Associate, Payroll Operations

Vestwell; King of Prussia (PA); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Generous time off

Competitive 401(k) plan

Job summary

Vestwell is expanding its Operations team and is looking for an entry-level Operations Associate passionate about enhancing the retirement Fin-Tech space. The ideal candidate will exercise independent judgment to power transactions, address complex operational issues, and ensure compliance.

This role involves analyzing data, developing knowledge bases, and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. A Bachelor's degree and strong Excel skills are required, along with the ability to manage time effectively in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• 1 year of relevant experience in Financial Services, Operations, or SaaS industries.
• Comfort working in a startup environment while operating within established policies.

Responsibilities

• Exercise independent judgment on payroll accuracy, participant eligibility, and data integrity.
• Develop and maintain knowledge bases for process improvements.
• Support and guide team members on workload prioritization.
• Collaborate with teams to surface operational insights and contribute input.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies in payroll and eligibility activities.

Skills

Strong Excel proficiency

Exceptional analytical skills

Time management

Strong verbal and written communication

Problem-solving skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

JIRA

Job description

Who Are We Looking For?

Vestwell is expanding and we’re excited about growing our Operations team with entry-level Operations Associates who are passionate about our mission to change the retirement Fin-Tech space. We’re looking for someone with excellent attention to detail and the proven ability to juggle multiple priorities at once. You will be key to powering transactions on the platform and ensuring it runs at full speed while exercising independent judgment in resolving complex, high-impact operational issues that directly affect client outcomes and regulatory compliance.

What Will You Be Doing?

This role regularly exercises independent judgment on matters of significance that materially affect payroll accuracy, participant eligibility, deferrals, data integrity, and client outcomes. You will independently identify, investigate, and resolve complex, high-priority issues; evaluate potential courses of action; assess risk, urgency, and business impact; and determine appropriate remediation and escalation paths. The role ensures discretion in policy application, prioritization, communication, and resolution, including interactions with internal partners and external stakeholders.

Day-to-Day, You May Also Be Expected To

• Exercise independent judgment within established guidelines while collaborating with both internal and external stakeholders on matters that materially impact payroll accuracy, participant eligibility, deferrals, and overall data integrity.
• Develop and maintain internal and client-facing knowledge bases; identify opportunities for incremental process improvements and raise recommendations through appropriate channels based on investigative analysis, trend identification, and operational risk assessment.
• Support and guide team members by monitoring workload volume, exercising discretion in day-to-day prioritization, and ensuring timely and accurate remediation of high volumes of complex operational issues in accordance with established standards, including determining urgency, client impact, and appropriate escalation paths.
• Collaborate with teams across the organization to surface operational insights, document trends, and contribute input on platform enhancements and procedural efficiencies informed by firsthand analysis of recurring issues.
• Maximize team efficiency through timely completion of assigned tasks and projects, using independent judgment to triage, sort, and assign incoming work based on urgency and service-level expectations.
• Identify, investigate, and resolve discrepancies in high-priority payroll, deferrals, eligibility, and related activities by applying established processes and exercising discretion to ensure data accuracy and compliance with ERISA and related regulatory requirements.

Requirements

• Strong Excel proficiency (e.g., pivot tables, VLOOKUPs) to analyze data and support operational decision-making within defined parameters.
• Comfort working in a startup environment with autonomy over task execution and prioritization, while operating within established policies and procedures that require judgment in interpretation and application.
• Exceptional analytical and detail-oriented aptitude; a high degree of accuracy and sound judgment is required as the role regularly affects compliance outcomes, client experience, and operational continuity.
• Ability to manage time effectively, balance competing priorities, and meet deadlines with minimal supervision while independently determining sequencing and urgency of work.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to clearly document findings, explain recommendations, and appropriately escalate issues based on assessed risk, complexity, and business impact.
• Problem-solving skills, including the ability to research, analyze, and apply judgment to determine appropriate next steps or escalation paths, recognizing that decisions may be subject to review.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of formal education and work experience.
• 1 year of relevant experience in Financial Services, Operations, or SaaS industries.

Extras

• Payroll system experience.
• Proficiency with productivity tools, especially JIRA.
• Retirement industry experience including exposure to ERISA-governed processes or regulated operational environments.

Benefits

We prioritize employee wellbeing through comprehensive health benefits, generous time off, and a dedicated Employee Wellbeing Committee. Our hybrid work model offers flexibility while providing access to collaborative offices in multiple locations. We also offer a competitive 401(k) plan.