Payroll Manager

Payroll Manager

Cypress, California, United States; Redondo Beach, California, United States

At Senra Systems, we believe that the future of manufacturing lies not in automation, but in configuration.

We supercharge electrical wire harness manufacturing through software configuration, transforming skilled assembly tasks into high-throughput production lines. We enable customers to design what they want, when they want it and deliver harness builds at record-breaking speed.

Position Summary

The Payroll Manager owns end-to-end payroll administration for Senra Systems and is responsible for delivering accurate, timely payroll while maintaining strong wage-and-hour compliance. This role will be a key partner to the People and Finance teams, with particular focus on the complexities of a largely non-exempt workforce, timekeeping practices, payroll controls, and California wage-and-hour requirements. The ideal candidate combines deep payroll expertise with a hands-on, process-improvement mindset

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for a rapidly growing workforce, ensuring payroll is complete, accurate, timely, and supported by appropriate review and controls.
• Serve as the internal subject matter expert on federal, state, and local payroll and wage-and-hour requirements, with strong emphasis on California compliance for non-exempt employees.
• Oversee timekeeping administration and compliance, including missed punches, meal-period exceptions, rest-period premiums, overtime, double time, shift differentials, and other pay practices impacting hourly employees.
• Review payroll inputs and time records for accuracy and compliance; identify trends or recurring exceptions and partner with managers and the People team to correct root causes.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and support compliance with wage statement, payroll recordkeeping, tax, garnishment, deduction, and reporting requirements.
• Own payroll tax filings, reconciliations, W-2 preparation, quarterly and year-end activities, and coordination with payroll vendors and applicable agencies.
• Partner with the People team on payroll-related changes associated with new hires, terminations, leaves of absence, compensation changes, benefits deductions, and employee status changes.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee payroll questions and discrepancies, resolving issues promptly, professionally, and with appropriate discretion.
• Develop, document, and maintain payroll procedures, controls, audit practices, and escalation protocols to reduce risk and improve accuracy and consistency.
• Educate employees and managers on timekeeping expectations and wage-and-hour best practices, including accurate time entry, meal periods, overtime reporting, and timely correction of payroll exceptions.
• Partner with People, Finance, Legal, and business leaders on payroll audits, compliance reviews, investigations, and remediation efforts as needed.
• Continuously evaluate and improve payroll processes, systems, reporting, and controls to support scale, efficiency, data integrity, and a strong employee experience.
• Support payroll and timekeeping system implementations, upgrades, integrations, testing, and configuration changes, including Rippling-related initiatives.
• Prepare and analyze payroll reports, reconciliations, and metrics; identify anomalies and provide clear information to internal stakeholders.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities at this time; however, the Payroll Manager serves as the functional owner of payroll processes and may provide guidance or training to employees and managers on payroll and timekeeping practices.

Required Qualifications

Education and Experience

• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Demonstrated experience administering payroll for a significant non-exempt/hourly employee population, including complex timekeeping and wage-and-hour issues.
• Strong working knowledge of federal and state payroll tax requirements and wage-and-hour regulations, including California requirements applicable to non-exempt employees.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep understanding of timekeeping, overtime, meal and rest period compliance, regular-rate calculations, final pay, deductions, payroll recordkeeping, and wage statement requirements.
• Strong payroll reconciliation, auditing, and problem-solving skills with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to identify compliance risks, investigate discrepancies, determine root causes, and implement practical corrective actions.
• Ability to explain payroll and wage-and-hour requirements clearly to employees, managers, and non-specialist stakeholders.
• Proficiency with a major payroll/HRIS platform and advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing deadlines in a rapidly changing environment.
• Demonstrated discretion and sound judgment when handling confidential employee and compensation information.
• Strong cross-functional partnership skills with People, Finance, Legal, Operations, and business leaders.

Certifications and Licenses

• No certification or license is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with Rippling payroll and timekeeping.
• Experience supporting payroll in a manufacturing, aerospace, or other operational environment with a substantial hourly workforce.
• Experience partnering with People and Finance on payroll audits, wage-and-hour reviews, system implementations, integrations, or process redesign.
• Experience building scalable payroll procedures, controls, reporting, and manager education programs in a high-growth organization.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• This role is primarily performed in an office environment and requires frequent computer use, sitting, and repetitive keyboard activity. The position may periodically interact with employees and leaders in manufacturing areas and may be exposed to normal production-floor noise and activity. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the ADA, FEHA, and other applicable law.

Tools and Equipment Used

• Rippling or comparable payroll/HRIS and timekeeping systems.
• Microsoft Excel and standard Microsoft Office / productivity tools.
• Payroll tax, reporting, reconciliation, and related business systems as applicable.

Compensation:

• Compensation will be based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors.
• Salary Range: $110,000-$140,000
• This is an onsite role at our headquarters in Redondo Beach, CA or Cypress, CA.

Benefits:

• Unmatched opportunities to drive impact on a friendly and mission-driven team
• Own a piece of the pie with equity participation!
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Dependent Spending Account (DSA) for health-related expenses
• 20 vacation days per year and 12 company holidays for rest and relaxation
• a 401(k) plan to set yourself up for retirement
• Choose a record you love, and we'll add it to our growing vinyl collection!
• $50/month DoorDash credit – lunch is on us!
• Up to $100/month reimbursement for gym memberships
• Fully stocked kitchen with snacks and beverages
• Regular team-building events, lunches, and the occasional breakfast burrito!
• Bright, open office with communal spaces for collaboration and free parking
• Conveniently located near the metro, major freeways and local dining spots

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.