Manager, Payroll & Benefits Accounting Compliance

• Employee Type Full Time Exempt
• Required Degree 4 Year Degree

Contact information

Description

The Manager, Payroll & Benefits Accounting Compliance, is responsible for Finance oversight of payroll and employee benefits accounting, reporting, reconciliations, internal controls, and regulatory compliance for approximately 5,000 employees across California and Tennessee.

This position does not process payroll or administer employee benefits. The role independently reviews and monitors processes performed by Payroll, HR, and third-party service providers to ensure financial accuracy, timely regulatory reporting, effective internal controls, and appropriate resolution of compliance issues.

The position reports to the Controller and serves as the primary Finance subject-matter resource for payroll and benefits accounting compliance.

• Review payroll-to-GL reconciliations and payroll-related balance sheet accounts, including payroll taxes, employee deductions, accrued compensation, benefits liabilities, and other payroll-related accounts.
• Review payroll journal entries, accruals, exception reports, and significant period-over-period variances.
• Monitor federal, California, Tennessee, and applicable local payroll tax filings, deposits, and reporting deadlines.
• Verify that required payroll tax filings and payments are completed accurately and timely and that appropriate supporting documentation is maintained.
• Monitor payroll tax notices, penalties, amendments, and other agency correspondence and coordinate resolution with Payroll, Tax, HR, and service providers.
• Review payroll controls and identify errors, unusual transactions, recurring exceptions, and control deficiencies.
• Monitor multi-state payroll compliance associated with employee work locations and changes in work location.
• Monitor payroll service-provider performance and escalate recurring errors, missed deadlines, or unresolved compliance issues.

• Review and reconcile employee benefit deductions, employer contributions, benefit-provider invoices, payments, and related GL accounts.
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies among payroll records, benefit-provider records, invoices, and accounting records.
• Monitor employee and employer 401(k) contributions and related reconciliations and funding controls.
• Support annual 401(k) audits, compliance testing, Form 5500 reporting, and related financial information requests.
• Support ACA reporting and related reconciliation and control activities.
• Provide payroll and financial information required for workers’ compensation audits and other benefit-related audits.

• Maintain a payroll and benefits compliance calendar covering key filing, payment, reconciliation, audit, and reporting requirements.
• Document and maintain key Finance controls related to payroll, payroll taxes, employee benefits, and retirement plans.
• Evaluate whether controls are operating effectively and maintain appropriate evidence of review.
• Identify late filings, unreconciled balances, recurring errors, control deficiencies, and other compliance risks.
• Perform root-cause analysis and coordinate corrective actions with responsible functions and service providers.
• Track identified issues and corrective actions through resolution.
• Escalate material financial, reporting, or compliance risks to the Controller.

• Provide periodic reporting to the Controller on payroll and benefits compliance status, significant exceptions, unresolved items, regulatory notices, audit findings, and corrective actions.
• Develop and monitor key metrics such as reconciliation status, aged outstanding items, filing timeliness, recurring exceptions, and remediation progress.
• Support internal and external financial audits, payroll tax audits, 401(k) audits, workers’ compensation audits, and other regulatory reviews.
• Ensure payroll and benefits accounting records and supporting documentation are complete and audit ready.
• Recommend process, system, and control improvements based on identified risks and recurring issues.

• Serve as the primary Finance liaison with Payroll and HR for payroll and benefits accounting compliance matters.
• Maintain clear separation between Payroll/HR operational responsibilities and Finance review and oversight responsibilities.
• Partner with Accounting, Tax, Legal, HR, Payroll, Internal Audit, and other…