Senior Payroll Specialist (Part-Time)

Beewise•San Ramon, CA

9h•$42 - $54•Onsite

About The Position

Beewise is hiring a hands-on, part-time Senior Payroll Specialist to ensure employees are paid accurately and on time. The role manages payroll for approximately 50 U.S. employees through TriNet and two Canadian employees through PEO Canada, with possible future payroll support for employees in Mexico through an Employer of Record. The workforce includes nonexempt field crews, exempt office staff, and commissioned sales employees paid on biweekly and semi-monthly schedules. The specialist partners closely with the Director of Finance and People Operations and owns a recurring payroll calendar. The role processes payroll, reviews timesheets, calculates commissions, handles per diems and reimbursements, processes contractor payments and 1099s, addresses payroll tax notices, and supports compliance. It also prepares payroll and commission journal entries and accruals, reconciles payroll accounts to the general ledger, supports year-end reporting and audits, documents procedures, uses AI tools to assist with review and reconciliation while protecting accuracy and confidentiality, and supports evaluation of a potential transition from PEO payroll to in-house payroll in 2027. The position is based in Beewise’s San Ramon, California office and is scheduled for 15 to 20 hours per week around payroll deadlines. Work volume increases around payroll cutoffs, month-end close, and year-end, particularly December through January. The California pay range is $42 to $54 per hour, with final pay dependent on experience, skills, and location.

Requirements

At least 5 years of hands-on payroll processing for hourly and salaried employees, including timesheet review and exception handling.
Strong working knowledge of California wage-and-hour rules, including daily overtime, double time, and meal and rest period premiums; required.
Multi-state payroll experience.
Experience processing payroll through a PEO or platform such as TriNet, ADP, or Paylocity.
Experience calculating sales commissions and processing contractor payments and 1099s.
Experience resolving payroll tax notices.
Working knowledge of payroll journal entries, accruals, and general ledger reconciliations.
Advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills, including lookups, pivot tables, and reconciliations.
Consistently accurate work and clear documentation that can withstand an audit.
Confident, professional communication with employees and managers.
Availability to work on-site around the payroll calendar, including cutoff and processing days.

Nice To Haves

FPC or CPP certification from PayrollOrg.
Familiarity with Canadian payroll, including Quebec.
Experience with Mexico payroll or working with an Employer of Record.
Experience with per diems for agricultural or field-based workforces.
Experience with NetSuite or a comparable ERP.
Experience with in-house payroll or a PEO-to-in-house transition.
Spanish proficiency.

Responsibilities

Prepare and submit biweekly payroll for hourly employees and semi-monthly payroll for salaried employees in TriNet.
Coordinate payroll inputs and changes with PEO Canada and, if needed, the Mexico Employer of Record, and confirm results are accurate.
Enter approved new-hire, termination, pay, bonus, and commission changes based on documentation from People Operations.
Conduct pre- and post-payroll audits and reconcile TriNet invoices and payroll registers before submitting them for Director of Finance approval.
Respond promptly and professionally to employee payroll questions.
Review nonexempt timesheets for missed punches, overtime, double time, meal and rest period premiums, PTO, and other exceptions; resolve issues with managers before payroll deadlines.
Apply applicable multi-state wage-and-hour rules, including California daily overtime and rules for employees temporarily working in other states.
Process per diems and expense reimbursements for field crews and traveling employees using approved policies and documentation, applying accountable plan rules for taxable and non-taxable treatment.
Calculate monthly sales commissions and broker payouts from signed, approved plans; maintain tracking schedules and supporting documentation; escalate questions or exceptions rather than independently interpreting plan terms.
Process contractor and broker payments from approved invoices and agreements; collect and maintain W-9s, track reportable payments, and prepare year-end 1099s.
Route contractor classification questions to People Operations rather than independently deciding classification.
Research and resolve payroll tax notices from federal, state, local, and Canadian agencies in coordination with TriNet and PEO Canada.
Track new work states when employees travel or relocate and coordinate tax setup and withholding through TriNet.
Monitor payroll tax and wage-and-hour changes and flag relevant changes to the Director of Finance and People Operations.
Prepare payroll and commission journal entries and accruals for month-end close, and reconcile payroll accounts to the general ledger each month.
Review TriNet and PEO Canada year-end data, including W-2s and T4s, and support year-end payroll reconciliation.
Provide payroll documentation for annual audits.
Use AI tools to assist with timesheet review and reconciliations, with review steps that protect accuracy and confidentiality.
Document payroll procedures so work can be covered during absences.
Support evaluation of moving payroll in-house from the PEO in 2027.
Handle compensation and personal information discreetly and follow approval controls; the Director of Finance approves payroll registers, commission payouts, and off-cycle payments.