Payroll & Benefits Manager - 7 Month Temporary Contract

Kiva Confections•California, CA

27d•$50 - $58

About The Position

Kiva Confections is hiring a temporary Payroll & Benefits Manager for a seven-month leave-of-absence contract. The role oversees payroll for approximately 400 employees across multiple states and entities, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant processing. It also manages key benefits administration, supports employee questions, partners with HR and Finance, and improves processes. The position requires strict confidentiality and accuracy while helping provide a consistent employee experience. The candidate must reside in California. The manager processes biweekly payroll and off-cycle payments; administers benefits and Open Enrollment; maintains accurate HRIS, payroll, and benefits data; supports payroll and benefits compliance, audits, garnishments, verifications, and employee leaves; collaborates with HR, AP, Finance, and Accounting; and identifies opportunities to streamline processes. The role is paid at $50–$58 per hour. Work involves frequent collaboration by email, chat, and video conferencing with a dispersed workforce; occasional travel and onsite support may be required. Occasional time onsite in production facilities may involve exposure to food allergens.

Requirements

Must reside in California.
Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university, or a minimum of 3–5+ years of payroll and benefits management experience.
Experience with benefits administration and HRIS/payroll systems.
Knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll regulations, including wage-and-hour rules and garnishments.
Strong understanding of payroll and benefits workflows and best practices.
Strong analytical skills and ability to identify data inconsistencies.
Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
High degree of confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism.
Strong proficiency in Excel and Google Suite.
Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and meet strict deadlines.
Comfort learning new systems and adapting to evolving processes.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a fast-paced, multi-state environment.
Experience supporting a workforce of approximately 300–500 employees.
UKG or large-scale HRIS experience.

Responsibilities

Process accurate and timely biweekly payroll for approximately 400 employees across multiple states and entities.
Calculate and enter overtime, sick and vacation pay, bonuses, retroactive adjustments, reimbursements, and commissions.
Manage timesheet approval workflows and coordinate with leaders to meet deadlines.
Calculate and process off-cycle payments in compliance with California labor law.
Interpret payroll policies, advise employees and leaders, and respond to payroll inquiries.
Prepare payroll reports for internal and external stakeholders.
Administer benefits eligibility, enrollments, changes, and terminations across HRIS and carrier systems.
Support employee questions about medical, dental, vision, FSA, HSA, 401(k), and other benefits.
Lead and manage Open Enrollment communications, system updates, and audits.
Reconcile benefit invoices with Finance and resolve discrepancies.
Maintain accurate benefits data in payroll, including deductions, arrears, and retroactive corrections.
Maintain accurate, audit-ready HRIS data and conduct audits across HRIS, payroll, and benefits systems.
Support system enhancements, automation, and integrations.
Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll, wage-and-hour, and benefits regulations.
Manage garnishments, wage verifications, and government inquiries; maintain payroll procedures and audit documentation.
Support internal and external audits, including 401(k), workers’ compensation, and financial audits.
Track employee leaves and ensure pay and benefit continuation are accurate in coordination with stakeholders.
Collaborate with HR, AP, Finance, and Accounting on payroll data, general ledger mapping, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance initiatives.
Cross-train and provide backup for People Operations workflows as needed.
Identify and implement process improvements and participate in People Operations and employee experience initiatives.