining agreements, and CityTime requirements affecting employee compensation, leave, and timekeeping.
• Work collaboratively with management, Human Resources, Labor Relations, union representatives, and other stakeholders to resolve timekeeping, payroll, leave, and contractual matters.
• Establish priorities, monitor performance, and ensure work is completed accurately and within established payroll deadlines.
• Develop and implement operating procedures, performance standards, internal controls, and quality assurance measures for the Timekeeping Unit.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide leadership, coaching, training, and professional development to staff.
• Lead agency-wide training on timekeeping policies, payroll controls, systems, and procedures.
• Identify opportunities to automate and streamline processes while maintaining appropriate financial controls.

Preferred Skills

• Demonstrated experience in accounting, payroll, timekeeping, financial analysis, reconciliation, auditing, or related fiscal operations.
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles, internal controls, reconciliation procedures, and payroll-related financial transactions.
• Ability to analyze complex payroll and financial data, identify discrepancies and trends, and develop corrective actions.
• Strong working knowledge of CityTime, CHRMS, NYCAPS, PMS, RMDS, PATS, and related Citywide systems.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and experience developing analytical, reconciliation, and management reports.
• Strong written, verbal, analytical, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated supervisory experience and ability to manage multiple priorities and critical deadlines in a compliance-driven environment

Preferred Skills

• Demonstrated experience in City payroll and timekeeping operations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly advanced Excel skills.
• Strong working knowledge of CityTime, CHRMS, NYCAPS, PMS, and related Citywide systems.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and multi-tasking abilities.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in a high-volume, compliance-driven environment.

Why you should work for us

• Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal/state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs that lessen your payments or even fully forgive your full balance. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website
• Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:

• o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.
• o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.
• o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.
• o a tax-deferred savings program and o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.

• Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
• Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.

Additional information

Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC.

We provide a wide array of programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives.

As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, with a rich history of public health initiatives and scientific advancements, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, we serve as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise.

Come join us and help to continue our efforts in making a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers!

Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and five years of full-time professional satisfactory experience acquired within the last fifteen years, in a health services setting such as a laboratory, hospital, or other patient care facility, or in a public health, environmental health, or mental hygiene program, at least 18 months of which must have been in a managerial capacity, consisting of managerial experience clearly demonstrating the ability to perform difficult and responsible managerial work, requiring independent decision-making concerning program management, planning, allocation of resources, and the scheduling and assignment of work.
• Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" above. Education may be substituted for experience on the basis that each 30 graduate semester credits from an accredited college in hospital administration, public health, public administration, business administration, management or administration can be substituted for one year of non-managerial experience up to a maximum of 60 semester credits for two years. However, all candidates must have a minimum of a baccalaureate degree and 18 months of managerial experience as described in "1" above.