Senior Payroll Analyst

Ayar Labs•San Jose, CA

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Ayar Labs is seeking a Senior Payroll Analyst to join their finance team. This role is responsible for full-cycle payroll processing for multi-state and global teams, as well as the accounting and administration of the company's equity program. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, understands the connection between transactions and financial statements, tax filings, and audits, and can prepare supporting schedules for annual audits and handle ad-hoc projects. This position is based in San Jose, CA and is an onsite role.

Requirements

BS degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration (or equivalent experience)
Minimum 5 years’ experience in payroll processing, accounting, and stock/equity administration
Prior experience processing multi-state US payroll using ADP
Prior experience processing or reviewing international payroll
Hands-on experience administering equity plans in Carta (or a comparable platform such as Shareworks or ETRADE Equity Edge), including grants, vesting, exercises, and releases
A high degree of accuracy and attention to detail, combined with the judgment to see how an individual transaction affects the bigger picture — financial statements, tax filings, and audits
Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local wage and hour laws and payroll tax regulations
Knowledge of equity compensation structures (stock options, RSUs) and the taxation, accounting, and regulatory requirements behind them (e.g., ASC 718)
Moderate understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
Advanced MS Excel skills, including VLOOKUP and pivot tables
Strong analytical and reporting skills, with the ability to identify root causes of discrepancies rather than just correcting symptoms
Ability to work cross-functionally with HR, Finance, and Legal, and to communicate clearly and confidentially with employees on pay and equity matters
Strong ability to maintain strict confidentiality
Organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines and transactions at once
Comfortable using AI tools and assisting in applying them to automate manual payroll and accounting processes

Nice To Haves

Prior experience processing payroll in a public company setting preferred
Prior experience with other systems such as NetSuite are a plus
CEP (Certified Equity Professional) or similar certification preferred
Exposure to global equity plans and multi-country tax compliance
Experience improving or automating payroll/equity workflows (e.g., system implementations, process redesign, or AI-assisted tools)

Responsibilities

Perform all duties associated with processing semi-monthly payroll for employees in CA and other US states
Review Taiwan payroll processed by local accounting firm
Maintain, update, process employee payroll data, calculating wages and deductions, managing payroll calendars and schedules, processing wage garnishments, processing stock income reporting
Reconcile payroll sub-ledgers to resolve variances in a timely manner
Review payroll tax remittance and required government reporting
Review and process state payroll-related filings, questionnaires, inquiries
Prepare comprehensive recommendations for corrective actions and resolve complex payroll discrepancies when payroll issues arise
Ensure compliance with federal, state and local payroll regulations
Document payroll procedures and policies, considering best practices for public technology companies
Ensure W2s are generated and issued on a timely basis
Respond to employee payroll inquiries in a timely manner
Prepare monthly journal entries to payroll, benefits, stock compensation and others
Reconcile balance sheet accounts and provide detailed analysis of all discrepancies
Assist in annual audits relating to financial statements, 401K and others
Understand how payroll and equity transactions affect financial statements, tax filings, and other downstream systems, flagging potential issues before they become compliance problems
Administer and maintain equity compensation plans (stock options, RSUs)
Process equity transactions including grants, vesting, exercises, releases, and cancellations
Maintain and update equity plan databases and employee records
Track vesting schedules and ensure timely and accurate processing
Ensure compliance with tax, legal, and regulatory requirements (e.g., withholding, reporting)
Partner with HR, Finance, Legal, and external brokers on equity-related activities
Reconcile equity activity between internal systems, brokers, and transfer agents
Prepare and deliver regular and ad hoc reports for finance, accounting, and leadership teams
Respond to employee inquiries on equity awards, vesting, and exercises
Support audits, internal controls, and equity plan documentation
Perform other payroll, general accounting and stock administration duties as requested