Payroll and Benefits Manager

Payroll and Benefits Manager LocationNew York HQ Address55 5th Ave #1701, New York, New York , 10003Employment TypeFull timeLocation TypeOn-siteDepartmentPeopleCompensation$140K – $160K • Offers EquityAt Avoca, we believe compensation should reflect the value people bring and set them up to share in what we're building. Our total compensation package includes a competitive base salary, equity, and a comprehensive benefits suite covering medical, dental, and vision insurance, a company-sponsored 401(k), flexible PTO, and daily in-office meals. Final compensation is determined by experience, skills, and qualifications, and our recruiting team will walk you through the full details as you move through the process.About AvocaAvoca is transforming how home service companies engage with their customers. Our AI-powered conversational agents handle every high-value inbound call, from booking jobs, qualifying leads, and driving higher revenue, all at a speed and consistency unmatched by human call centers.We're a Series B startup backed by Kleiner Perkins, Meritech Capital, General Catalyst, and other top-tier investors, with $125M raised and a $1B valuation. We grew 10x in 2025 and have scaled to 130+ employees in under two years across our NYC headquarters and Santa Barbara office.In a $1T+ market where 85% of missed calls go to competitors, we're building the category-defining platform for AI-driven customer engagement, serving the largest brands in home services. With high-energy, in-office teams in both locations, every hire here has an immediate and visible impact.About the RoleAs Avoca scales to 300+ employees and contractors globally, we need a dedicated owner for payroll, benefits, equity, and compliance. This role will ensure the fundamentals are flawless — accurate payroll, smooth benefits administration, clean equity tracking, and compliant filings across jurisdictions — while building scalable processes and controls for continued growth. This is a new role reporting to the People Operations Lead.What You’ll DoOwn end-to-end payroll for U.S. and international employees and contractorsManage employee compensation changes, including new hires, terminations, compensation adjustments, and off-cycle payments across currencies and time zonesAdminister Carta equity workflows, including grants, vesting, exercises, terminations, and employee equity questionsOwn multi-state and international compliance, including tax registrations, statutory filings, worker classification, wage and hour requirements, and equity-related regulatory requirementsOwn benefits administration, including enrollments, qualifying life events, vendor coordination, employee questions, and compliance-related benefits processesMonitor regulatory changes as Avoca expands into new states and countries, proactively identifying risks before they become issuesReconcile payroll and equity with Finance monthly across all entities, and lead year-end compliance activities including W-2s, 1099s, and international equivalentsServe as the primary point of contact for questions related to payroll, equity, and complianceBuild scalable processes and controls that can support 2-3x growth in headcount and geographic footprintWhat You’ll Bring5+ years of experience owning payroll, equity administration, and related compliance, ideally at a startup scaling across multiple states and countriesDirect experience managing payroll and worker-classification compliance across multiple U.S. states and at least one international marketHands-on experience with Rippling and Carta, or comparable payroll, HRIS, and equity administration systemsStrong process-building instincts — you’ve created controls, workflows, and documentation from the ground up, not just operated within existing systemsAdvanced Excel skills and a detail-oriented control mindset for reconciliations, audits, reporting, and payroll accuracyClear, calm, and empathetic communication style when supporting employees through...