Senior Payroll AnalystLocation: San Jose, CA (onsite)
The Senior Payroll Analyst role owns full-cycle payroll processing for our multi-state and
global teams, along with the accounting and administration of our equity program - including
journal entries, account reconciliations, and day-to-day management of our Carta equity plan.
This role calls for someone who is exacting about the details - payroll and equity errors are
costly and hard to unwind - while also understanding how each transaction connects to
our financial statements, tax filings, and audits. You will also help prepare supporting
schedules for annual audits and take on ad-hoc projects as they come up.
Essential Functions- Payroll & Accounting
- Perform all duties associated with processing semi-monthly payroll for employees in CA and other US states
- Review Taiwan payroll processed by local accounting firm
- Maintain, update, process employee payroll data, calculating wages and deductions, managing payroll calendars and schedules, processing wage garnishments, processing stock income reporting
- Reconcile payroll sub-ledgers to resolve variances in a timely manner
- Review payroll tax remittance and required government reporting
- Review and process state payroll-related filings, questionnaires, inquiries
- When payroll issues arise, prepare comprehensive recommendation for corrective actions and resolve complex payroll discrepancies
- Ensure compliance with federal, state and local payroll regulations
- Document payroll procedures and policies, considering best practices for public technology companies
- Ensure W2s are generated and issued on a timely basis
- Respond to employee payroll inquiries in a timely manner
- Prepare monthly journal entries to payroll, benefits, stock compensation and others
- Reconcile balance sheet accounts and provide detailed analysis of all discrepancies
- Assist in annual audits relating to financial statements, 401K and others
- Understand how payroll and equity transactions affect our financial statements, tax filings, and other downstream systems, flagging potential issues before they become compliance problems
- Equity Administration
- Administer and maintain equity compensation plans (stock options, RSUs)
- Process equity transactions including grants, vesting, exercises, releases, and cancellations
- Maintain and update equity plan databases and employee records
- Track vesting schedules and ensure timely and accurate processing
- Ensure compliance with tax, legal, and regulatory requirements (e.g., withholding, reporting)
- Partner with HR, Finance, Legal, and external brokers on equity-related activities
- Reconcile equity activity between internal systems, brokers, and transfer agents
- Prepare and deliver regular and ad hoc reports for finance, accounting, and leadership teams
- Respond to employee inquiries on equity awards, vesting, and exercises
- Support audits, internal controls, and equity plan documentation
- Other payroll, general accounting and stock administration duties as requested
Basic Requirements- BS degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration (or equivalent experience)
- Minimum 5 years' experience in payroll processing, accounting, and stock/equity administration
- Prior experience processing multi-state US payroll using ADP
- Prior experience processing or reviewing international payroll
- Hands-on experience administering equity plans in Carta (or a comparable platform such as Shareworks or E*TRADE Equity Edge), including grants, vesting, exercises, and releases
- A high degree of accuracy and attention to detail, combined with the judgment to see how an individual transaction affects the bigger picture - financial statements, tax filings, and audits
- Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local wage and hour laws and payroll tax regulations
- Knowledge of equity compensation structures (stock options, RSUs) and the taxation, accounting, and regulatory requirements behind them (e.g., ASC 718)
- Moderate understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
- Advanced MS Excel skills, including VLOOKUP and pivot tables
- Strong analytical and reporting skills, with the ability to identify root causes of discrepancies rather than just correcting symptoms
- Ability to work cross-functionally with HR, Finance, and Legal, and to communicate clearly and confidentially with employees on pay and equity matters
- Strong ability to maintain strict confidentiality
- Organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines and transactions at once
- Comfortable using AI tools and assisting in applying them to automate manual payroll and accounting processes
Preferred Qualifications- Prior experience processing payroll in a public company setting preferred
- Prior experience with other systems such as NetSuite are a plus
- Optional: CEP (Certified Equity Professional) or similar certification preferred
- Exposure to global equity plans and multi-country tax compliance
- Experience improving or automating payroll/equity workflows (e.g., system implementations, process redesign, or AI-assisted tools)
Salary range: $120,000 - $140,000
NOTE TO RECRUITERS:
Principals only. We are not accepting resumes from recruiters for this position. Remuneration for recruiting activities is only applicable subject to a signed and executed agreement between the parties. Please don't send candidates to Ayar Labs, and do not contact our managers.
