CDHS Only - Accountant III - Leave Payroll Manager

Salary : $83,643.96 - $100,260.00 Annually
Location : Denver Metro, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: IHA 05490 10-24-2026
Department: Colorado Department of Human Services
Division: Financial Services
Opening Date: 10/30/2026
Closing Date: 11/4/2026 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Primary Physical Work Address: 3814 W. Princeton CircleDenver, CO 80236
Hiring Pay Rate: $83,644.00 to $100,260.00
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information:
Type of Announcement: This position is open only to classified permanent employees of the listed department and division within that department.
How To Apply: Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.

Department Information
This position is open to current Colorado residents only.

Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

Remote Work/Hybrid: In office 2 days a week, Remote 3 days a week

Fort Logan/1575 Sherman

Description of Job
Remote Work/Hybrid: In office 2 days a week, Remote 3 days a week

Please note: These working arrangements are subject to change.

Fort Logan/1575 Sherman
About this Unit:
The Payroll and Timekeeping Unit at CDHS is responsible for processing accurate and timely payroll for over 5,500 employees across the state of Colorado. CDHS operates 12 distinct programs, including executive offices, 2 mental health institutes, 3 regional centers, the Division of Youth Services, the Behavioral Health Administration, and 4 veterans' homes. We support multiple pay cycles-monthly, biweekly, and 7k schedules-each with its own complexities and requirements.
About this Position:
The Leave Manager
The Leave Manager provides leadership and oversight of the Payroll and Timekeeping Unit's leave administration functions within the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). This position supervises assigned staff and ensures the accurate, timely, and compliant administration of employee leave programs, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), medical leaves of absence, and other applicable state and federal leave programs.

This position works closely with Human Resources, Benefits, and other agency partners to coordinate leave eligibility reviews, medical certifications, timely leave designations, and related HR determinations. The Leave Manager ensures effective communication and coordination among employees, supervisors, payroll, and HR partners to support accurate leave administration while maintaining compliance with applicable laws, state personnel rules, and departmental policies.

The position also oversees payroll and timekeeping activities associated with employee leave, ensuring accurate employee payments, benefit deductions, payroll adjustments, reconciliations, and reporting. Additional responsibilities include supporting internal and external audits, addressing compliance deficiencies, developing and updating procedures, and implementing process improvements to strengthen operational efficiency and accountability.

As a supervisor, the Leave Manager is responsible for assigning work, monitoring performance, establishing operational standards, providing staff training, and ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery. This position plays a critical role in maintaining effective leave administration practices, strengthening partnerships with Human Resources and Benefits, and ensuring employees receive accurate and timely leave-related services.

Summary of Duties:
Supervision:

• Supervises assigned subordinates which could include interviewing, training, planning work schedules, leave approval and performance evaluations. Provides payroll and timekeeping guidance and supplies input for job performance evaluation. reviews written communications generated by the department staff for internal compliance and accuracy to assess both performance and training needs. Monitors staff proficiency in assigned duties in order to assess the need for intervention or to recognize success for further skills utilization. Provides guidance to all subordinates regarding policies and procedures. Analyzes changing federal and state rules, selects the most effective and efficient process, implements, and provides direction to necessary staff.

Compliance and Customer Service:

• Applies generally accepted accounting principles, federal, state and department rules and regulations to resolve non-routine issues, disputes and questions concerning hours worked, leave and overtime calculations, and payroll calculations and adjustments for employees. Reviews points in contention, negotiates and mediates a reasonable resolution while assessing if departmental process or procedure changes are necessary. Provides guidance and expertise to subordinate staff and customers in the areas of department assigned duties. Meets with employees and/or supervisors as necessary to explain generally accepted accounting principles, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures that apply to payroll and timekeeping functions. Ensures ongoing compliance with all relevant federal and state legislation, policies, and procedures affecting the assigned areas of responsibility, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA), Colorado Code of Regulations, Colorado WINS agreements, Department of Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, and the State of Colorado Fiscal Rules.
• Promotes and maintains positive and effective relationships between the payroll team members, human resources, department timekeepers, supervisors, employees, Central Payroll, and other stakeholders. Acts as a liaison with Human Resources and Benefits/Risk Management. Establishes and implements appropriate procedures to prevent and/or resolve issues.
• Reviews existing and proposed legislation affecting employee benefits, timekeeping, payroll, and fiscal control functions and makes recommendations regarding the district's position and required actions.

Review and Analysis:
Determines compliance/noncompliance of payroll/timekeeping practices by researching federal and state rules, accounting practices and regulations. Identifies and resolves management issues that need improvement. Develops, establishes, modifies and implements procedures to maintain compliance.

• Analyzes problem areas and devises resolutions that assure the integrity of the resulting information. Implements altered or new procedures. Analyzes and formulates needed process changes within payroll/timekeeping, based on attendance at meetings requiring the payroll/timekeeping unit's input, view point, participation, or concerning topics that may impact payroll/timekeeping functions and staff. Designs and implements appropriate plans of action.
• Participates in system assessment, design and roll out as applicable to assigned duties for both departmental and state wide systems and projects. Provides insight on over all impacts and participates in a leadership capacity within the payroll department

Back up CDHS Leave Supervisors/work leads (Accountant II's) & Payroll Administrator

• Serves as a back up to the other CDHS Leave Supervisors (Accountant II's). and CDHS Payroll Administrator

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Experience Only:

• Eight (8) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position, specifically in Payroll, Human Resources, supervision, working with leave (FML, STD, military, FAMLI and donated leave).

OR
Education and Experience:

• A combination of related education (coursework requires 27 semester hours completed in accounting or auditing) and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to eight (8) years
• Current, valid licensure as a CPA by the Colorado Board of Accountancy will count for six (6) years of the requirement

Please note: This experience must be clearly documented on your application in the work history section and the supplemental questions must be answered.
Definition of Professional Experience: While not fully encompassing, professional accounting experience is defined by the Colorado Department of Human Services as work that typically involves the following components:

• Payroll Operations
• Leadership
• Supervision
• Leave & Benefit Administration
• Compliance

Preferred Qualifications (preference will be given to candidates with these qualifications):

• Great attention to detail
• Understanding of details and system interactions
• Excellent communications skills
• Experience dealing with difficult situations and customers
• Great data analytic skills
• 2 years of supervisory experience
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office software, specifically Excel and Access and/or google products
• Demonstrated experience working with CORE (Advantage)
• Preference will be given to candidates with public-sector and/or government accounting experience
• Years of State service
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with program accounting principles and practices with human-services related programs
• Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate having greater depth of experience and knowledge related to accounting principles and practices.

Conditions of Employment:

• Standard Background - Name check, TRAILS, CMS and JBITS
• This position requires State of Colorado residency at the time of application (unless otherwise identified in the posting), and residency within the state throughout the duration of employment in this position.
• Occasional travel, as needed, to facilities or other offices related to training and department requirements
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must

1. disclose that information on the application
2. provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position,
3. provide the employee number from the applicant's prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS

Supplemental Information
Supplemental Information

• How to apply to the State of Colorado (Youtube Video, Runtime 3:59, Closed Captions Available)
• The Assessment Process

CDHS Selection Process Explanation
Employment history is calculated on a full-time basis (40/hrs per week). Part-time employment is calculated on a prorated basis to determine qualifications. Be sure your application specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position and minimum requirements.

• Preferred Qualifications & Competencies
• Relevant years of state service experience

Minimum Qualification Screening Process
A Human Resources Analyst will review the work experience/job duties sections of the online job application to determine whether your experience meets the minimum qualifications for the position. You must complete the official State of Colorado online application. Cover letters and resumes WILL NOT be reviewed during the minimum qualifications screening process. You must specifically document your work experience and qualifications. Do not use "see resume" or "see attached."

You must meet the minimum qualifications to continue in the selection process. Part-time work experience will be prorated.

Comparative Analysis Process - Structured Application Review
After minimum qualification screening, the comparative analysis process will involve a review and rating of all the information you submit. The comparative analysis step may also include your results from