Senior Specialist, Equity & Payroll Administration

Wealthfront • Palo Alto, CA

7d • $120,000 - $141,700

About The Position

Wealthfront is seeking a Senior Specialist, Equity & Payroll Administration to join our Finance & Accounting team and help build scalable infrastructure to support a dynamic, high-growth organization. This role will be assisting with end-to-end equity administration and payroll operations, partnering closely with Accounting, Finance, Human Strategy, Legal, and external advisors. Reporting to the Senior Director of Accounting, you will play a critical role in ensuring accuracy, compliance, and operational excellence across equity compensation programs and payroll. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, solutions-driven, and energized by improving processes in a fast-paced environment.

Requirements

• 4-6 years of relevant experience in equity administration, payroll or related accounting/finance roles
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CPA preferred
• Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP, internal controls, and compliance requirements
• Hands-on experience with payroll systems and equity administration platforms (e.g., Shareworks/Carta/Namely/ADP preferred)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, NetSuite, Bill.com , and Expensify (or similar systems)
• Exceptional attention to detail with the ability to communicate clearly at all levels of the organization
• Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset
• High ethical standards and commitment to data accuracy and confidentiality
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Enthusiasm for leveraging technology to improve business processes
• Collaborative, customer-centric approach with a strong team orientation

Responsibilities

• Administer equity compensation programs including stock options, RSUs, ESPP, and 10b5-1 plans
• Process equity transactions such as grants, exercises, vesting, cancellations, expirations, and payroll-related equity events
• Maintain accurate and complete equity records in equity administration systems
• Support compliance with SEC reporting and internal controls related to equity activity
• Communicate clearly with employees regarding equity plan mechanics and transactions
• Perform regular reconciliations between equity systems, payroll, and general ledger
• Coordinate with external equity administrators, auditors, and compensation consultants
• Assist with the calculation and reporting of stock-based compensation expense and disclosures under ASC 718
• Responsible for timely and accurate processing of the semi-monthly payroll and uploads to the payroll system
• Responsible for maintaining payroll reports, personnel records and processing deductions such as levies and garnishments, preparing accounting transactions and auditable support, and preparing special reports for senior management
• Record information about new employees, address changes, and other personnel information, such as wage rates, timesheet transfers, etc
• Responsible for withholding and processing of established organization benefit deductions such as life insurance, health and accident insurance, retirement programs, and savings plans, and maintains such records as are necessary for benefit implementation
• Consult with appropriate vendors and Human Strategy to resolve employee issues
• Research and resolve payroll-related issues and other payroll tasks, as requested

Benefits

• Benefits include medical, vision, dental, 401K plan, generous time off, parental leave, wellness reimbursements, professional development, employee investing discount, and more!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees