Director, Payroll

KQED; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 132,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

KQED Inc. is seeking a Director of Payroll to oversee end-to-end payroll operations in a hybrid San Francisco setting. You will partner with Finance and HR to ensure accuracy, compliance, and timely payroll delivery while driving process improvements.

This role requires extensive payroll expertise, knowledge of nonprofit tax rules, and the ability to lead audits and cross-functional initiatives. Join a mission-driven public media organization committed to equity and accountability.

Qualifications

• 8-12+ years of progressive payroll experience in complex environments.
• Hands-on with payroll systems and enterprise payroll platforms.
• Experience with union/non-union employee rules.
• Proficient in timekeeping systems and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end payroll operations, ensuring on-schedule processing.
• Ensure compliance with wage, tax, and reporting requirements.
• Audit and reconcile employee deferral and employer matching contributions.
• Lead external audits (403(b), workers’ compensation, tax inquiries).
• Collaborate with HR, Finance, FP&A to address payroll questions.
• Maintain strict compliance with labor laws and nonprofit tax rules.

Skills

Payroll systems

Time & attendance

Excel

Audits & controls

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Certified Payroll Professional

Tools

Payroll platforms

Job description

Title: Director, Payroll

Schedule Format - Location: Hybrid - San Francisco

Pay Information: $131,915 - $150,000

Position Summary

The Payroll Director will oversee accurate, compliant payroll operations for a complex non‑profit organization in California. Working closely with both Finance and Human Resources, this role will combine deep technical payroll expertise with hands‑on operational skills to oversee end‑to‑end payroll operations. In addition, this role will partner closely with cross‑functional teams to strengthen controls, resolve issues efficiently, and ensure timely payroll delivery from start to finish.

KQED envisions a public media organization with a culture that centers on human dignity, equity, and belonging. This will enable us to better serve and reflect the Bay Area through diverse and inclusive storytelling.

We value the contributions of marginalized people in society — including Black, Indigenous, and all people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ people — and we believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do, and we strongly encourage members of these communities to apply.

KQED Code of Ethics https://www.kqed.org/about/code-ethics

The mission that drives us:

KQED provide citizens of Northern California with a community‑supported alternative to commercial media. We provide citizens with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions; convene community dialogue; bring the arts to everyone and engage audiences to share their stories. We help students and teachers thrive in 21st‑century classrooms, and take people of all ages on journeys of exploration‑ exposing them to new people, places and ideas.

This role will work hybrid between working in KQED's newly renovated headquarters and working remotely.

Essential Functions

• Oversee end‑to‑end payroll operations, ensuring each payroll cycle is completed accurately and on schedule.
• Manage payroll processing with our PEO while maintaining compliance with applicable wage, tax, and reporting requirements.
• Oversee payroll calculations involving regular earnings, commissions, and other variable compensation elements.
• Handle payroll reconciliations and internal control activities to identify discrepancies and drive corrective action.
• Audit and reconcile employee deferral and employer matching contributions between the payroll and retirement systems to ensure compliance with plan.
• Continuously streamline workflows to automate manual inputs, reduce processing errors, and scale operations.
• Partner with Human Resources, Finance, FP&A and business leadership to address payroll questions and support operational needs.
• Monitor timekeeping inputs and related processes to improve payroll accuracy and reduce processing issues.
• Use payroll systems and reporting tools, including Excel‑based analysis, to investigate exceptions and support decision‑making.
• Function as the primary lead for external financial audits, 403(b) retirement audits, worker's compensation audits, and tax authority inquiries.
• Maintain strict compliance with state/federal labor laws, wage/hour regulations, garnishments, final pay rules, and non‑profit specific tax regulations (e.g., 403(b) rules, minister/clergy tax if applicable, state‑by‑state withholding).
• Act as primary cross‑functional liaison across HR, Legal, and Accounting to assess financial and operational implications of contracts.

Other Job Functions

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge/Experience Required

• 8-12 years+ of progressive payroll experience, including responsibility for complex payroll operations.
• Hands‑on experience with Payroll systems and strong familiarity with enterprise payroll platforms.
• Background handling payroll for complex union/non‑union employee rules.
• Knowledge of payroll tax administration, year‑end processing, reconciliations, audits, and internal controls.
• Proficiency with time and attendance systems, Microsoft Excel, and other Microsoft Office applications.

Knowledge/Experience Desired

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will also be considered.
• Certified Payroll Professional.

Physical Demands

• Ability to lift a minimum of fifteen (15) pounds;
• Ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull or carry;
• Ability to use abdominal and lower back muscles over time without fatigue;
• Ability to stand and/or sit for extended periods;
• Ability to bend, stoop, stretch, twist, sit, and reach;
• Fine motor skills;
• Good visual and auditory acuity.

The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may be required to perform other related duties as necessary to meet the ongoing needs of this organization.