Senior Payroll Specialist

Hugel Aesthetics; Irvine (CA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Hugel Aesthetics in Irvine, CA is seeking a Sr. Payroll Specialist to lead bi-weekly, multi-state payroll and support financial month-end close. This hybrid onsite role requires accuracy, confidentiality, and collaboration with HR and vendors to ensure compliant payroll processing and audit-ready records.

You will also assist with general accounting tasks, journal entries, reconciliations, and year-end activities, contributing to process improvements and a reliable finance operation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; 3–5 years of progressive experience or Associate’s with 5+ years.
• Demonstrated experience with hands-on payroll processing or auditing.
• Experience with multi-state payroll and third-party payroll providers.
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax, wage and hour compliance, and accounting principles.
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, lookups, formulas).
• Experience with ERP/accounting systems (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle).
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and partner with HR and vendors.

Responsibilities

• Audit and process bi-weekly payroll for multi-state employees.
• Review payroll registers for hours, earnings, deductions, and tax withholdings.
• Collaborate with HR/payroll vendors to coordinate calendars and resolve issues.
• Ensure payroll tax compliance and state registrations.
• Process off-cycle payments and adjustments; reconcile to GL.
• Post payroll journal entries and reconcile payroll liabilities.

Skills

Payroll processing

Accounting

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Excel proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Associate's degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

NetSuite

SAP

Oracle

ADP/UKG/Paylocity

Job description

About Hugel

Founded in 2001, Hugel is a South Korea–based global leader in medical aesthetics, specializing in the development and commercialization of botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid fillers, skin boosters, threads, and biocosmetics. Over the past two decades, Hugel has built a strong global footprint, with commercial presence in approximately 70 countries and operations across nine international subsidiaries. Leveraging strong global momentum, Hugel Aesthetics was formed as the Company's dedicated North American business unit, established to lead commercialization in the United States, Canada and Australia. Backed by Hugel’s global scale and expertise, Hugel Aesthetics is a well-resourced, growth-oriented organization focused on expanding access to Letybo and establishing a strong, long-term presence in medical aesthetics.

Company Culture

We are building our U.S. organization from the ground up, creating a culture that is intentionally different from traditional, highly layered companies. This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage and help shape not only the business, but the way we work, lead, and grow together. Our culture is rooted in high ownership, collaboration, and the belief that every voice matters. We value people who bring ideas, take initiative, and want a true seat at the table. In this environment, individuals are empowered to make an impact, move with agility, and help build what comes next.

The Opportunity

As we expand and grow our portfolio and pipeline, we are seeking a Sr. Payroll Specialist to play a key role in payroll administration as well as the day-to-day operations of the Finance department at Hugel Aesthetics. The Sr Payroll Specialist is a role that encompasses critical finance and payroll responsibilities. The role is responsible for auditing and processing Hugel Aesthetics' bi-weekly, multi-state payroll, while also supporting core accounting & month-end planning activities across the finance team. This role requires strong attention to detail, payroll knowledge, and the ability to manage recurring deadline-driven work alongside broader finance support responsibilities. This role will be a key partner to our HR, and G&A functions who support the broader organization, routinely collaborating on projects and process improvements. This role is well suited to a finance professional who is detail-oriented, organized, loves to learn and is comfortable managing a high volume of transactional work while maintaining a high level of confidentiality. Note: This role is a hybrid onsite role, expected to be in the Irvine office 3-4 days per week.

What You’ll Do

• Audit and process bi-weekly payroll for employees across multiple states, in partnership with the company's external payroll administration provider.
• Review payroll registers prior to finalization for accuracy of hours, earnings, bonuses/commissions, deductions, garnishments, and tax withholdings.
• Parter with HR/payroll vendor for activities such as coordinating payroll calendars, resolving discrepancies, and escalating system or processing issues.
• Monitor multi-state payroll tax compliance, including withholding requirements, new-state tax registrations, and jurisdictional setup, in coordination with the payroll vendor.
• Process off-cycle payments, manual checks, retroactive pay adjustments, and payroll corrections as needed.
• Reconcile payroll registers to the general ledger each pay cycle and research/resolve variances.
• Prepare and post payroll-related journal entries and account reconciliations (payroll liabilities, benefits, accrued PTO, etc.).
• Be the system administrator for our payroll system. Maintain organized payroll records and supporting documentation to satisfy internal controls and audit requirements.
• Support year-end payroll activities, including W-2 review, bonus processing, and payroll tax reconciliations.

Accounting Support

• Prepare and post journal entries and perform account reconciliations as part of the month-end and year-end close process.
• Prepare and post the monthly and quarterly bonus accrual and post the sales commission accrual
• Assist with general ledger maintenance, including basic accruals, prepaids, and account analysis.
• Support accounts payable and accounts receivable functions as needed.
• Support internal and external audit requests by preparing reconciliations, pulling supporting documentation for auditor inquiries.
• Identify and support process improvement opportunities within payroll and accounting workflows.

General Finance Support

• Serve as a first point of contact for finance questions related to payroll, bonus, and sales commissions
• Perform ad hoc financial analysis and other duties as assigned.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field highly preferred, with 3-5 years of progressive experience in finance/and or accounting; or Associate’s degree in Accounting or Finance with 5+ years experience in finance/and or accounting.
• Demonstrated experience with hands-on payroll processing or auditing experience.
• Experience processing or auditing multi-state payroll, ideally in partnership with a third-party payroll administration provider (e.g., ADP, UKG, Paylocity, or similar).
• Working knowledge of multi-state payroll tax, wage and hour compliance, and payroll accounting principles.
• Solid foundational accounting knowledge, including journal entries, account reconciliations, and month-end close processes.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, lookups, summary formulas).
• Experience working within an ERP or accounting system (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, or similar).
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage recurring deadline-driven payroll cycles alongside broader accounting responsibilities.
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail when working with sensitive payroll and financial data.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to partner effectively with HR, department leaders, and vendors.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality regarding payroll and compensation information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word) and calendar scheduling tools.
• Ability to work in an office environment, and sit, stand or use computer for extended period of time

Compensation

The most likely base pay range for this position is $80,000 - $90,000 per year. Several factors, such as experience, tenure, skills, and particular business needs, will determine an individual’s exact level of compensation. Base salary is only one element of employee compensation at Hugel Aesthetics. The total compensation could include base salary and bonuses.