Payroll Manager

Hermeus•Los Angeles, CA

11h•Onsite

About The Position

Hermeus is a high-speed aircraft manufacturer focused on the rapid design, build, and test of high-Mach and hypersonic aircraft for the national interest. Working directly with the Department of Defense, Hermeus delivers capabilities that will ensure that our nation, and our allies, maintain an asymmetric advantage over any and all potential adversaries. This role will be responsible for the end-to-end payroll process across multiple states, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and an exceptional employee experience. The Payroll Manager will partner closely with the People, Finance, and Accounting teams to ensure payroll operations run smoothly while supporting a rapidly growing workforce of engineers, technicians, and corporate teams. The ideal candidate thrives in a high-growth, fast-moving environment, has deep expertise in payroll operations and compliance, and enjoys building scalable processes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field (or equivalent experience)
5+ years of payroll experience, including multi-state payroll administration
Strong knowledge of payroll tax regulations and wage compliance requirements
Experience with California meal and rest break compliance, including administration of written meal break waivers, monitoring of timekeeping records, and processing of premium pay penalties for non-compliant breaks.
Experience with payroll systems such as ADP Workforce Now
High level of accuracy, organization, and attention to detail

Nice To Haves

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification
Experience supporting payroll in a high-growth technology or aerospace environment
Experience managing payroll for both salaried and hourly technical workforces

Responsibilities

Payroll Operations
Manage the full-cycle payroll process for all employees, ensuring timely and accurate payroll processing
Administer payroll for salaried, hourly, and shift-based employees across multiple states
Review and approve payroll calculations including wages, overtime, bonuses, equity-related compensation, and deductions
Maintain accurate payroll records and ensure integrity of employee payroll data
Compliance & Tax Management
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations and wage laws
Oversee payroll tax filings, reconciliations, and reporting requirements
Monitor regulatory changes and implement updates to maintain compliance
Support internal and external audits related to payroll
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, including wage and hour laws, tax requirements, and reporting obligations.
Ensure compliance with California wage and hour laws, including accurate tracking and administration of meal and rest break requirements
Manage documentation and administration of meal period waivers, ensuring written consent, record retention, and revocation processes comply with California Labor Code
Monitor payroll and timekeeping data to identify missed, late, or short meal periods, and ensure applicable premium pay penalties are processed in accordance with state regulations
Partner with HR and Operations to provide guidance and training on meal and rest break compliance requirements
Systems & Process Improvement
Manage payroll systems and integrations with HRIS and finance platforms
Partner with the People and Finance teams to improve payroll processes, reporting, and operational efficiency
Identify opportunities to automate processes and improve payroll accuracy as the company scales
Employee Support
Serve as the primary point of contact for payroll-related questions from employees and leadership
Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies and employee inquiries in a timely manner
Ensure confidential handling of employee compensation information
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner closely with the Head of People, Finance, Benefits, and Accounting teams to ensure alignment on compensation, benefits deductions, and payroll reporting
Support workforce planning, compensation initiatives, and payroll forecasting activities