Payroll Specialist

Payroll Specialist

Protect Democracy

 

Location: Remote (U.S.)
Salary: $72,400 - $85,200 per year

 

As Payroll Specialist, you'll ensure our team is supported, compliant, and paid on time. If you want your sharp financial skills and attention to detail to serve a profound, historic purpose, join us!

 

About the Organization

 

Protect Democracy is seeking a Payroll Specialist to join our small, collaborative, committed Finance team helping scale and strengthen the financial and payroll operations of a growing nonprofit. The role centers on hands-on execution and compliance: processing accurate, on-time payroll while keeping the organization aligned with complex federal and state employment laws.

 

This is an excellent opportunity for a finance professional with strong attention to detail, the ability to critically think while managing competing priorities, and enthusiasm for successfully driving complex processes forward.

 

This is a remote position based in the United States.

 

Protect Democracy was formed in late 2016 with an urgent and explicit mission: to prevent our democracy from declining into a more authoritarian form of government. Our mission is non-partisan, and it is our north star.

 

Since 2016, Protect Democracy has assembled a team of more than 130 experts who have served under Democrats and Republicans, and in the senior ranks of nonprofit, political, and media organizations.

Joining Protect Democracy as the Payroll Specialist is an excellent opportunity to make a positive impact on our democracy while playing a critical role in ensuring operational excellence, legal compliance, and financial accuracy. In this role, you'll run day-to-day payroll operations for a multi-entity organization with employees across more than 30 states.

 

The ideal candidate is passionate about the mission, solution-oriented, and adaptable amidst uncertainty.

Please note: Candidates who reach the final hiring stage will be required to satisfactorily complete a pre-offer background check.

 

Essential Responsibilities

 

• Own semi-monthly payroll and 401(k) processing across two entities in conjunction with the Accounting team, including input validation, deduction changes, and post-run reconciliation.

• Ensure all payroll policies and practices adhere to federal and state requirements regarding employment classifications and leave.

• Coordinate and track new employer registration requirements, including state withholding, unemployment insurance accounts, and workers' compensation.

• Execute the annual 401(k) employer match and true-up processes by auditing all eligible compensation, including: 1) Base pay; 2) Bonuses; 3) Stipends; 4) Imputed income; and 5) Employee contribution tiers

• Monitor, triage, and respond to payroll tax notices across more than 30 states, escalating as appropriate.

• Respond to federal and state workforce data requests, including: 1) State new hire reporting; 2) Bureau of Labor Statistics surveys; 3) California pay data reporting (CRD); and 4) Other periodic employer reporting obligations

• Maintain payroll records in compliance with federal and state retention requirements.

• Support year-end W-2 preparation and reconciliation.

• Partner with the Benefits team on payroll-benefits alignment, including: 1) Open enrollment suppor
  Qualifying life event processing; 2) Carrier invoice reconciliation; 3) Payroll deduction accuracy

 

Qualifications

 

Required

 

• 3–7 years of experience administering multi-state payroll.

• Experience with mixed workforce classifications, including: 1) Exempt and non-exempt employees
  W-2 employees; 2) Converted 1099 contractors; and 3) Full-time and part-time employees

• Demonstrated experience with state-specific compliance requirements, including: 1) Overtime rules; 2) Employer registration obligations; 3) Payroll tax notices; and 4) California-specific requirements, including daily overtime and pay data reporting

• Experience with Paychex or similar payroll platforms.

• Ability to learn new systems quickly.

• Exceptional attention to detail.

• Ability to meet non-negotiable payroll deadlines.

• Strong communication, writing, and administrative skills.

• Ability to collaborate across distributed teams with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

• Growth mindset with enthusiasm for giving and receiving feedback.

• Passionate commitment to preserving democratic norms and institutions, and an understanding that democracy has never fully represented communities of color.

 

Preferred

 

• Nonprofit experience.

• Familiarity with multi-entity payroll structures, including 501(c)(3) organizations and LLCs.

• Experience with payroll or HRIS implementation or migration projects.

Compensation

 

The starting salary range for this position is $72,400–$85,200, commensurate with experience, capabilities, skills, and internal equity.

 

Benefits

 

Protect Democracy offers an outstanding benefits package, including:

 

• Flexible remote-first work environment within the United States.

• Shared office workspaces for employees who prefer an office environment.

• Team retreats at least twice annually.

• Generous sick leave.

• Flexible vacation policy encouraging 4–5 weeks of vacation annually.

• 12 paid holidays.

• 6 weeks of paid family medical leave.

• 18 weeks of paid parental leave.

• 401(k) with up to a 6% employer match that vests immediately.

• 100% employer-paid medical premiums for employees.

• Up to 95% medical coverage for dependents (depending on plan selection).

• 100% employer-paid dental and vision coverage for employees and dependents.

• Long-term disability insurance.

• Life insurance.

• Fertility benefits.

• Home office stipend.

• Performance bonuses at the discretion of the Executive Director.

• Ongoing opportunities for professional growth, mentorship, and career development.

 

Additional Information

 

• This is a remote-first position based exclusively within the United States.

• Employment availability varies by state.

• Periodic travel is required, including attendance at two annual team retreats.

• Accommodations for travel requirements may be made only in exceptional circumstances.

• Protect Democracy is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages candidates from a broad range of backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

• Candidates who do not meet every listed qualification are encouraged to apply.

 

Hiring Process

 

• Priority application deadline: July 23, 2026

• Applications submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed.

• Complete applications must include:
  Resume
  Responses to required screener questions

• Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

• Incomplete applications will not be considered.

 

Finalists must successfully complete a pre-offer background check, which may include:

 

• Identity verification

• Employment verification

• Education verification

• Social media history

• Bankruptcy and civil court records

• Criminal history

• Other role-related background checks

 

Important Notes

 

• Contact hiring@protectdemocracy.org if accommodations are needed during the hiring process.

• Monitor your spam and promotions folders for hiring communications.

• Protect Democracy uses automated screening tools to assist with application review; however, all candidates flagged by the system are reviewed by a member of the recruiting team. Automated scoring is never the sole basis for hiring decisions.

• Due to application volume, individual application status updates cannot be provided.

• Applicants will be asked to complete a voluntary Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) survey. Responses are confidential, separate from application materials, inaccessible to hiring managers, and have no impact on hiring decisions.