Payroll Manager

Degenkolb Engineers Career Center; Oakland (CA); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Degenkolb Engineers is seeking a Payroll Manager to lead multi-state payroll operations, compensation administration, and leave programs. The role partners with the HR Director and supports payroll-related benefits, with a hybrid setup in San Francisco or Oakland.

Ideal candidate has strong payroll accuracy, initiative, and solid data analysis skills, capable of handling confidential information and improving processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, or related field or equivalent experience.
• Five+ years of progressive payroll experience, multi-state.
• Knowledge of federal, state, local payroll tax requirements, including CA.
• Experience with visa-related payroll tax treatment (FICA).
• Strong data analysis and custom reporting; learn new tech.

Responsibilities

• Lead accurate, timely, and compliant multi-state payroll with reconciliations, tax requirements, and year-end activities.
• Manage payroll tax administration including new jurisdictions and third-party access; review tax filings and W-2s.
• Oversee compensation administration with market analysis and annual adjustments.
• Manage leave of absence programs and coordination of pay/benefits.

Skills

Multi-state payroll

Payroll tax knowledge

Data analysis

Process improvement

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business

Tools

Payroll software

Job description

Position Description

Our HR team is seeking an experienced, detail-oriented Payroll Manager to lead Degenkolb's multi-state payroll operations, compensation administration, and leave of absence programs. This position is responsible for ensuring accurate and timely payroll, maintaining compliant and effective payroll processes, administering retirement and incentive compensation programs, and managing team member leaves.

Working closely with the HR Director, this position will also play a key role in the firm's compensation program, including market analysis, salary ranges, annual compensation planning, and recommendations for market adjustments. The Payroll Manager will oversee the HR Coordinator supporting payroll administration and help continuously improve our payroll and compensation processes. This is a hybrid position based in either or San Francisco or Oakland offices.

Ideal Candidate:

• Have strong multi-state payroll expertise and a commitment to accuracy and excellent service.
• Are proactive, take initiative, and use good judgment to identify and resolve issues.
• Enjoy looking for ways to improve processes and make things work more efficiently.
• Are analytical and comfortable working with detailed payroll and compensation data.
• Are organized and able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Build strong working relationships and collaborate effectively with colleagues and external partners.
• Handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.

Who We Are

Founded in 1940 and headquartered in San Francisco, Degenkolb Engineers helps make complex, high-stakes projects real. We bring deep technical expertise, disciplined creativity, and a practical understanding of construction to every challenge; building strong relationships early, making complexity easier to navigate, and keeping the success of projects central to our work.

Our teams deliver customized structural solutions across healthcare, education, science and technology, forensics, construction engineering, federal buildings, and other complex markets. Whether a project calls for navigating stringent codes, balancing budget and schedule, solving an unusual technical problem, or creating a landmark structural system, we connect the right people and ideas to develop solutions that serve our clients and communities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead accurate, timely, and compliant multi-state payroll, including reconciliations, tax requirements, garnishments, year-end activities, reporting, and resolution of complex payroll issues.
• Prepare and submit semi-monthly payroll records to international accounting partners for Mexico and potentially other international locations.
• Manage payroll tax administration, including new jurisdictions and third-party administrator access, and review quarterly and annual tax filings and W-2s for accuracy.
• Manage compensation administration in partnership with the HR Director, including market analysis, salary ranges, annual market adjustments, and incentive compensation-related payments.
• Manage the firm's leave of absence programs, including team member communication, documentation, pay and benefit coordination, and return-to-work processes.
• Maintain strong payroll processes, controls and SOPs, identify opportunities for improvement, and play a key role in future payroll and HR system implementations.
• Provide direction and oversight to the HR Coordinator and ensure accurate payroll-related benefit and 401(k) processing, records, reporting, and audit support.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Five or more years of progressive payroll experience, including processing multi-state payroll, and strong knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements, including California payroll and wage and hour requirements.
• Knowledge of visa-related payroll tax treatment, including determining appropriate FICA withholding.
• Strong payroll systems, data analysis, and custom reporting experience, and the ability to learn and adapt to new technology.
• Excellent attention to detail, organization, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to handle confidential information appropriately.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with compensation analysis, salary range development, and incentive compensation.
• Experience administering employee leaves of absence.
• Experience with payroll system implementation, transition, or process improvement.
• CPP or other relevant payroll certification.
• Experience in a professional services environment.