Senior Payroll Specialist

About Campus

Campus is on a mission to accelerate the talent of tomorrow and reimagine what college can (and should) be. The problem is clear: college costs have skyrocketed, but outcomes haven’t. Traditional college hasn’t kept up with the aspirations of today’s students—and they can’t afford to wait.

At Campus, we’ve built a two-year, accredited college where students learn from top professors at universities like Princeton, Stanford, and Howard, in live, online classes. Our students graduate with in-demand business and AI skills—ready to launch their careers or transfer to top four-year universities. Our unique approach is grounded in a pioneering technology platform and a heavily-researched student success model that offers students dedicated advisors and on-demand tutoring and coaching. We were also named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies of 2024.

We’re backed by an exceptional investor team that believes deeply in our vision for the future of education, including General Catalyst, Founders Fund, Bloomberg Beta, 8VC, Rethink Education, Sam Altman, Jason Citron, Shaquille O’Neal, and others.

The world has changed. Higher ed needs to catch up, and we’re leading the way - come join us!

About the role

We are seeking a Senior Payroll Specialist to fully own and run payroll at Campus, while also overseeing day-to-day benefits administration.

This is a hands-on, individual contributor role reporting to the CFO. You’ll own end-to-end payroll across a multi-state workforce, including full ownership of our payroll system (Rippling), and partner with brokers and internal teams to ensure benefits run smoothly and remain compliant.

Payroll is the core focus, with benefits as a meaningful secondary responsibility. You’ll also help improve and scale payroll systems and processes as the company grows, identifying opportunities to increase efficiency and reduce manual work.

This role sits within Finance and partners closely with the People team, with a focus on accuracy, ownership, and continuous improvement. You’ll be expected not just to run payroll, but to improve how it operates as we scale.

You’re excited about this opportunity because you will…

Own & Run Payroll

• Run end-to-end payroll for all employees (including faculty), ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance

• Manage multi-state payroll operations, including audits, reporting, and reconciliations

• Maintain high data integrity across payroll systems and proactively identify and resolve discrepancies

• Partner with Finance on payroll-related reporting, budgeting, and forecasting

• Serve as the primary owner of payroll within the organization

Improve & Scale Payroll Systems

• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, reduce manual work, and increase accuracy

• Implement system and workflow improvements within Rippling

• Anticipate and solve for payroll challenges as the company scales (e.g., headcount growth, multi-state complexity)

• Drive better reporting and visibility into payroll data

Administer & Support Benefits

• Administer employee benefits programs (health, dental, vision, 401k, etc.)

• Partner with brokers and vendors on renewals and ongoing management

• Ensure accurate enrollment, changes, and employee support

• Support compliance with ACA, COBRA, and related requirements

Manage Year-End 1098-T Reporting

• Own the annual Form 1098-T process through Sovos, including data collection, validation, reconciliation, and timely filing and distribution

• Partner with Finance and Student Financial Services to ensure accurate student and tuition information

• Resolve discrepancies, manage corrections, and respond to student inquiries related to 1098-T forms

Manage State Income Tax Filings

• Manage state income tax filings through Avalara, coordinating with Finance and external tax advisors to ensure accurate and timely submissions

• Maintain filing calendars, reconcile supporting data, and coordinate required payments

• Monitor filing status and resolve notices, discrepancies, and outstanding items with Avalara and relevant state agencies

Manage State Unemployment Accounts & Filings

• Manage state unemployment insurance accounts, including registrations, account maintenance, and updates to contribution rates

• Ensure accurate and timely quarterly wage reporting and unemployment tax filings, submitting directly when necessary

• Reconcile filings and payments with payroll records and resolve notices or discrepancies with state agencies

Ensure Compliance & Operational Rigor

• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations

• Support audits, reconciliations, and reporting requirements

• Serve as system owner for Rippling (payroll + HRIS) and partner systems like Fidelity (401k)

• Support equity-related administration in partnership with Carta, as needed

We’re excited about you because you have…

• 6+ years of hands-on payroll experience, with direct ownership of end-to-end payroll processing

• Strong experience managing payroll systems — Rippling strongly preferred

• Proven ability to identify and implement process improvements in payroll operations

• Experience administering benefits programs and partnering with brokers/vendors

• Knowledge of multi-state payroll compliance (NY experience strongly preferred)

• High attention to detail and strong operational rigor

• Ability to operate independently and take full ownership in a fast-paced environment

Nice to have:

• Experience supporting payroll through periods of company growth or system change (e.g., scaling headcount, moving off a PEO, system migrations)

• Experience partnering closely with Finance teams

What you’ll get:

• A compensation package that includes a base salary ($115,000 - $130,000) + equity grant

  • Actual compensation within the pay range will be decided based on factors including, but not limited to, skills, prior relevant experience, and specific work location. For roles that are available to be filled remotely, base salary will be localized.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) match

• Fertility benefits via Carrot

• Flexible Time Away + paid holidays

• In-office lunches for our NY Office (did we mention, we’re dog friendly? 🐶)

• Hybrid work schedule (Mon & Fri remote; Tues-Thurs in-office)

• Social events - happy hours, birthday celebrations, holiday parties, & more!

• Opportunity to make an impact – you’ll be an integral player in bringing our vision to life

Where we’re located: Tribeca, NY

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer new H-1B visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must already be authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring new H-1B sponsorship.