Senior Payroll Specialist (Part-Time)

Senior Payroll Specialist (Part-Time)

• Finance
• San Ramon, CA, USA
• Senior
• Part-time

Description About Us At Beewise, we develop and operate autonomous robotic beehives that actively protect and support bee colonies, enabling sustainable pollination and revolutionizing agri-tech. We combine robotics, AI, and environmental tech to bring precision to the heart of nature.

About the Role The Payroll Specialist owns getting Beewise's people paid correctly and on time. You'll run payroll, review timesheets, calculate commissions, process per diems, and handle payroll tax and year-end work, partnering closely with the Director of Finance and People Operations. We pay about 50 US employees through our PEO (TriNet) and 2 Canadian employees through PEO Canada, and may add employees in Mexico through an Employer of Record. Our workforce includes nonexempt field crews, exempt office staff, and commissioned sales roles, paid on both biweekly and semi-monthly schedules. This is a hands-on, part-time role for someone who knows payroll inside and out, works accurately under deadlines, and is comfortable owning a recurring calendar.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Processing

• Prepare and submit biweekly payroll for hourly employees and semi-monthly payroll for salaried employees in TriNet
• Coordinate payroll inputs and changes with PEO Canada and, if needed, our Mexico EOR, and confirm results are accurate
• Enter payroll changes for new hires, terminations, pay changes, bonuses, and commissions based on approved documentation from People Operations
• Run pre- and post-payroll audits and reconcile TriNet invoices and payroll registers before submitting for Director of Finance approval
• Answer employee payroll questions promptly and professionally

Timesheet Review

• Review nonexempt timesheets for missed punches, overtime, double time, meal and rest period premiums, PTO, and other exceptions
• Resolve timesheet issues with managers before payroll deadlines
• Apply multi-state wage-and-hour rules correctly, including California daily overtime and employees temporarily working in other states

Per Diems and Reimbursements

• Process per diems and expense reimbursements for field crews and traveling employees based on approved policy and documentation
• Apply accountable plan rules so per diems and reimbursements are treated correctly as taxable or non-taxable

Sales Commissions

• Calculate monthly commission and broker payouts based on signed, approved commission plans
• Maintain commission tracking schedules and supporting documentation
• Flag plan questions or exceptions to the Director of Finance and People Operations rather than interpreting plan terms independently

Contractor Payments and 1099s

• Process payments to independent contractors and brokers based on approved invoices and agreements
• Collect and maintain W-9s, track 1099-reportable payments, and prepare year-end 1099s
• Route any questions about contractor classification to People Operations rather than deciding them independently

Payroll Tax and Compliance

• Research and resolve payroll tax notices from federal, state, local, and Canadian agencies, working with TriNet and PEO Canada
• Track new work states as employees travel or relocate, and coordinate tax setup and withholding through TriNet
• Keep current on payroll tax and wage-and-hour changes that affect our employees and flag them to the Director of Finance and People Operations

Month-End Close and Year-End

• Prepare payroll and commission journal entries and accruals for month-end close
• Reconcile payroll accounts to the general ledger each month
• Review TriNet and PEO Canada year-end data (W-2s, T4s) and support year-end payroll reconciliation
• Provide payroll documentation for annual audits

Systems, Automation, and AI

• Use AI tools to speed up timesheet review and reconciliations, with review steps that protect accuracy and confidentiality
• Keep payroll procedures documented so the work can be covered during absences
• Support the evaluation of moving payroll in-house from the PEO in 2027

Confidentiality and Controls

• Handle employee compensation and personal information with discretion
• Follow approval controls: the Director of Finance approves all payroll registers, commission payouts, and off-cycle payments

Compensation The pay range for this role in California is $42 to $54 per hour. Final pay depends on experience, skills, and location.

Requirements Requirements

• 5+ years of hands-on payroll processing for hourly and salaried employees, including timesheet review and exception handling
• Strong working knowledge of California wage-and-hour rules, including daily overtime, double time, and meal and rest period premiums (required)
• Multi-state payroll experience
• Experience processing payroll through a PEO or platform such as TriNet, ADP, or Paylocity
• Experience calculating sales commissions and processing contractor payments and 1099s
• Experience resolving payroll tax notices
• Working knowledge of payroll journal entries, accruals, and GL reconciliations
• Advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills, including lookups, pivot tables, and reconciliations
• Consistently accurate work with clear documentation that holds up in an audit
• Confident, professional communicator with employees and managers
• Availability to work on-site around the payroll calendar, including cutoff and processing days

Preferred

• FPC or CPP certification from PayrollOrg
• Familiarity with Canadian payroll, including Quebec
• Experience with Mexico payroll or working with an EOR
• Experience with per diems for agricultural or field-based workforces
• Experience with NetSuite or a comparable ERP
• Experience with in-house payroll or a PEO-to-in-house transition
• Spanish proficiency

What Success Looks Like Payroll runs accurately and on time in every country, with timesheet issues caught before submission. Commissions and per diems are paid correctly with clean support. Tax notices are resolved quickly, payroll accounts reconcile every month, and records are audit-ready. Working Conditions

• Based in the San Ramon, CA office
• 15 to 20 hours per week, scheduled around biweekly and semi-monthly payroll deadlines
• Higher volume around payroll cutoffs, month-end close, and year-end (December through January)

Equal Opportunity Employer Beewise is an equal opportunity employer committed to building an inclusive and respectful workplace. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and related conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law. We provide reasonable accommodations as required by law. If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every qualification, we still encourage you to apply.