Senior Payroll Associate

Fate Therapeutics Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Equity

Generous benefits package

Job summary

Fate Therapeutics Inc. in San Diego, CA is seeking a Senior Payroll Associate to own the end-to-end payroll process and ensure accurate, on-time pay for all employees.

The role uses Dayforce to handle complex calculations, changes, bonuses, and off-cycle runs, while maintaining strict confidentiality and adherence to federal, state, and local payroll laws. You will collaborate with HR and Finance, maintain payroll records, support tax forms, and contribute to process improvements with a focus on

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business or equivalent required with 4+ years of payroll experience.
• CPP or similar certification preferred.
• Familiar with Federal and State payroll laws.
• Experience with Dayforce and large payroll systems.
• Stock equity administration and equity taxation experience preferred.
• Fidelity benefits experience preferred.
• Proficient with Excel and Adobe PDF.
• Strong communication and confidentiality required.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end payroll in Dayforce.
• Perform complex calculations including deductions and garnishments.
• Process bonuses, terminations, and other one-off runs.
• Handle employee changes and keep records up to date.
• Prepare payroll reports for audits.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws.
• Collaborate with HR and Finance to resolve issues.
• Manage stock equity earnings and taxation.

Skills

Attention to detail

Confidentiality

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or equivalent

Tools

Dayforce

Fidelity

Concur Expense Reporting

Microsoft Excel

Adobe PDF

Job description

Fate Therapeutics is seeking a detail-oriented Senior Payroll Associate to own our end-to-end payroll process, ensuring every employee is paid accurately and on time. The Senior Payroll Associate will manage payroll in Dayforce, including complex calculations, off cycle runs, and employee changes, while keeping us compliant with federal, state, and local tax regulations. This is an important role, working closely with HR and Finance to help improve our payroll operations. The ideal candidate brings 4+ years of payroll experience, strong attention to detail, and a commitment to confidentiality. This is a full-time, exempt position located at our corporate headquarters in San Diego, CA.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end payroll process using Dayforce, ensuring timely and accurate payroll processing for all employees. Perform complex payroll calculations, including deductions, garnishments, and benefits.
• Complete bonus, termination, and other one-off payroll runs as required.
• Verify and process all payroll-related changes including, but not limited to new hires, terminations, leaves of absence, salary changes, benefit changes, equity, timecards, etc.
• Set up new hires and maintain employee information in Dayforce, Fidelity, & Concur Expense Reporting
• Maintain detailed and accurate records of employee earnings, deductions, and tax information.
• Ensure accurate calculation of federal, state, and local taxes, as well as deductions for benefits, retirement plans, and other contributions.
• Set up new state taxes as needed.
• Prepare and provide various payroll reports for auditing and other purposes.
• Stay up to date with and adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Handle annual tax form preparation and distribution, as well as other quarter-end and year-end payroll tasks.
• Work closely and collaborate with HR and Finance/Accounting teams to ensure smooth payroll operations and resolve any related issues.
• Process regular stock equity earnings and taxation. Assist with stock transactions as needed.
• Assists in equity administration reporting as required.
• Participate in process improvements and special projects as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business or equivalent required with 4+ years of payroll processing experience.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or similar certification preferred.
• Must be familiar with Federal and State payroll laws.
• Experience with large payroll systems, preferably with Dayforce.
• High attention to detail, professional attitude, and reliability.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of compensation data.
• Stock equity administration and equity taxation experience preferred.
• Fidelity benefits experience preferred.
• Proficient with Microsoft Excel.
• Proficient with Adobe PDF.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work with others as well as independently.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

• Subject to extended periods of sitting and standing, vision to monitor, and moderate noise levels.

Compensation

• The salary offer will be based on a variety of factors, including level, experience, qualifications, internal equity, and location.
• Fate offers a competitive employment package that includes an annual bonus, equity, and a generous benefits package.
• The anticipated salary range for this role is $90,000 - $105,000.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.