Payroll Accountant

Overview

A growing wellness-focused organization is seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Payroll Accountant to support payroll operations and payroll accounting for a multi-state remote workforce. This role involves ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, payroll reconciliations, payroll tax compliance, month-end close support, and payroll-related accounting activities.

Responsibilities

Payroll Processing & Compliance

• Process and review semi-monthly payroll for salaried and hourly employees across multiple states using Workday, ADP, or similar payroll platforms.
• Ensure accurate payroll processing for compensation changes, bonuses, commissions, deductions, garnishments, PTO, and final pay.
• Review payroll registers, reports, and exception reports prior to payroll approval.
• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations and wage and hour requirements.
• Support quarter-end and year-end payroll activities, including reconciliations and W-2 processing.
• Assist with payroll tax notices, agency inquiries, audits, and regulatory reporting.
• Maintain payroll documentation and support strong internal payroll controls.

Payroll Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Prepare payroll journal entries and payroll-related reconciliations within NetSuite.
• Reconcile payroll-related balance sheet accounts such as payroll liabilities, bonus accruals, benefits payable, payroll tax liabilities, and employee reimbursements.
• Reconcile payroll cash activity and ensure payroll reports tie accurately to the general ledger and bank activity.
• Monitor payroll funding requirements and coordinate payroll-related disbursements.
• Support month-end and year-end close activities related to payroll, employee accruals, and labor expense allocations.
• Assist with departmental labor reporting, payroll allocations, and financial reporting.
• Prepare payroll schedules and supporting documentation for external audits.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll workflows, automation, and system integrations between payroll platforms and NetSuite.

Benefits & Payroll Administration

• Support payroll deductions and funding for employee benefit programs including medical, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, and 401(k).
• Reconcile employee and employer 401(k) contributions between payroll reports and provider statements.
• Partner with Human Resources and benefit providers to ensure payroll-related benefit accuracy.
• Support workers' compensation audits, 401(k) audits, and payroll compliance reporting.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Process Improvement

• Collaborate closely with Human Resources, Accounting, Finance, and Operations to ensure payroll accuracy and timely communication.
• Respond professionally and efficiently to employee payroll inquiries.
• Recommend and implement improvements to payroll processes, reporting, and internal controls.
• Maintain payroll documentation, standard operating procedures, and process workflows.
• Support special projects and ad hoc reporting requests.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field preferred.
• 3–5+ years of payroll processing and/or payroll accounting experience.
• Experience supporting payroll for a multi-state remote workforce preferred.
• Experience using Workday, ADP, or comparable payroll systems preferred.
• Strong preference for candidates with NetSuite ERP experience.
• Experience in a high-growth startup, eCommerce, retail, or CPG environment preferred.
• Strong understanding of payroll accounting, payroll taxes, payroll compliance, and wage and hour regulations.
• Familiarity with employee benefits administration, 401(k) reconciliations, and payroll-related compliance.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, and financial reconciliations.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive employee and compensation information.
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively across multiple departments.
• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional), FPC certification, or additional accounting credentials are a plus.

Compensation & Benefits

• Eligibility for performance bonuses.
• Benefits include health, dental, vision insurance, 401(k) with company match, and flexible paid time off.
• Fully remote work environment.
• Opportunity to contribute to building scalable financial operations within a fast-growing wellness brand.

Location

• Fully remote position supporting a multi-state workforce.