Senior Payroll Specialist

Pathways Personnel, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Pathways Personnel, Inc. in San Francisco is seeking an experienced Senior Payroll Specialist to own the semi-monthly payroll for employees and partners, ensuring California compliance and accurate reporting.

You will partner with HR, Finance, and leadership, manage ADP Workforce Now and payroll automation initiatives, and lead system upgrades while maintaining strict confidentiality. The role requires CPP certification, 5+ years of payroll experience, and knowledge of multistate processing.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience in a professional services setting.
• Strong knowledge of California wage and hour laws and multi-state payroll.
• CPP certification required; Bachelor's degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own semi-monthly payroll processing for employees and partners, including partner draws.
• Manage payroll data and processing through ADP Workforce Now.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, esp. California.
• Monitor regulatory changes and advise leadership on payroll risks.
• Serve as primary resource for payroll questions and issue resolution.
• Lead payroll system upgrades, integrations, and automation initiatives.

Skills

California wage and hour laws

Multi-state payroll compliance

ADP Workforce Now

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Discretion with confidential data

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance/Business Administration or related field

CPP certification

Tools

ADP Workforce Now

Job description

A well-established, mid-sized professional law firm in San Francisco is seeking an experienced Senior Payroll Specialist to join its Accounting team.

About the Role

This is a great opportunity for a payroll professional who enjoys owning the day-to-day payroll function while also taking a strategic approach to compliance, systems, reporting, and process improvement. The ideal candidate brings strong knowledge of California wage and hour requirements, multi-state payroll, and complex partner compensation, along with the confidence to collaborate with HR, Finance, leadership, and employees at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Own semi-monthly payroll processing for employees and partners, including partner draws and periodic distributions
• Manage payroll data and processing through ADP Workforce Now
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, with particular expertise in California requirements
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes and advise leadership on potential payroll compliance risks
• Serve as the primary resource for employee payroll questions, troubleshooting issues and providing a high level of service
• Partner with HR, Finance, and leadership on payroll strategy, compliance, and reporting
• Lead payroll-related system upgrades, vendor transitions, integrations, and process improvements
• Evaluate existing processes and identify opportunities for automation, increased efficiency, and improved employee experience
• Oversee payroll system configuration, coding, and ongoing maintenance
• Prepare recurring and ad-hoc payroll reports covering earnings, deductions, taxes, and other payroll data
• Manage 401(k) deferrals and benefit contributions while ensuring compliance with plan requirements
• Support monthly bank reconciliations and provide backup for cash and receipts reporting
• Complete payroll-related forms, employment verifications, and compliance filings
• Maintain accurate, confidential payroll and personal information

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive, hands-on payroll experience
• Strong knowledge of California wage and hour laws and multi-state payroll compliance
• Experience in a law firm or professional services environment strongly preferred
• Experience processing payroll involving self-employed partners/partner distributions highly preferred
• CPP certification required
• Advanced experience with ADP Workforce Now or a comparable payroll platform
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field preferred
• Exceptional attention to detail and a high degree of accuracy
• Excellent communication and customer-service skills
• Ability to work confidently with employees, management, partners, HR, Finance, and firm leadership
• Demonstrated discretion when handling highly confidential information

Required Skills

• Knowledge of California wage and hour laws
• Multi-state payroll compliance
• Experience with ADP Workforce Now or a comparable payroll platform
• Exceptional attention to detail and a high degree of accuracy
• Excellent communication and customer-service skills
• Ability to work confidently with employees, management, partners, HR, Finance, and firm leadership
• Discretion when handling highly confidential information

Preferred Skills

• Experience in a law firm or professional services environment
• Experience processing payroll involving self-employed partners/partner distributions
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field (and prefer that!