Payroll Accountant (Temp)

Vagaro•Pleasanton, CA

7d•$50 - $55•Onsite

About The Position

Vagaro is hiring a temporary Payroll Accountant for a three-month term, with the possibility of extension. Based onsite in Pleasanton, California, Monday through Friday, this role manages accurate and timely payroll processing, payroll-related benefits administration, and compliance with applicable regulations. The position works closely with Finance, HR, and Legal and requires strong knowledge of payroll processing, tax regulations, reporting requirements, and employee benefits administration. Responsibilities span payroll operations, benefits administration, payroll accounting, and compliance. The Payroll Accountant processes multi-state and multi-country payroll; maintains payroll records; handles adjustments, deductions, bonuses, and inquiries; reconciles payroll and benefits accounts; prepares journal entries and reports; and supports close processes and audits. The role also administers payroll-related employee benefits, supports open enrollment, verifies timely funding and garnishments, and helps ensure compliance with applicable tax, labor, privacy, and reporting requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, accounting, finance, or a related field.
At least 5 years of experience as a Payroll and Benefits Specialist or in a similar role, preferably in a medium to large organization.
Intermediate proficiency with MS Office products for managing, analyzing, and reporting data.
Expertise in Excel functions, data organization, pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and automation techniques.
At least 2 years of practical, hands-on responsibility for accounting and reporting systems, with strong general ledger experience.
In-depth knowledge of multi-state payroll processing, payroll and multi-state tax regulations, and reporting requirements.
Familiarity with payroll software and timekeeping systems.
Strong analytical skills and attention to detail to ensure accurate calculations and data integrity.
Excellent understanding of employee benefits programs and administration.
Ability to handle confidential information with integrity and maintain high data-privacy standards.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for working with employees, benefits providers, and internal stakeholders.
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to resolve payroll-related issues efficiently.

Nice To Haves

Experience with NetSuite Accounting Software.
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification or another relevant certification.
Workday payroll experience.
General ledger accounting experience.

Responsibilities

Process multi-state and multi-country payroll accurately and on schedule.
Maintain payroll records, including employee information, time and attendance data, and tax withholding details.
Calculate and process adjustments, manual checks, deductions, bonuses, and other earnings using approved documentation.
Review payroll reports and resolve discrepancies promptly.
Respond to payroll-related employee inquiries while maintaining confidentiality.
Coordinate with HR, Legal, and Finance on employee onboarding and offboarding in payroll and HRIS systems, including final paychecks in accordance with state labor laws.
Stay current with payroll laws, regulations, and best practices.
Reconcile payroll after each processing cycle and/or end-of-month final check processing to payroll accounts.
Assist with year-end payroll processes, including W-2 preparation, payroll data reconciliation, and reports.
Create and distribute annual pay-increase and bonus spreadsheets as required by executive leadership, and ensure bonuses, commissions, and increases are processed on time.
Check regularly for returned direct deposits and resolve processing issues in the system.
Approve expense reimbursements according to company policy and communicate policy violations to employees’ managers and Finance leadership.
Reconcile benefits accounts and invoices by the third week of each month.
Reconcile 401(k) deferrals and employer match each payroll cycle.
Ensure timely employee benefit funding and garnishments.
Support annual benefits open enrollment by verifying and setting up accurate payroll deductions.
Prepare and post payroll-related journal entries to the general ledger.
Reconcile payroll accounts, including wages, taxes, benefits, and deductions.
Assist with month-end and year-end close processes related to payroll and benefits.
Generate and review payroll-related financial reports for internal and external stakeholders.
Create account reconciliation files and reconcile accounts, benefit invoices, and taxes in Excel.
Complete monthly flux analysis by the stated monthly deadline.
Ensure associations between NetSuite accounts and payroll accounts are accurate.
Support audits by providing payroll and benefits documentation.
Support Workers’ Compensation audits and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner.
Work on annual 401(k) audits and coordinate accurate, timely documentation with auditors.
Prepare and distribute required payroll reports, tax forms such as W-2 and 1095-C, and related documents.
Support annual P11D filings and compliance with HMRC regulations.
Set up payroll in new states as business needs require.
Ensure payroll taxes are paid on time and comply with federal, state, and local tax regulations.
Protect employee-record security and confidentiality in accordance with privacy regulations and internal policies.