Job Summary Required Qualifications and Skills
We are seeking an experienced Payroll Manager for a contract/temporary opportunity in San Rafael, CA. This hybrid role is ideal for a hands-on payroll leader who enjoys managing people, strengthening payroll operations, improving processes, and ensuring compliance in a government and public sector environment.
The Payroll Manager will lead a team of payroll professionals, oversee accurate and timely payroll processing, and serve as a key resource for payroll compliance, reporting, audits, and internal controls. This opportunity offers a collaborative work environment with cross-functional partnership across Accounting, Finance, HR, and operational teams. It is a strong fit for a proactive leader who values accuracy, teamwork, process improvement, and operational excellence.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 3 or more payroll professionals while supporting performance, accountability, and team growth.
- Oversee accurate and timely payroll processing in compliance with federal, California, and applicable state regulations.
- Manage payroll tax compliance, audits, reporting, general ledger reconciliations, and issue resolution.
- Partner with Accounting, Finance, HR, and other departments to support payroll accuracy, compliance, and business needs.
- Review payroll workflows, procedures, controls, and reporting processes to identify and implement improvements.
- Analyze payroll data, resolve complex payroll matters, and serve as a subject matter expert for internal stakeholders.
- Lead payroll operations and supervise a team of payroll professionals.
- Manage payroll processing, payroll tax compliance, audits, reconciliations, and reporting.
- Improve payroll procedures, internal controls, workflows, and operational efficiency.
- Collaborate with Accounting, Finance, HR, and internal teams on payroll-related matters.
- 3 to 5 years of relevant payroll management experience.
- Experience leading, coaching, and developing payroll staff.
- Strong knowledge of California payroll and labor laws.
- Experience with payroll taxes, audits, reconciliations, compliance, and payroll reporting.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and data review skills.
- Ability to identify inefficiencies and implement practical process improvements.
- Exceptional attention to detail, organization, follow-through, and accuracy.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments.
- Proactive, solutions-focused leadership style with sound judgment and accountability.
Preferred Qualifications
- UKG experience is highly preferred.
- Knowledge of Hawaii and/or Oregon employment laws is a plus.
- Experience in government, public sector, or highly regulated payroll environments is helpful.
Equal Opportunity Employer / Disabled / Protected Veterans
The Know Your Rights poster is available here:
https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf
The pay transparency policy is available here:
https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/pdf/pay-transp_%20English_formattedESQA508c.pdf
For temporary assignments lasting 13 weeks or longer, AppleOne is pleased to offer major medical, dental, vision, 401k and any statutory sick pay where required.
We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact your staffing representative who will reach out to our HR team.
AppleOne participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program.
https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf
We also consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements, including, if applicable, the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Pursuant to applicable state and municipal Fair Chance Laws and Ordinances, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, including, if applicable, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For Los Angeles, CA applicants: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.