Senior Payroll Specialist

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! #J-18808-Ljbffr