Payroll Accounting Manager

Vaco; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Base salary $115K-$135K

Bonus

Equity

On-site four days a week

Job summary

Vaco by Highspring in San Diego, CA is seeking a Payroll Accounting Manager to lead payroll operations and support broader financial operations across AP and AR. You will manage a small team, partner with HR, and help with month-end close, reconciliations, controls, and process improvements.

Responsibilities include overseeing multi-state payroll, tax filings, benefits deductions, and reporting; developing the payroll team; ensuring SOX controls; and driving automation and system enhancements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 5+ years of progressive accounting or financial operations experience.
• Experience with month-end close, reconciliations, and accounting controls.
• Strong Excel and payroll/financial systems experience.

Responsibilities

• Oversee multi-state payroll processing, reconciliations, tax filings, benefits deductions, and reporting.
• Manage and develop a team supporting payroll, AP, and AR operations.
• Review balance sheet reconciliations and support month-end close and GL activities.
• Maintain SOX controls and audit-ready documentation.
• Partner cross-functionally to resolve payroll and financial operations issues.
• Drive process improvements, automation, and system enhancements.

Skills

Payroll processing

Financial operations

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

Tools

Excel

Payroll systems

Job description

Compensation: $115K-$135K base + bonus + equity

Location: San Diego, CA | 4 days onsite

Overview

A growing public life sciences company is seeking a Payroll Accounting Manager to lead payroll operations while overseeing broader financial operations across AP and AR. This role will manage a small team, partner closely with HR, and support month-end close, reconciliations, controls, and process improvements.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee multi-state payroll processing, reconciliations, tax filings, benefits deductions, and related reporting.
• Manage and develop a team supporting payroll, AP, and AR operations.
• Review balance sheet reconciliations and support month-end close and GL accounting activities.
• Maintain strong SOX controls and audit-ready documentation.
• Partner cross-functionally to resolve payroll and financial operations issues.
• Drive process improvements, automation, and system enhancements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 5+ years of progressive accounting or financial operations experience.
• Experience with month-end close, reconciliations, and accounting controls.
• Strong Excel and payroll/financial systems experience.

Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact [e-mail] .

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.