Payroll Specialist

A Little Spice Goes a Long Way

Paprika Partners is a boutique financial firm built for a new generation of business owners. The ambitious owner-operators, the diverse founders, and the unconventional builders who deserve the same quality of financial partnership as the big guys. We provide bookkeeping, accounting, advisory, and fractional CFO services for businesses ranging from $2M–$20M in revenue.

We're not a corporate shop. We move fast, we think in systems, we geek out on AI and technology, and we show up as real human beings who genuinely care whether our clients win. Our team is small, deeply collaborative, and building something we're all proud of, and we're looking for someone who wants to be part of that.

The Role

As a Payroll Specialist at Paprika Partners, you'll own payroll operations for a portfolio of owner-operated businesses — making sure every employee gets paid accurately, on time, and in full compliance. This is high-accountability work that directly impacts the people and businesses we serve, and the right person will feel that weight and take real pride in getting it right.

This is a part-time role (15–20 hours/week) with a flexible hybrid schedule out of our Roseville, CA office. There is opportunity for this to grow into a full-time role as well. You'll work closely with our internal accounting team and serve as the external-facing payroll point of contact for tax advisors and client stakeholders alike.

What You'll Do

• Process multi-state payroll accurately and on schedule across a portfolio of clients
• Manage benefits, fringes, garnishments, deductions, and payroll adjustments with precision
• Handle federal, state, and local payroll tax filings and maintain ongoing compliance
• Prepare payroll-related journal entries and ensure payroll data flows cleanly into the general ledger
• Reconcile payroll records and resolve discrepancies quickly and thoroughly
• Communicate directly with external tax advisors on payroll tax matters
• Collaborate closely with the internal Paprika accounting team to ensure alignment across client accounts
• Stay current on payroll regulations and proactively surface compliance considerations
• Leverage technology across multiple payroll platforms to work efficiently across a diverse client base

What We're Looking For

• 3+ years of payroll processing experience, including multi-state payroll — required
• Hands-on experience across multiple payroll platforms (Gusto, ADP, Paychex, QuickBooks Payroll, or similar)
• Solid understanding of benefits and fringe benefit administration
• Working knowledge of payroll-related accounting and journal entries — a meaningful plus
• Experience with railroad-specific payroll (RRTA, Railroad Retirement, etc.) — a significant plus
• Comfortable communicating with external tax advisors and client-facing stakeholders
• Strong collaborator who communicates clearly and keeps the internal team in the loop
• High attention to detail with a deep sense of ownership over your work
• Tech-forward mindset — you pick up new platforms quickly and look for ways to work smarter

What Success Looks Like

• Clients are paid accurately and on time, every single payroll cycle
• Payroll tax filings are current, compliant, and never a fire drill
• Journal entries are clean and the accounting team can rely on your work without double-checking
• External tax advisors know you as a responsive, knowledgeable partner
• You're a seamless part of the Paprika team — communicative, collaborative, and dependable

Why Paprika Partners

We built the firm we wished existed. One with deep expertise but without the stiffness. One that picks up the phone, knows your team by name, and genuinely cares whether you win. Working here means:

• $45–$50/hour DOE
• Flexible hybrid schedule — Roseville, CA office
• Real ownership over your work and your clients
• A warm, inclusive, people-first team that genuinely enjoys what they do
• AI-empowered workflows and a team that invests in staying ahead of the curve

THE NAME PAPRIKA WASN'T ACCIDENTAL. A SPICE DOESN'T TAKE OVER THE DISH. IT BRINGS OUT WHAT'S ALREADY THERE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO.