Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Role Overview

Automatiq is hiring a meticulous, people-first Payroll & Benefits Specialist to manage the operational foundation of the People team. In this role, you will oversee accurate and compliant payroll, support the company’s equity program, handle leave administration, and make sure employees receive a smooth benefits experience throughout their time with the company.

You will collaborate closely with Finance and HR leadership to keep core people programs running effectively. This is a high-trust, hands-on individual contributor position within a lean and fast-moving HR team.

Payroll Administration

• Take full ownership of payroll processing for U.S. employees and, where relevant, contractors on a bi-weekly or semi-monthly schedule.
• Verify payroll details such as compensation updates, bonuses, garnishments, tax withholdings, and retroactive corrections to ensure every run is accurate.
• Work with Finance to match payroll records and keep documentation organized for audits and reporting.
• Track federal, state, and local payroll tax obligations and surface compliance issues before they become problems.
• Be the main contact for pay-related employee questions and resolve discrepancies promptly.
• Assist with year-end deliverables such as W-2s, ACA reporting, and other required tax filings.
• Handle employment and income verification requests with speed and precision.
• Respond to employee concerns related to pay, tax matters, and benefits questions.

Equity Administration

• Support administration of the company’s equity program, such as stock options, RSUs, or similar awards, in coordination with Finance.
• Operate the cap table system, including processing grants, exercises, cancellations, and terminations on time and without errors.
• Explain equity information in straightforward language, including grant notices, vesting terms, exercise periods, and possible tax implications.
• Partner with Legal on 409A valuations, board approvals, and compliance requirements tied to the equity plan.
• Maintain records that are ready for audit and ensure data stays consistent across systems.

Leave Administration

• Manage all leave programs, including FMLA, state leaves, parental leave, medical leave, and company-specific leave policies.
• Act as the key contact for employees going through a leave, offering clear and supportive guidance on eligibility, process steps, and pay continuity.
• Coordinate with managers and HR Business Partners on leave coverage, scheduling, and return-to-work planning.
• Track leave usage accurately within the HRIS.
• Keep up with changes in leave laws across states where employees are based and update policies and workflows as needed.

Benefits Administration & Compliance

• Oversee daily benefits administration across medical, dental, vision, 401(k), FSA/HSA, life insurance, and other supplemental programs.
• Run open enrollment from end to end, including system setup, employee communication, carrier coordination, and deadline management.
• Process qualifying life events quickly and help employees understand the choices available to them.
• Serve as the primary contact for benefits questions and escalate carrier issues when needed.
• Reconcile monthly benefits invoices and work through billing issues with carriers.
• Support benefits benchmarking and renewal analysis alongside the broker and HR leadership.
• Coordinate annual 401(k) compliance testing and work with auditors to support timely, accurate filings.

Unemployment Claims and State Tax Compliance

• Manage unemployment insurance claims, including communication with state agencies and responses to claims inquiries.
• Oversee state and local tax compliance by monitoring registration needs, handling notices, and ensuring correct tax withholding.

Additional Support

• Help the Director of HR maintain pay bands and compensation frameworks, including salary range updates, compensation spreadsheets, and accurate HRIS records.
• Gather and organize compensation data for pay reviews and market benchmarking work.

Qualifications

Required:

• 3 to 5 years of experience in payroll, benefits, or HR operations, ideally with exposure to at least two of the four major functional areas listed above.
• Practical experience using payroll software.
• Working knowledge of federal and multi-state payroll tax rules and leave laws such as FMLA and state paid family leave.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including dataset analysis.
• Background administering benefits programs, including open enrollment coordination.
• Excellent attention to detail, since payroll and equity mistakes can directly affect employees.
• Ability to manage sensitive employee information with professionalism and discretion.
• Clear and empathetic communication skills so employees feel supported and informed.

Nice to have:

• Experience with equity administration tools such as Carta, Pulley, or similar platforms.
• Exposure to equity plan concepts including option types, vesting, 409A, and related tax considerations.
• Experience in a high-growth startup or scale-up environment where processes are being built and improved.
• HR certification such as PHR, SHRM-CP, CPP, or an equivalent credential.
• Familiarity with HRIS systems such as Rippling, Deel, Workday, BambooHR, or similar tools.

About Automatiq

Automatiq is a leading all-in-one software platform for the live event ticketing industry, built for ticket resellers of every size. Its technology helps streamline the full resale workflow, from listing tickets across multiple marketplaces to adjusting prices dynamically based on market movement and ensuring tickets are delivered to event-goers efficiently.

The company is data-driven and deeply focused on customer needs, tackling complex challenges in a fast-growing global market. Automatiq also emphasizes employee growth and career development, with a culture centered on strong people, technical excellence, and meaningful impact.

Equal Opportunity and Fair Chance Notice

Automatiq is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records are considered in line with California fair chance requirements. Background checks and criminal history disclosure occur only after a conditional offer of employment.

A criminal history may be relevant to responsibilities involving access to sensitive financial, banking, transaction, or proprietary information, as well as interactions with customers, employees, vendors, agents, and other third parties. If a conviction directly related to the role raises concerns, candidates will have an opportunity to share context, submit supporting information, or challenge the report.

Hiring Process Notice

The company may use AI-assisted tools during parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or checking for inconsistencies and verification signals. These tools support the recruiting team but do not replace human review, and final hiring decisions are made by people. Candidates seeking more information about data processing may contact the company directly.

Additional Compensation and Policy Notes

This position is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus.

The role remains open until filled, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Automatiq asks candidates to review its careers page for more information about available benefits.