Payroll Manager (Los Angeles)

Nossaman LLP is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to oversee the Firm's payroll operations in a complex multi-state environment and serve as a strategic partner to Finance, Talent Management, and Firm leadership.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a payroll professional who thrives on ownership, accuracy, problem-solving, and continuous improvement. The role is hybrid (onsite 2+ days per week), based in the Finance department in the Firm's Los Angeles office. The Payroll Manager is responsible for all aspects of payroll administration for a national law firm, ensuring compliance, operational excellence, and an outstanding employee experience.

We are seeking a payroll professional who views payroll as a critical business function and takes pride in delivering accurate, timely, and compliant payroll services while continuously improving processes and controls. The ideal candidate combines technical payroll expertise with strong business judgment, exceptional service skills, and a commitment to operational excellence. This is a hands-on leadership role with end-to-end responsibility for payroll operations across the Firm, including oversight of a Payroll Analyst.

The salary range for the position of Payroll Manager at Nossaman is $125,000 to $130,000 annually. The successful candidate's salary for this position is reasonably expected to be set within this range. However, actual compensation will depend on a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the candidate's qualifications and experience.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Administration

• Manage and process all Firm payrolls, including biweekly and monthly payrolls, partner distributions, bonus payrolls, off-cycle payments, and final pay calculations.
• Ensure payroll is processed accurately, timely, and in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Research, troubleshoot, and resolve payroll discrepancies and complex payroll issues.
• Review and audit payroll data, year-to-date balances, employee records, tax withholdings, and payroll adjustments.
• Administer and oversee complex payroll transactions and special processing scenarios, including unique compensation payments, employee-specific payroll arrangements, and other non-routine payroll activities requiring independent analysis and resolution.
• Maintain payroll schedules, deduction records, garnishments, and other payroll-related transactions.
• Supervise and support payroll Analyst, providing day-to-day direction, quality control, workload coordination, cross-training, and knowledge sharing to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing and adequate business continuity.

Systems & Process Management

• Serve as the Firm's payroll systems expert, with primary responsibility for ADP Workforce Now.
• Maintain payroll-related data within the Firm's HRIS and ensure the integrity and accuracy of employee records.
• Lead payroll setup, testing, and configuration activities associated with new entities, company codes, organizational changes, and other payroll expansion initiatives.
• Monitor payroll-related integrations and data feeds to ensure accurate information flow between systems.
• Identify and implement process improvements, automation opportunities, and best practices to enhance efficiency and accuracy.
• Create, maintain, and continuously improve payroll procedures, process documentation, and desk manuals to support consistency, knowledge transfer, and operational continuity.
• Partner with Finance and Talent Management leadership on payroll-related projects and system enhancements.

Financial Reporting & Reconciliations

• Reconcile payroll activity to the general ledger and partner closely with Accounting to ensure accurate and timely financial reporting.
• Maintain and validate payroll earnings, deductions, taxes, benefits, and partner distribution codes, including the associated general ledger mappings, to ensure proper accounting treatment and reporting.
• Review payroll-related journal entries, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules, investigating and resolving discrepancies as needed.
• Prepare and distribute payroll, management, compliance, and ad hoc reports to support Firm leadership and operational decision-making.
• Analyze payroll data and trends, providing meaningful reporting and insights to Finance leadership.
• Coordinate payroll-related wire transfers and funding requirements with Accounts Payable.
• Support month-end and year-end close activities by ensuring payroll transactions are accurately recorded, reconciled, and reported.
• Support and maintain payroll-related internal controls, ensuring compliance with Firm policies, audit requirements, and accounting standards.
• Collaborate with Finance, Accounting, and Talent Management teams on payroll system enhancements, reporting improvements, internal controls, and process efficiencies.

Retirement Plans, Compliance & Audits

• Process and reconcile 401(k) contributions and related reporting.
• Serve as the primary liaison with retirement plan administrators and support annual plan testing and compliance requirements.
• Lead payroll support for annual retirement plan compliance processes, including Year End Compliance Information (YECI) reporting, payroll and compensation data validation, preparation of census and compliance reports, coordination with retirement plan administrators, and support for employer contribution and profit-sharing calculations and funding activities.
• Lead payroll support for annual retirement plan compliance processes, including Year End Compliance Information (YECI) reporting, payroll and compensation data validation, preparation of census and compliance reports, coordination with retirement plan administrators, and support for employer contribution and profit-sharing calculations and funding activities.
• Support year-end payroll activities, including W-2 review and distribution and compilation of information required for K-1 reporting.
• Maintain annual payroll system configurations and regulatory updates, including retirement plan contribution limits, payroll tax updates, and other payroll-related compliance changes.
• Prepare and support various regulatory and compliance reporting requirements, including ACA, EEO, and other government filings.

Employee Support

• Serve as the primary point of contact for payroll-related inquiries.
• Provide exceptional service and timely support to attorneys, business professionals, and firm leadership.
• Process income and employment verification requests while maintaining strict confidentiality.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible payroll experience in a mid-sized or large organization.
• Experience processing payroll in a multi-state environment, including knowledge of varying state payroll, tax, and wage-and-hour requirements.
• Extensive hands-on experience with ADP Workforce Now, including payroll processing, reporting, system administration, workflow management, and troubleshooting payroll-related issues.
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax regulations, payroll accounting principles, general ledger mapping, reconciliations, wage and hour laws, deductions, garnishments, and payroll compliance requirements.
• Experience managing year-end payroll reporting, tax filings, reconciliations, and payroll-related audits.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities while consistently meeting deadlines with a high degree of accuracy.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive compensation, payroll, benefit, and personnel information.
• Previous experience supervising, mentoring, or training payroll staff.
• Knowledge of partner compensation, partner distributions, and K-1 reporting.
• Experience with payroll accounting, general ledger reconciliations, and financial reporting.

Preferred

• Experience in a law firm or other professional services environment.
• Advanced Excel skills, including Power Query, pivot tables, lookups, formulas, and data analysis.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation or progress toward obtaining certification.
• ADP Workforce Now certification.
• Experience leading payroll system implementations, upgrades, integrations, or significant process improvement initiatives.