Payroll Operations Specialist

Mercury; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 86,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity (stock options)

Job summary

Mercury is seeking a Payroll Operations Specialist to support payroll tax registrations, agency accounts, foreign qualifications, and compliance services across state jurisdictions. You will collaborate with Payroll Operations, Customer Support, Implementation, Benefits, external vendors, and state agencies to deliver exceptional customer experiences.

You will research state requirements, manage unemployment claims, and coordinate with agencies on registrations, filings, and notices while

Qualifications

• 2–3 years in payroll operations or related regulatory/administrative roles.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written communication and customer service.
• Comfort researching regulations and navigating government agency sites.
• Independent with cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Register employers with state and local payroll tax agencies and manage agency accounts.
• Research state compliance requirements and coordinate with government agencies to resolve issues.
• Process and maintain foreign qualifications, including filings, renewals, and vendor coordination.
• Review and route tax notices, respond to unemployment claims, and manage related requests.
• Coordinate client services including California Statement of Information filings and agency payments.

Skills

Payroll operations

Payroll tax registrations

Compliance

Secretary of State filings

Agency management

Automation

Cross-functional collaboration

Customer service

Job description

About The Role & Team

The Payroll Operations Specialist supports the administrative and compliance foundation that enables customers to operate across state jurisdictions. You'll manage payroll tax registrations, agency accounts, foreign qualifications, tax correspondence, unemployment claims, and other compliance-related services while partnering closely with Payroll Operations, Customer Support, Implementation, Benefits, external vendors, and state agencies to deliver an exceptional customer experience.

What You'll Do

• Register employers with state and local payroll tax agencies and manage agency accounts, credentials, and ongoing maintenance.
• Research state compliance requirements and coordinate directly with government agencies to resolve registration and account issues.
• Process and maintain foreign qualifications, including filings, renewals, withdrawals, and vendor coordination.
• Review and route tax notices, respond to unemployment claims, and manage other compliance-related administrative requests.
• Coordinate additional client services, including California Statement of Information filings, agency payment research, and check processing.
• Maintain accurate documentation, update internal systems, and identify opportunities to improve operational processes through automation and scalable workflows.

What We're Looking For

• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written communication and customer service skills.
• Comfortable researching regulations and navigating government agency websites.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating across cross-functional teams.
• 2-3 years of experience in payroll operations, payroll tax registrations, compliance, Secretary of State filings, or other regulatory or administrative operations is preferred.

You May Be a Great Fit If

• You enjoy solving operational and compliance challenges from start to finish.
• You take ownership and follow through on complex administrative work.
• You're comfortable communicating with customers, government agencies, and external partners.
• You proactively identify process improvements and leverage automation to increase efficiency.
• You thrive in a high-growth environment where accuracy, adaptability, and continuous improvement are essential.

The total rewards package at Mercury includes base salary, equity (stock options), and benefits.

Our salary and equity ranges are highly competitive within the SaaS and fintech industry and are updated regularly using the most reliable compensation survey data for our industry. New hire offers are made based on a candidate's experience, expertise, geographic location, and internal pay equity relative to peers.

• US employees in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, or the San Francisco Bay Area: $85,500 - $96,200 USD
• US employees outside of New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, or the San Francisco Bay Area: $77,000 - $86,600 USD
• Canadian employees (any location): CAD 80,800 - 90,900

Mercury values diversity & belonging and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All individuals seeking employment at Mercury are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process for applicants with disabilities or special needs. If you need assistance, or an accommodation, please let your recruiter know once you are contacted about a role.