Senior Payroll Accountant

Making Waves Academy; Richmond (CA); On-site; USD 88,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits

Job summary

Making Waves Academy in Richmond, CA is seeking a Payroll & Accounting Specialist to lead end-to-end bi-weekly payroll for 160+ staff using UKG. You will also support Accounts Payable and general ledger accounting, reporting to the Business Office to ensure payroll accuracy and clean financial records.

The role requires 3+ years' CA payroll experience, strong GL/AP knowledge with Sage Intacct and UKG, and advanced Excel skills.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of direct experience running full-cycle California payroll for 150+ employees.
• Hands-on General Ledger and Accounts Payable experience; Sage Intacct and UKG preferred; Advanced Excel skills (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables).
• Deep understanding of CA labor laws (overtime, meal breaks, final pay timing) and familiarity with CalSTRS or public school retirement reporting.
• High School Diploma or GED required; Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Business preferred.

Responsibilities

• End-to-End payroll execution for bi-weekly payroll; verify timesheets, stipends, garnishments in CA compliance.
• Manage CalSTRS retirement reporting, enrollments, and contribution remittances.
• Process vendor invoices, reimbursements, and post payroll journal entries to Sage Intacct; maintain GL accuracy.
• Perform account reconciliations for payroll-related balances and assist month-end accruals.
• Collaborate with People Operations to maintain accurate employee data and generate headcount reports.

Skills

Full-cycle payroll CA

Advanced Excel

UKG

Sage Intacct

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Accounting/Business degree preferred

Tools

Sage Intacct

UKG

Excel (Pivot Tables)

Job description

Compensation: $87,875 - $95,000 / year (Based on Experience) + Full Benefits

Status: Full-Time, Non-Exempt, Year-Round

Location: Richmond, CA (On-Site)

Job Function: Finance & Business Operations

When you join Making Waves Academy (MWA), you're joining a team dedicated to moving the world forward.

Making Waves Academy (MWA) is seeking a meticulous Payroll & Accounting Specialist to manage our end-to-end bi-weekly payroll operations for 160+ team members while supporting core Accounts Payable and general ledger accounting. Reporting to the Business Office, this role is critical to maintaining payroll accuracy, employee satisfaction, and clean financial records.

What You'll Be Doing

• End-to-End Payroll Execution: Independently prepare and process bi-weekly payroll for 160+ faculty and staff using UKG. Verify timesheets, process stipends, garnishments, and teacher summer hold-backs in full compliance with CA wage and hour laws.
• Retirement & Benefits Administration: Manage monthly CalSTRS retirement reporting and reconciliations. Handle employee benefit plan enrollments, tracking, and contribution remittances.
• Accounts Payable & GL Support: Process vendor invoices, manage employee reimbursements, and post payroll journal entries to Sage Intacct.
• Account Reconciliations: Clear payroll-related balance sheet accounts (FSA, life insurance) and support routine month-end accruals.
• HR & Operations Collaboration: Partner closely with People Operations to maintain clean employee data and generate functional reporting (leave balances, overtime, headcount).

What We're Looking For

• Experience: 3+ years of direct experience running full-cycle California payroll for 150+ employees.
• Technical Skills: 1-2 years of hands-on General Ledger and AP experience (Sage Intacct and UKG experience strongly preferred). Advanced Excel skills (VLOOKUPs, Pivot Tables).
• Compliance Knowledge: Deep understanding of CA labor laws (overtime, meal breaks, final pay timing) and familiarity with CalSTRS or public school retirement reporting.
• Education: High School Diploma or GED required; Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Business preferred.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Making Waves Academy is an equal opportunity employer. We afford equal advancement and employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, gender identity, gender expression, sex, religious creed, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.