Payroll Manager

Spacecraft represent the most pressing unmet need across the entire aerospace industry. As more launch vehicles come online and the cost to orbit decreases, more companies launching payloads to space continue to emerge.

For the first time in history, this influx of payload companies combined with reduced launch costs has resulted in a massive increase in need for commercial spacecraft platforms, known as satellite buses. These buses hold the payloads of our customers and are flown on launch vehicles.

Apex manufactures these satellite buses at scale using a combination of software, vertical integration, and hardware that is designed for manufacturing. Our spacecraft enable the future of society: ranging from earth observation to communications and more.

We’d love for you to join us on our mission of providing humankind access to the galaxy beyond our planet.

About the Role

We are seeking a Payroll Manager to own payroll operations and controls for a fast-growing engineering and manufacturing environment. This role will be responsible for accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing while building scalable processes, reconciliations, reporting, and controls to support continued company growth. The ideal candidate is a hands-on payroll expert who can operate in the details while also identifying risk, improving controls, and partnering cross-functionally.
Payroll Operations

• Own end-to-end payroll processing for exempt and non-exempt employees across a multi-state workforce. We may potentially grow to an international workforce, so this is a great opportunity for you to grow, too!

• Manage our payroll calendar, payroll inputs, approvals, exception handling, and submission process.

• Partner with managers to ensure timecards, missed punches, corrections, and approvals are completed accurately and on time.

• Process recurring and ad hoc payroll changes, including bonuses, commissions, referral bonuses, relocation payments, retro pay, final pay, corrections, reimbursements, and other variable earnings.

• Process garnishments, tax levies, wage orders, and related employee or agency correspondence.

• Support year-end payroll activities, including W-2 review, taxable fringe benefits, imputed income, corrections, and amendments.

• Act as first point-of-contact for employee-related inquiries regarding their pay.

Payroll Compliance & Controls

• Ensure payroll practices comply with applicable federal, state, and local payroll, tax, and wage and hour requirements, with particular focus on California compliance.

• Own multi-state payroll tax compliance processes, including new state registrations, agency setup, quarterly filings, notices, withholding, SUI, local tax, and ongoing compliance tracking.

• Partner with Accounting and Finance on payroll close activities, including payroll journal entries and accrual support across various pay and deduction codes

• Partner with People Ops, Legal, Accounting, Finance, payroll vendors, and tax agencies to resolve payroll-related audits, employee inquiries, agency notices, registration issues, and compliance matters.

Systems, Reporting & Process Improvement

• Partner with People Ops on payroll system configuration, pay rules, workflows, integrations, reporting, and system changes in Rippling.

• Build and maintain scalable payroll reporting, dashboards, and operational metrics

• Build and maintain scalable payroll SOPs

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience, preferably in a high-growth environment.

• Strong experience processing payroll for exempt and non-exempt employees.

• Deep working knowledge of California wage and hour requirements, including overtime, meal/rest premiums, final pay, sick time, wage statements, and regular rate of pay considerations.

• Experience with multi-state payroll tax registrations, filings, agency notices, and payroll tax compliance.

• Strong understanding of payroll accounting, reconciliations, payroll liabilities, accruals, and month-end close partnership.

• Experience auditing payroll-impacting deductions, retirement contributions, imputed income, taxable fringe benefits, or similar payroll-adjacent items.

• Strong analytical skills and comfort working with payroll data, reports, reconciliations, and exception analysis.

• High attention to detail, sound judgment, and ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

• Ability to operate independently while partnering effectively across People, Accounting, Finance, Legal, and business teams.

• Experience building payroll processes, SOPs, controls, and scalable operating rhythms.

• Experience with modern HRIS/payroll systems; Rippling experience is a plus.

• CPP or FPC certification is a plus.

• U.S. Person status is required as this position needs to access export controlled data.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing, aerospace, defense, hardware, or another environment with both exempt and non-exempt populations.

• Experience with multi-shift, 24/7 labor shifts

• Experience supporting payroll during rapid headcount growth.

• Familiarity with commission, bonus, relocation, referral, and other variable compensation processing.

• Experience with payroll audits, workers’ compensation audits, 401(k) audits, benefits audits, or financial statement support.

• Experience partnering with external payroll vendors, tax agencies, benefits brokers, auditors, and accounting teams.

Why Join Apex?

Apex believes in creating a work environment that you look forward to embracing every day. Our employees love working at Apex, and we want you to love it too. We're a fast-growing startup that has raised more than $500M in funding, and we invest heavily in our people from day one.

What We Offer For Full-time Employees:

• Shared upside: Receive equity in Apex, letting you benefit from the work you create

• Best-in-class healthcare: 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision for you and your dependents, plus $100k life insurance at no cost

• Comprehensive PTO package to reset and recharge - starting at 15 days vacation, growing to 20+ days annually, plus 10 paid holidays

• Competitive 401(k) plan with generous matching - 100% match on first 3%, 50% on next 2%

• 8 weeks paid parental leave plus childcare reimbursement up to $350/day for work-related travel

• Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks to keep you fueled throughout the day

• Vibrant community: Monthly office socials, pickleball tournaments, run club, and gatherings for you and your family

• Your dream desk setup and all the tools you need to be your most productive self

• World-class Playa Vista office with the benefit of in-person collaboration with amazing coworkers and flexibility to integrate work and life

• Real impact opportunity: Work alongside experts from aerospace, new space, and other cutting-edge industries to make a lasting difference

Ready to join a team where your contributions matter and your future is bright? Let's build something extraordinary together.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Apex Technology, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.