Senior Payroll Specialist

We're growing!  We continue to add new locations for Philz, growing our coffee shops throughout California and Chicagoland. With that, we're excited to add a team member do our Payroll Team. The Senior Payroll Specialist is a key member of the Payroll team, Bettering Peoples’ Days by managing key payroll functions and processing company-wide payroll accurately, timely and in accordance with federal, state, local regulations, Company Policy/Process and in line with the Spirit of Philz Core Values. The Senior Payroll Specialist will also use independent judgment to collaborate with key leaders and departments to develop, implement, and improve payroll processes.

The ideal candidate would have multi-unit hospitality, food and beverage, and/or retail experience with the ability to work independently in a fast-moving and dynamic environment. This role is required to be on-site, based at our Roasting Plant in Oakland, California. 

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Manage biweekly payroll to ensure calculated accurately, timely and within federal, state and local legal requirements
• Partner with all people managers and other key departments to ensure payroll information provided is accurate and timely. Provide feedback and develop systems to address areas of opportunity.
• Use independent judgment to analyze payroll information and provide coaching and recommendations to leaders as needed
• Manage workflow to ensure all payroll transactions are processed accurately and timely
• Independently, research, analyze, and resolve all discrepancies, reporting to payroll stakeholders as needed
• In partnership with Payroll Manager ensure additional items such as accurate taxation, tips, and garnishments are applied as appropriate
• Oversee the preparation of payroll payments and ensure payroll funding is in place
• Prepare and process statements of payment
• Oversee the processing of manual paychecks including but not limited to compliance, retro pay calculations and communications
• Conduct regular audits to ensure legal/payroll compliance and Philz Payroll processes and policies
• Use independent judgment to respond to and take action on team member questions accurately, quickly and in line with Philz’s core values
• Manage stale check process

Legal, Financial, and Company Compliance

• Partner with all payroll stakeholders to ensure that all Philz Payroll policies and procedures are implemented, followed and maintained. Provide feedback and develop systems to address areas of opportunity.
• Stay up to date on all federal, state and local payroll and tax legal requirements
• Process correct garnishment calculations and compliance
• Prepare and execute taxes and payment of employee benefit

Data Integrity/Reporting

• Process accurate and timely year-end reporting when necessary (W-2, W-2c, etc) and ensure all data integrity in various systems.
• Prepare periodic payroll reconciliation
• Compile key operational payroll metrics & create/update dashboards
• Reconcile payroll prior to transmission and validate confirmed reports
• Ensure that all financial accounting systems have maintained accurate data
• Partner with HR and other departments for any technology changes
• Develop ad hoc financial and operational reporting as needed

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Must have a minimum of 5 years of payroll processing experience in a centralized-payroll environment with high non-exempt workforce, preferably in a multi-unit retail and/or hospitality environment
• Proven knowledge of both manual and automated Payroll processes, with experience with Paylocity and/or other HRIS/Payroll systems required
• Strong knowledge of California payroll and wage and hour compliance
• Microsoft and Google Suite experience. Strong Excel skills.
• Strong verbal and written English communication skills; and to interact with team members and payroll stakeholders
• Proven ability to work independently in a fast-paced, changing environment with a strong learning agility to quickly learn new processes and information and apply

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Visual acuity
• Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; those activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to others
• Repetitive motions: Making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers
• Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction
• Bending, Reaching, Pulling, Pushing, Extending arms/hands occasionally during shift
• Sitting for extended periods of time
• Exerting up to 20-30 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects

**Compensation & Benefits

A reasonable estimate of the starting annual hourly rate for this role is $32.00 to $37.00. Please note that the base hourly rate will vary based on qualifications and previous experience.

When you join our team, we better your days through our benefits and support programs – we offer our team members medical, dental, and vision insurance, company-paid basic life insurance, optional family life insurance, 401(k) with company match, flexible spending accounts, commuter benefits, mental health support, holiday pay, Vacation & Sick Time, Team Member discounts, freebie drinks and discounted beans, fun Philz swag, opportunities for growth and advancement, and more!

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