Payroll Administrator & Accountant – Remote

We are a boutique outsourced accounting and CFO advisory firm seeking a Payroll Administrator with strong accounting experience to support multiple clients. This is a remote, part-time role starting at approximately 15–20 hours per week, with the potential to grow into a full-time position for the right candidate. As our client work evolves, we are looking for someone who is excited to take on a variety of accounting, payroll, and project-based work across different industries. This role is ideal for someone experienced working in client service environments such as accounting firms, payroll service providers, or outsourced accounting teams, who enjoys variety, problem-solving, and being a hands-on contributor who can jump in and get things done. We are looking for a doer—someone who can manage core responsibilities while also taking on interesting accounting challenges and helping bring structure and clarity to client financial records. Someone who takes on a variety of responsibilities with enthusiasm will see this position grow quickly! Candidates must be available to work during California (Pacific Time) business hours.

Responsibilities

Payroll Administration

• Process and review payroll for multiple companies using platforms such as ADP, Gusto, TriNet, Intuit/QuickBooks Payroll, or similar systems
• Ensure payroll compliance with California payroll regulations
• Manage employee payroll changes including compensation updates, deductions, and benefits
• Administer employee garnishments and related compliance
• Support wage reporting and employment-related filings
• Assist with workers’ compensation audits by preparing payroll reports and supporting documentation
• Record payroll journal entries and reconcile payroll-related accounts

Accounting & Client Support

• Perform full-cycle accounting support for multiple clients
• Assist with monthly close activities
• Maintain and reconcile general ledger, bank, and credit card accounts
• Review and code transactions in QuickBooks Online
• Support preparation of financial reports and supporting schedules
• Assist with balance sheet reconciliations and account analysis

Inventory & Cost Accounting

• Assist with inventory tracking and reconciliation
• Support cost of goods sold accounting and product costing
• Review inventory adjustments and related financial reporting
• Help ensure inventory balances are accurately reflected in accounting records

Accounting Projects & Financial Cleanup In addition to recurring accounting and payroll responsibilities, this role will support a variety of accounting-focused projects across multiple clients. Examples of projects may include:

• Cleaning up and reconciling complex or unreconciled accounts
• Reviewing and reorganizing charts of accounts
• Preparing year-end workpapers and schedules for tax preparation
• Reconciling payroll liabilities and correcting historical payroll entries
• Investigating and resolving balance sheet discrepancies
• Supporting inventory and cost accounting cleanup
• Assisting with system migrations or accounting file reorganizations

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys digging into accounting puzzles, cleaning up complicated records, and improving financial systems. Time Tracking

• Track billable and non-billable time by client in timekeeping software
• Record time daily

Requirements

• 3+ years of payroll processing experience
• Experience with California payroll requirements
• Strong experience with QuickBooks Online
• Experience with ADP,, Gusto, or similar payroll platforms, as well as PEOs.
• Experience supporting multiple clients or companies simultaneously
• Strong attention to detail and organization
• Ability to work independently in a fully remote environment
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities and deadlines

Nice to Have

• Experience with inventory and cost accounting
• Experience supporting workers’ compensation audits
• Experience working in accounting firms, outsourced accounting, or payroll service providers
• Experience supporting multiple entities or complex accounting environments

What Success Looks Like in the First 90 Days Within the first 90 days, the ideal candidate will:

• Confidently process payroll for assigned clients while ensuring California payroll compliance
• Maintain accurate payroll journal entries and reconciliations in QuickBooks Online
• Demonstrate strong organization managing multiple client deadlines and payroll schedules
• Successfully support core accounting work including reconciliations and month-end tasks
• Begin contributing to accounting cleanup projects and financial improvements
• Identify issues and help move accounting work forward with minimal supervision

Hours & Compensation

• 15–20 hours per week to start
• Remote and flexible schedule
• Must be available during Pacific Time business hours

Opportunity to grow into additional hours or full-time responsibilities as client needs expand and the candidate demonstrates the abi