Payroll Administrator

Propel Recruitment LLC; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Propel Recruitment LLC is seeking an experienced Payroll Administrator in the Bay Area to own end-to-end payroll for about 200 employees across five states, with most based in California. You will partner with Accounting and HR to ensure accurate processing, compliance, and timely reporting using ADP.

This hands-on role covers multi-state payroll, California requirements, commissions, and other variable compensation, with opportunities to impact payroll processes directly.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years of hands-on payroll experience with multi-state exposure.
• Experience using ADP specifically for payroll processing.
• Strong knowledge of California payroll requirements and compliance.
• Proficient in Excel and payroll-related reporting.

Responsibilities

• Own full-cycle payroll for ~200 employees across five states.
• Process payroll using ADP and ensure accuracy of inputs.
• Calculate commissions, bonuses, and other variable compensation.
• Manage changes: hires, terminations, changes in pay and deductions.
• Handle off-cycle payments, corrections, and final paychecks.
• Ensure California and multi-state compliance and reconciliations.
• Support payroll journal entries, reporting, and month-end closes.
• W-2 reconciliation and year-end payroll processes.
• Serve as a resource for employees and managers on payroll questions.
• Collaborate with Accounting and HR partners.

Skills

Payroll processing

California payroll knowledge

Multi-state payroll

Commission/bonus processing

Tools

ADP

Excel

Job description

Looking for a payroll role where you can truly own the process rather than handle just one piece of it?

We're partnering with an established real estate organization in the Bay Area seeking an experienced Payroll Administrator to take ownership of payroll for approximately 200 employees across five states, with the majority based in California.

ADP payroll experience is required for this position.

The Opportunity

This is a hands-on role with strong visibility and variety. You’ll be the go-to person for payroll while partnering closely with Accounting, HR, management, and employees across the organization.

The payroll offers a good level of complexity without an overwhelming employee population — including multi-state payroll, California requirements, commissions, bonuses, and other variable compensation.

What You'll Be Doing

• Own full-cycle payroll for approximately 200 employees across five states
• Process payroll utilizing ADP
• Calculate and process commissions, bonuses, incentives, and other variable compensation
• Manage payroll changes including new hires, terminations, compensation changes, deductions, and benefits
• Handle off-cycle payments, adjustments, corrections, and final paychecks
• Ensure compliance with California and multi-state payroll requirements
• Reconcile payroll and research discrepancies
• Support payroll journal entries, reporting, and month-end activities
• Assist with quarterly and year-end payroll processes and W-2 reconciliations
• Serve as a resource for employees and managers on payroll-related questions
• Partner closely with Accounting and HR

What We're Looking For

• 3+ years of hands-on payroll experience
• Hands-on ADP payroll experience - required
• Strong knowledge of California payroll requirements
• Experience processing multi-state payroll
• Experience processing commissions or other variable compensation
• Full-cycle payroll experience with direct ownership of the process
• Strong reconciliation and Excel skills
• Detail-oriented, dependable, and comfortable working independently

Why Consider It?

This is a strong opportunity for someone who wants greater ownership of payroll and broader exposure than they may get working within a large, segmented payroll department.

You’ll support a manageable employee population of approximately 200 employees while gaining exposure to multi-state payroll, commissions, payroll accounting, reconciliations, and direct collaboration with Accounting and HR.

Compensation

$85,000-$95,000 base salary