Payroll and Benefits Specialist

Parallel

5d•Remote

About The Position

Parallel is seeking a full-time Payroll and Benefits Specialist. In this role, you’ll support the Finance and People Teams by owning the operational aspects of payroll and benefits administration, compliance, and employee support. This is not a plug-and-play role. We are a fast-growing startup where systems are still being built, processes are evolving, and historical inconsistencies exist that need to be resolved. You will play a key role not only in running day-to-day payroll and benefits operations, but also in helping build, standardize, and improve them over time. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to: Make an impact: You are motivated by a mission-driven culture and want your work to directly support employees and operations Join a fast-growing startup: You enjoy solving ambiguous problems and building structure where it doesn’t yet exist Act as a bridge between Finance and HR: You’re comfortable collaborating cross-functionally and navigating different priorities Take ownership: You thrive in ambiguity, are comfortable fixing while operating, and proactively identify and resolve issues Build for scale: You want to create processes that are efficient, sustainable, and scalable as the company grows Be part of a collaborative culture: You want to work hands-on with your team and cross-functional partners to quickly find solutions and take action

Requirements

2+ years of payroll and/or benefits experience
Strong Excel and reconciliation skills
High attention to detail and accuracy
Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities
Strong problem-solving and ownership mindset
Comfortable working cross-functionally with Finance, HR, and external vendors

Nice To Haves

Experience with Rippling or similar HRIS/payroll systems is a plus

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end payroll processing across multiple entities and pay groups
Manage payroll inputs, uploads, and approvals to ensure timely and accurate payroll
Maintain PTO accruals and payroll records
Process off-cycle payrolls (bonuses, commissions, PTO payouts, corrections)
Provide payroll reports to 401(k) and HSA vendors
Perform pre-payroll checks to ensure readiness and accuracy
Perform post-payroll validations to confirm payroll processed as expected
Ensure payroll deadlines are met across all pay groups
Reconcile payroll data across systems
Track, manage, and clear unresolved items and variances, ensuring all discrepancies are followed through to resolution
Monitor federal, state, and local payroll tax filings and payments
Maintain a centralized tracker of payroll tax accounts across entities and states
Identify and address discrepancies, including tax notices, account gaps, or filing misalignments
Coordinate with payroll providers and agencies to ensure timely resolution and compliance
Manage benefits administration in Employee Navigator and ensure alignment with payroll systems
Audit benefit rates and deductions for accuracy
Reconcile benefit invoices against payroll deductions and employer contributions
Support Open Enrollment in partnership with the VP of People
Partner with brokers and vendors to resolve discrepancies
Ensure accurate payroll and benefits setup for new hires
Manage offboarding processes, including:
Final pay compliance (state-specific)
PTO payouts
Benefits termination and COBRA coordination
Serve as primary point of contact for payroll and benefits inquiries
Manage Zendesk tickets and internal requests
Escalate complex issues and ensure timely resolution
Document processes
Develop trackers
Standardize workflows
Maintain organized and audit-ready documentation
Ongoing & Cross-Functional Projects
Benefits vendor transitions and system integrations
Special compensation or benefits programs