Payroll Analyst

This is a hands-on role with real ownership from day one, working closely with People Operations, Accounting, Tax, and Equity. The ideal candidate combines strong payroll and systems expertise with sharp attention to detail, a service-oriented approach, and the ability to bring structure to a fast-moving environment.

• US and international payroll processing: Own day-to-day processing support for US multi-state semi-monthly payroll and assist with international payroll cycles across approximately 16 countries, working primarily in Rippling.
• Global contractor payroll: Run the monthly global contractor payroll cycle, including timecard submission tracking, manager approval follow-up, and on-schedule contractor payments.
• Pre- and post-payroll audits: Reconcile benefit deductions, 401(k) deferrals, and employer match against payroll journals and deductions exports; flag and resolve discrepancies before paychecks post.
• State tax account administration: Support state-level employer tax account registration and maintenance (SUI and withholding) as the company grows into new states, including migration of legacy accounts inherited from prior PEO arrangements.
• Benefits and 401(k) support: Assist with 401(k) and benefits administration, including contribution monitoring, HCE and nondiscrimination testing support, and COBRA offboarding notices.
• Equity payroll reporting: Support equity and stock-exercise payroll reporting by tracking Carta exercise data, applying correct NSO/ISO tax treatment, and preparing payroll-side entries at quarter-end cutoffs.
• Reimbursements and systems integration: Manage the Rippling-to-NetSuite reimbursement approval chain, ensuring expense reimbursements route and post correctly across systems.
• Employee support: Serve as a first point of contact for employee payroll inquiries, resolving routine questions and escalating complex cases with context.
• Close and compliance support: Maintain clean, audit-ready documentation and support quarter-end and year-end close activities, including W-2s, ACA reporting, 401(k) true-ups, and year-end reconciliations.
• Process improvement: Identify and help implement process improvements that reduce manual work and strengthen controls as payroll volume and jurisdictional complexity increase.

• 4+ years of hands-on payroll experience, ideally including multi-state US payroll; international or contractor payroll exposure is a plus.
• Experience establishing and managing US state agency accounts, including troubleshooting agency mailings and invoices for payment, and related account maintenance.
• Strong working knowledge of California wage statement requirements, meal and rest break premiums, final pay timing rules, and other state-specific compliance considerations.
• Hands-on experience with a modern payroll/HRIS platform (Rippling, Workday, ADP, Gusto, or similar); Rippling experience preferred.
• Comfort with detailed reconciliation work across benefits deductions, 401(k) match calculations, and payroll-to-GL tie-outs, including strong Excel and Google Sheets skills and the ability to work accurately with large datasets.
• Working knowledge of US payroll tax compliance (SUI, SIT, federal and state withholding) and interest in learning cross-border payroll mechanics.
• Familiarity with equity compensation payroll (RSU, NSO, and ISO taxation) is a plus.
• Excellent attention to detail and follow-through — this role exists to catch errors before they reach employees, not just process transactions.
• Clear communicator who can explain payroll and benefits topics to employees and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.