Payroll & Benefits Manager - 7 Month Temporary Contract

Overview

This Temporary Payroll & Benefits Manager role oversees and executes payroll operations and key benefits program components for 400+ employees across multiple states and entities. The position ensures timely, accurate, and compliant processing, while maintaining strict confidentiality of sensitive employee information.

Responsibilities

Manage Payroll Operations

• Process accurate and timely biweekly payroll for approximately 400 employees across multiple states and entities.
• Ensure correct calculation and entry of all pay types, including overtime, sick/vacation pay, bonuses, retro adjustments, reimbursements, and commissions.
• Manage the time-sheet approval workflow and partner with leaders to ensure compliance with deadlines.
• Calculate and process off-cycle payments compliant with California labor law.
• Serve as an internal payroll expert by interpreting payroll policies and guiding employees and leaders.
• Respond to payroll-related employee inquiries with urgency, professionalism, and empathy.
• Prepare payroll-related reports for HR, Finance, Accounting, and other internal and external stakeholders.

Manage Benefits Administration

• Oversee benefits eligibility, enrollments, changes, and terminations, ensuring timely and accurate updates across HRIS and carrier systems.
• Support employee questions regarding medical, dental, vision, FSA, HSA, 401(k), and other benefits programs.
• Lead open enrollment as the HR lead and project manager, including communication planning, system updates, and auditing.
• Reconcile benefit invoices and resolve discrepancies in partnership with Finance.
• Ensure benefits data accuracy in payroll, including deductions, arrears, and retroactive corrections.

Ensure HRIS & Payroll System Accuracy

• Partner with HR to maintain clean, audit-ready HRIS data (job changes, wage updates, new hires, terminations).
• Run regular and ad-hoc audits to ensure alignment between HRIS, payroll, and benefits systems.
• Support implementation of system enhancements, automation opportunities, and new integrations.

Lead Payroll & Benefits Compliance

• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll, wage & hour, and benefits regulations across multiple states.
• Manage garnishment orders, wage verifications, and government inquiries.
• Maintain internal payroll SOPs and audit documentation.
• Support internal and external audits (including 401(k), workers’ comp, and financial audits).

Support Employee Leaves & Time Off Administration

• Oversee accurate tracking and pay alignment for leaves of absence (FMLA, CFRA, PDL, Workers’ Comp, ADA-related accommodations).
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to ensure accurate pay and benefit continuation.

Partner Cross-Functionally

• Work closely with HR, AP, Finance, and Accounting to ensure alignment of payroll data, general ledger mapping, and financial reporting needs.
• Provide payroll and benefits insights for budgeting, forecasting, and compliance initiatives.
• Cross-train and serve as backup for key People Operations workflows as needed.

Drive Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to streamline payroll and benefits processes and recommend/implement best practices aligned with a growing, multi-state organization.
• Participate in People Operations projects and support broader culture and employee experience initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from a 4-year college or university, or a minimum of 3–5+ years of payroll & benefits management experience, ideally in a fast-paced, multi-state environment.
• Experience with benefits administration and HRIS/payroll systems required.
• Experience supporting a workforce of approximately 300–500 employees strongly preferred.
• Deep knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll regulations, including wage & hour and garnishments.
• Strong understanding of payroll and benefits workflows and best practices.
• Exceptional analytical skills and ability to identify inconsistencies in data.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• High degree of confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism.
• Strong proficiency in Excel and Google Suite.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and meet strict deadlines.
• Comfort learning new systems and adapting to evolving processes.
• This is a TEMPORARY 7 MONTH role for a LOA.

Preferred Qualifications

• UKG or large-scale HRIS experience.

Compensation & Benefits

• $50 - $58 an hour.
• Pay is considered based on internal pay parity, relevant experience/skills, geographic location, and additional factors.

Location

• MUST reside in California.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Regular access to confidential payroll, benefits, and employee data; strict adherence to privacy and data security policies required.
• Frequent collaboration via email, chat, and video conferencing across a dispersed workforce.
• Occasional travel may be required for training or onsite support.
• May require occasional time onsite in production facilities where exposure to food allergens may occur.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
• Ability to communicate clearly via phone, video, and in person.
• Regularly required to use hands to handle, type, or feel; reach with hands and arms.
• May require occasional standing, bending, or walking to file or retrieve materials.

California Privacy Notice

If you are a California resident, the employer collects personal information in connection with the application for employment, including identifiers; professional and employment-related information; education information; background check information (where permitted by law); and sensitive personal information (e.g., Social Security number, driver’s license or government ID number, if required for background checks or legal compliance). Information is collected to evaluate candidacy, communicate with applicants, conduct background checks (where permitted), comply with legal obligations, and maintain employment records. Information is retained for as long as reasonably necessary to evaluate the application, comply with legal obligations, and protect rights.