Payroll Accountant/manager

Aston Carter•South San Francisco, CA

10d•$65 - $80•Hybrid

About The Position

This contract Payroll Manager role serves as a payroll subject matter expert and a key member of the Finance team in a growing organization. You will lead and support end-to-end payroll operations, business and tax processes, and vendor and partner management, while also contributing to broader finance and accounting activities. The ideal candidate combines strong hands-on payroll processing and accounting experience with a customer-centric mindset, delivering accurate, compliant, and timely payroll services in a fast-paced environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and 8+ years of payroll experience.
Direct, hands-on payroll processing experience, not limited to oversight or approvals.
Ability to explain payroll processing workflows in detail, including end-to-end processes and controls.
Strong understanding of month-end payroll activities beyond running reports, including reconciliations and journal entries.
Familiarity with payroll-related accounting activities, including accruals, reconciliations, and general ledger impacts.
Experience performing or supporting leave of absence calculations and payroll compliance processes.
Knowledge of California state tax and wage and hour laws.
Experience with multi-state payroll; exposure to global payroll is a plus.
Working knowledge of Ultimate Software/UKG HRIS and/or other payroll software.
Knowledge of payroll accounting to ensure accurate general ledger and tax reporting.
Proficiency in reconciliation, analysis, month-end close, leave of absence processing, journal entries, and accruals.
Experience with systems such as UKG, Kronos, Paycom, or similar payroll platforms.
Ability to provide superior customer service and support to employees and internal stakeholders.
Proven ability to manage multiple tasks and adapt to a changing, fast-paced environment.
Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality, security, and integrity of payroll data.
Strong attention to detail, high level of organization, and ability to meet time-sensitive deadlines.
Capability to take ownership of payroll operations with minimal oversight.

Nice To Haves

Strong preference for candidates who can balance hands-on payroll processing with audit and approval ownership as a second-level reviewer.
UKG experience is preferred; experience with ADP, Paylocity, or Paycom with strong audit and reporting skills is also valuable.
Background in biotech, life sciences, or similar environments is a plus but not required.
Experience working within a payroll model where the vendor supports file uploads while the internal team owns validation, auditing, and reporting.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across Finance and HR in a lean team environment.
Strong analytical skills for preparing statistical and financial payroll reports and estimates.
Comfort working with complex wage calculations, including leave of absence and compliance-driven pay scenarios.

Responsibilities

Facilitate day-to-day payroll operations, including handling escalations, approvals, issue resolution, and employee communications.
Manage payroll vendor activities such as payroll processing, month-end, quarter-end, and year-end or annual tasks.
Prepare and review payroll data files for each payroll cycle to ensure accuracy and completeness.
Prepare and process leave of absence calculations and other complex wage calculations.
Prepare and process month-end and quarter-end payroll journal entries and support payroll-related accounting activities.
Manage tax notices, registrations, wage orders, government correspondence, and provide support for payroll-related audits.
Demonstrate a hands-on, “roll up your sleeves” approach with a strong sense of urgency, effectively balancing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Assist with vendor and stakeholder management by preparing requested statistical and financial payroll reports, data, and estimates.
Provide superior customer service to employees and internal stakeholders on payroll systems, functions, issues, and questions.
Troubleshoot payroll systems and payroll vendor interface files, identifying and resolving issues promptly.
Partner closely with Accounting, HR, and Finance teams to support policies, projects, and operational initiatives.
Manage year-end and annual payroll audits, reporting, and ad hoc payroll and finance analyses.
Support additional finance responsibilities as needed, including data analysis and reporting.
Own payroll operations with limited guidance, ensuring consistent accuracy, compliance, and timely delivery.