Payroll Supervisor

Title : Payroll Supervisor

Company Industry : Life Sciences

Compensation : Up to $105k base salary

Location : La Jolla, CA


Position Overview


Our client, a growing organization within the life sciences and research space, is seeking a Payroll Supervisor to lead payroll operations and oversee a small payroll team. This individual will play a key role in supporting a rapidly scaling employee population and ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll processing across a complex, multi-state environment.


The ideal candidate is hands-on, adaptable, and experienced managing high-volume payroll operations with strong attention to detail and a collaborative mindset.


Key Responsibilities


• Lead, mentor, and oversee payroll staff, including workload management, coaching, and performance oversight
• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for salaried, hourly, and stipend-based employees
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations across a multi-state workforce
• Review payroll data including timekeeping, compensation updates, deductions, and employee changes
• Maintain payroll records and ensure integrity within payroll systems
• Partner closely with HR, Finance, Benefits, and other cross-functional teams to resolve payroll matters and support employee inquiries
• Conduct payroll audits and reconciliations to ensure accuracy and compliance
• Prepare payroll reporting and support leadership requests as needed
• Oversee payroll and tax compliance related to foreign national employees and non-employees
• Administer Glacier, including treaty application tracking, tax residency determinations, and required documentation
• Support year-end and periodic tax reporting, including 1042 and 1042-S filings
• Assist with payroll process improvements, policy development, and operational best practices


Must-Have Qualifications


• Experience processing high-volume payroll in a complex environment, ideally supporting significant organizational growth
• Strong knowledge of multi-state payroll compliance, including experience supporting employees across numerous states
• Ability to adapt quickly in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities
• Proven ability to maintain accuracy and meet strict payroll deadlines under pressure
• Minimum 3 years of recent payroll supervisory experience, including team leadership and performance management
• Experience partnering cross-functionally with HR, Finance, Benefits, and related teams


Preferred Qualifications


• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred
• 5 years of progressive payroll experience
• Experience with payroll systems such as Workday and/or UKG
• Advanced Excel and systems proficiency
• CPP certification preferred
• Experience supporting international or foreign national payroll processes is a plus

EEO Notice


Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.


Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io .


Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal .

Representation Notice


By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

For residents of Ontario, Canada: Based on Highspring's discussions with its Client, Highspring's understanding is that this position for employment is a current vacancy (either through Highspring as a contractor or with the client directly).

Privacy Notice


Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here .
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here .
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here .
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here .
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here .

Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here ( ). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring.

Pay Transparency Notice


Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

• the individual's skill sets, experience and training;
• licensure and certification requirements;
• office location and other geographic considerations;
• other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.