CAVA- PAYROLL MANAGER

CAVA; Simi Valley (CA); Remote; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A network of online charter schools is seeking a Payroll Manager to oversee payroll processing and retirement plan administration. This role ensures compliance with federal and California regulations while providing support to employees and management. Ideal candidates will have extensive payroll experience, proficiency with ADP Workforce Now, and strong communication skills. This is a full-time remote role with a salary range of $90K-$110K.

Benefits

Health, dental, and vision benefits

Training provided

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• 5+ years of payroll experience, with 2+ years in leadership.
• Strong experience with ADP Workforce Now for payroll processing.
• Excellent understanding of California and federal payroll laws.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end payroll processing.
• Ensure compliance with payroll laws and regulations.
• Administer 403(b), CALSTRS, and CALPERS retirement plans.

Skills

Payroll processing

California regulations

ADP Workforce Now

Retirement plan administration

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, HR

Tools

ADP Workforce Now

HRIS platforms

Job description

Application Deadline: Friday, October 24th at 4pm

About the California Virtual Academies and the Position

The California Virtual Academies (a network of 9 public charter schools) delivers online/virtual home based instruction to students in grades TK-12 in California. We use K12, inc. as our curriculum provider for the basis of instruction and teachers provide live instruction via the Engageli platform. While our schools do offer some scheduling flexibility, students are still required to log into the online school daily, complete coursework, and attend instructional sessions.

The Payroll Manager is responsible for overseeing and managing the organization’s end-to-end payroll processing, retirement plan administration, and compliance with relevant reporting requirements. This role ensures timely, accurate, and compliant payroll practices using Human Resources Information System (HRIS), and provides expert administration of 403(b), CALSTRS, and CALPERS retirement programs. The Payroll Manager partners cross-functionally with HR, Finance, and external vendors to deliver high-quality, service-oriented support to employees and leadership.

Hours and Salary Information

Full Time: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm. You are not allowed to have another job during these contracted hours.

Salaried Position: $90K-110K

Remote/Virtual Position

We do participate in CalPERS. Please contact your CalPERS counselor about how employment with California Virtual Academies may affect your personal PERS account. Only full time employees are offered health, dental, and vision benefits. Benefits information is only given out upon offer. We do provide training for all programs and we have a great staff to serve as your support system.

Job Details

Job Title: Payroll Manager (Virtual)

Reports to: Director, Human Resources

FLSA Status: Exempt

Job Summary: The Payroll Manager is responsible for overseeing and managing the organization’s end-to-end payroll processing, retirement plan administration, and compliance with relevant reporting requirements. This role ensures timely, accurate, and compliant payroll practices using HRIS, and provides expert administration of 403(b), CALSTRS, and CALPERS retirement programs. The Payroll Manager partners cross-functionally with HR, Finance, and external vendors to deliver high-quality, service-oriented support to employees and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Leads all payroll operations using HRIS, including processing, reporting, and compliance.
• Serves as the internal expert for CALSTRS, CALPERS, and 403(b) plan administration and reporting.
• Maintains compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour regulations, including education-specific reporting obligations.
• Partners with internal and external stakeholders to ensure accuracy of employee data, earnings, deductions, and retirement contributions.
• Provides guidance and support to employees regarding pay, tax forms, retirement options, and payroll schedules.
• Oversees and supervises payroll operations, providing direction, training, and performance management to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and compliance with relevant policies and regulations.

Duties & Responsibilities: Payroll Administration

• Process and manage regular, off-cycle, and year-end payrolls through HRIS, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Audit and reconcile payroll data including hours, salaries, deductions, and taxes.
• Maintain compliance with applicable payroll laws and internal policies.
• Ensure proper configuration of payroll schedules, earnings codes, and deduction types in HRIS.
• Serve as the point of contact for payroll-related issues, resolving employee concerns with professionalism and discretion.
• Process compensation changes, one-time payments, bonuses, and other payroll adjustments as needed.

Retirement Plan Administration

• Administer and manage employee contributions, eligibility tracking, and reporting for 403(b) retirement plans.
• Lead all reporting, coordination, and compliance activities related to CALSTRS and CALPERS, including monthly file uploads, adjustments, and audits.
• Act as liaison between the organization and retirement vendors/agencies.
• Monitor contribution limits, plan updates, and changes in regulation that may affect payroll processing or employee deductions.

Compliance & Reporting

• Prepare, review, and submit required payroll and retirement reports (e.g., tax filings, wage reports, STRS/PERS reports).
• Maintain thorough and up-to-date documentation of payroll processes, audit trails, and SOPs.
• Collaborate with Finance and HR teams to reconcile payroll accounts, journal entries, and reporting needs.
• Ensure all employees pay and retirement deductions are processed in accordance with union agreements, PEO standards, and regulatory guidance.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Partner with the HR Team to ensure accuracy and optimization of HRIS configurations and workflows.
• Identify and implement improvements to payroll processing, reporting efficiency, and employee service delivery.
• Support audits and serve as subject matter expert during external reviews or compliance inspections.

Education, Experience & Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, or related field (preferred)
• 5+ years of payroll experience, with at least 2 years in a payroll leadership or management role.
• Strong experience using ADP Workforce Now for payroll processing and reporting.
• Experience with CALSTRS, CALPERS, and 403(b) retirement plan administration.
• Excellent understanding of federal, California-specific, and multi-state wage and hour laws, tax requirements, and payroll reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple deadlines and communicate with cross-functional teams.
• Experience in education, nonprofit, or unionized environments is highly preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with HRIS platforms (e.g., ADP, Paycom, or similar).
• High attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to handle sensitive situations with discretion.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity, juggling priorities, and managing multiple stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.