Payroll & Benefits Manager
1 day ago
Sunnyvale
Job Description Job Schedule M-F 8am-5pm Length of Assignment: Temp to hire Must be comfortable commuting to 2 local sites. Summary of Job Function The Payroll & Benefits Manager is a senior-level role within the People Operations and Culture department, responsible for overseeing and executing all payroll and benefits administration for a manufacturing organization. This position ensures accurate, compliant, and timely payroll processing while managing comprehensive employee benefits programs. The ideal candidate brings 10+ years of experience supporting manufacturing workforces, deep technical payroll expertise, and the ability to partner cross-functionally with HR, Finance, and Operations. Key Responsibilities Payroll Management • Lead end-to-end payroll operations for hourly and salaried employees, including complex manufacturing pay structures such as overtime, shift differentials, bonuses, and off-cycle payrolls, • Manage employee payroll updates including pay rates, deductions, 401(k) contributions, and status changes, • Create payroll batches, reconcile payroll, validate reports (earnings types, taxes, deductions, 401(k) match), and manage payroll approval processes, • Serve as payroll system subject matter expert, including system implementations, data transfers, module setup, admin access, payroll codes, and tax configurations, • Validate data in HRIS and payroll systems, identify discrepancies, reconcile variances, and maintain data integrity, • Partner with department managers, supervisors, and employees to ensure accurate timecard entry, approvals, and payroll readiness, • Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, wage and hour laws, and internal payroll policies, • Manage multi-state payroll tax accounts, including new state registrations, system setup, account tracking, and issue resolution, • Ensure proper deduction, funding, and reconciliation of employee and employer 401(k) contributions, • Track PTO balances and notify supervisors of usage or discrepancies, • Review, audit, and validate W-2s and year-end payroll reporting, • Oversee employee change management including salary changes, promotions, status changes, title updates, and benefit elections, • Oversee and administer employee benefits programs including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, FSA, COBRA, and retirement plans, • Partner with benefits brokers and vendors to manage enrollments, qualifying events, renewals, open enrollment, and escalated benefit issues, • Coordinate benefits orientations, enrollment support, employee communications, and ongoing education, • Reconcile benefits invoices and partner with Accounts Payable to ensure accurate and timely payments, • Audit benefit enrollments and payroll deductions each pay period and quarterly to ensure accuracy, • Maintain and update HRIS records for benefit enrollments, changes, and terminations, • Lead 401(k) plan administration including employee enrollments, communications, issue resolution, and compliance support, • Assist with ERISA, tax compliance audits, Workers' Compensation audits, 401(k) audits, Form 5500 preparation, and other regulatory reporting, • Generate reports and analyses as requested by leadership, vendors, or brokers, • Assist with the transition of employee personnel and benefits files to electronic systems, • Support year-end payroll and benefits processes, • Ensure strict confidentiality of employee records and sensitive information, • 10+ years of payroll and benefits experience, with significant experience in manufacturing environments, • Proven expertise managing payroll for large, hourly workforces with complex schedules and overtime requirements, • Strong knowledge of multi-state payroll regulations, wage and hour compliance, and benefits administration, • Hands-on experience with HRIS and payroll systems (ADP strongly preferred), • Experience managing 401(k) plans, audits, and regulatory reporting, • Advanced attention to detail, accuracy, and confidentiality, • Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Finance, or related field, • Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or similar certification, • Experience supporting union or non-union manufacturing workforces, • Experience with system implementations or process improvement initiatives