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Finance, Accounting, & Procurement

Assistant Director of the Payroll Examination, Bureau of Controller

Dept of Health/Mental Hygiene · Queens · Full-time · 1 opening

$65,091 to $100,000 a year

Posted until November 22, 2026 · posted September 23, 2026

Requirements

License or certificate

Exam

Civil service exam title

From ≈ $31.29 an hour · $2,504 every 2 weeks, before taxes (40-hour weeks).

NYC minimum wage is $17/hr. This beats it by $14.29/hr, with health insurance and a pension on top.

What you'd have made

$2,495 If you'd started this job 2 weeks ago, at this pay, before taxes.

An hour of this job pays for about 10.4 subway rides ($3 fare).

Price anything in hours of this job

251 people had this title in the city's fiscal year 2025. Their base pay:
  • This posting starts at $65,091
  • Half of them earn at least $77,268
  • The top 10% earn at least $99,750

Overtime added $1,750 on average that year, and it isn't guaranteed. Base salary of active employees paid a yearly rate, fiscal year 2025 (July 2024 to June 2025). Source: NYC's payroll data

Check yourself

What they actually ask for.

A license or certificate is part of the requirements

  1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, accredited by regional, national, professional or specialized agencies recognized as accrediting bodies by the U.S. Secretary of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), including or supplemented by 24 semester credits in accounting, including one course each in advanced accounting and auditing; or
  2. A valid New York State Certified Public Accountant license.
Read the rest of the requirements

To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level II individuals must have, in addition to meeting the minimum requirements, at least one year of experience as an Accountant - Assignment Level I or at least two years of satisfactory full-time professional accounting or auditing experience.

Quoted word for word from the official posting. The label above is ours, read from this text; if they disagree, this text wins.

The work

What the job is.

Office / adminHealthcare

Open to candidates who are permanent or those who have successfully filed for the most recent open-competitive (Exam No. 4000) and promotional exam (Exam No. 6000)

The Bureau of Controller within the Division of Finance requests to hire an accountant to perform duties as Assistant Director of the Payroll Examination.

Read the rest, from the posting

Under the direction of the Director of Payroll, the Assistant Director of the Payroll Examination/Payroll Accounting Unit will oversee the daily operations of the unit to ensure the accurate and timely processing of payroll transactions for agency employees.

The selected candidate will supervise staff responsible for analyzing payroll reports, researching payroll discrepancies, processing supplemental payments, and ensuring compliance with City payroll policies, collective bargaining agreements, and applicable regulations.

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:

  • Supervise and direct the daily activities of the Payroll Examination Unit, ensuring timely completion of payroll transactions and adherence to established deadlines.
  • Oversee the review and analysis of payroll reports generated through the Payroll Management System (PMS) and Payroll Information System (Pi), including PTAPD160, PTAPW161, and the Bi-Weekly Payroll Detail (700) Report.
  • Ensure the accurate processing of retroactive salary adjustments, additions to gross pay, threshold overtime, maturations, leave without pay transactions, overpayment recoveries, and supplemental payrolls.
  • Review and approve one-time payments, including unused leave balances, legal settlements, and other special payroll transactions.
  • Monitor payroll activities to ensure compliance with Office of Payroll Administration (OPA), Office of Labor Relations (OLR), NYC Comptroller, and collective bargaining requirements.
  • Supervise the preparation and reconciliation of bi-weekly payroll summaries and supporting documentation required for payroll certification.
  • Oversee the processing of W-2 corrections, tax-related inquiries, payroll deductions, EFT reversals, and other specialized payroll transactions
  • Research and resolve complex payroll issues received through service tickets, emails, telephone inquiries, Human Resources, management, and external agencies.
  • Coordinate with Human Resources, Timekeeping, Compliance, Payroll Accounting, OPA, and other internal and external stakeholders to resolve payroll issues.
  • Review work products for accuracy, identify trends and systemic issues, and implement process improvements to strengthen internal controls and operational efficiency.
  • Develop unit procedures, provide training and guidance to staff, monitor performance, and ensure compliance with agency policies and payroll regulations.
  • Prepare management reports, analyze payroll data, and recommend operational improvements to enhance service delivery.
  • Perform related duties as assigned.

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 (https://studentaid.gov/pslf/)

  • 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.

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.

Our mission is to safeguard the health of every resident and cultivate a city where everyone, regardless of age, background, or location, can achieve their optimal health.

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!

Commitment to Equity:

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

The NYC Health Department is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation to all individuals.

To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact Sye-Eun Ahn, Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, at [email protected] or 347-396-6549.

Before you apply

The fine print.

Where you have to live

Live in NYC within 90 days (usually)

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Sources

Straight from the city.

From the city's job data, which the city last updated September 28, 2026. You apply through the official posting.

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