Benefits and Payroll Specialist

Overview

This role is for an employee-experience-driven, detail-oriented Benefits & Payroll Administrator responsible for day-to-day payroll and benefits administration. Administrative accuracy is critical to employee trust and peace of mind.

Responsibilities

• Payroll execution & trust: Run flawless, timely multi-state payroll for all exempt and non-exempt employees.
• Employee support: Serve as the primary, high-touch contact for day-to-day payroll and benefits inquiries; translate complex policies into clear, supportive guidance.
• 401(k) remittance & funding: Manage post-payroll funding by ensuring timely and accurate transmission of all employee 401(k) deferrals to the plan provider, with strict adherence to DOL and ERISA standards.
• Benefits operations: Oversee day-to-day benefits operations, enrollments, and status updates; partner with People Ops leadership and benefits brokers to design and execute an annual open enrollment experience.
• Distributed workforce expansion: Support payroll registration, tax setup, and compliance renewals as the organization expands into new states.
• Audits & data integrity: Conduct regular internal audits of payroll and benefits records; lead external compliance audits (e.g., 401k, Workers' Comp).
• HRIS optimization: Maintain accurate employee profiles, compensation, and benefits data within the HRIS to support smooth cross-platform workflows and reliable employee self-service.

Requirements

• 3+ years of dedicated experience in multi-state payroll and benefits administration within a fast-paced, high-growth, or startup environment.
• Employee-first communication: Exceptional written and oral communication skills; approachable and service-oriented.
• Multi-state compliance expertise: Proven ability managing multi-state payroll compliance, registering in new states, and keeping up with evolving labor and tax guidelines.
• Audit experience: Hands-on experience leading or supporting internal data hygiene checks and external audits (401k, Workers' Compensation).
• High empathy & discretion: Ability to manage sensitive compensation, financial, and benefits data with sound judgment and strong confidentiality.
• Tech & automation savvy: Comfortable with Google Workspace, Slack, and HRIS/Payroll platforms (Rippling); able to leverage automation to reduce manual work and improve systems.
• Detail-oriented & autonomous: Strong organization skills and ability to manage multiple priorities independently on critical deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience scaling People Ops processes or documentation in a high-growth startup environment.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or related HR/Benefits certification.
• Interest in modern People Tech and AI tools, with a drive to reduce friction and improve employee experience.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $107,000 - $123,000
• Additional compensation: Competitive equity grant
• Benefits package includes: Medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 401k retirement plan; short- and long-term disability and life insurance
• Time off: Three weeks paid vacation for new employees; 12 paid holidays; unlimited sick time; paid parental leave
• Final compensation: Determined based on skills, qualifications, experience, and geographic location as assessed during the interview process.

Location

Open to candidates in San Jose, CA, Mountain View, CA, or fully remote (preference for candidates located on the West Coast).

ITAR/EAR Requirements

This position requires access to export controlled information. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations applicable to that information, applicant must either be:

• (A) a U.S. person, defined as:
  • (i) a U.S. citizen or national,
  • (ii) a U.S. lawful, permanent resident (green card holder),
  • (iii) refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157, or
  • (iv) asylee under 8 U.S.C. 1158,
• (B) eligible to access the export controlled information without a required export authorization, or
• (C) eligible and reasonably likely to obtain the required export authorization from the applicable U.S. government agency.

The employer may decline to pursue any export licensing process for legitimate business reasons.