Payroll Specialist

The role

You will run day-to-day payroll for more than 1,000 hourly and salaried employees. The role covers payroll processing, compliance, reconciliation and reporting, and working with HR and Finance on accurate employee data.

What you will do

• Process payroll for 1,000+ hourly and salaried employees, including adjustments, bonuses, reimbursements, corrections, retroactive pay and off-cycle or manual checks.
• Administer union payroll per CBA terms, including shift differentials, overtime and union dues deductions.
• Review payroll data for accurate wages, taxes and deductions.
• Maintain compliance with federal, state and local payroll rules, including tax filings and year-end activities such as W-2s.
• Perform pre- and post-payroll audits each cycle to catch errors before disbursement.
• Reconcile payroll registers each pay period, validate hours and resolve variances promptly.
• Respond to employee payroll inquiries and resolve them in a timely way.
• Prepare payroll reports and supporting documentation.
• Support internal and external audits and SOX compliance, and maintain payroll internal controls documentation.
• Identify process gaps and recommend improvements.

Required qualifications

• 3–5+ years of payroll processing experience.
• Working knowledge of payroll practices, compliance requirements and multi-state payroll processing.
• Experience with payroll systems such as ADP (Workforce Now or Lyric) and time and attendance systems.
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, data validation).
• Working knowledge of FLSA and IRS payroll tax regulations.
• Familiarity with payroll reporting and account reconciliations.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace or similar tools.
• Strong attention to detail, organization and ability to manage deadlines.
• Effective communication and problem-solving skills.
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or Business, or equivalent experience.

Nice to have

• Experience in a fast-paced or high-growth environment.
• Exposure to collective bargaining agreements.
• FPC/CPP designation.

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 401(k)
• Holidays
• Wellness
• Vacation
• And more

Before you apply

• Only candidates already located in the Bay Area will be considered.
• Onsite 3 days per week at the Redwood City headquarters.

About the company

Zūm makes the Zūm CMX connected mobility system, used by more than 7,500 schools. The company is backed by investors including Sequoia Capital, GIC, TPG and Softbank.