Payroll and Benefits Manager (remote US)

Job Summary

Reporting to the Head of Human Resources, the Payroll and Benefits Manager will oversee the organization’s payroll functions and day-to-day operations of group benefit programs. This role ensures timely, accurate, and compliant payroll practices for Savara’s US operations. A keen attention to detail, strong ability to maintain confidentiality, and understanding of compliant payroll and benefits administration practices is key to this role’s success. 

Core Responsibilities

• Implements, maintains, and reviews payroll processing systems to ensure timely and accurate processing of payroll transactions including salaries, benefits, garnishments, taxes, and other deductions, creating a consistent employee experience across geographies: 
  • Processes bi-weekly non-exempt payroll and semi-monthly exempt US payroll. 
  • Reviews payroll pre-process in Savara’s other countries on a monthly basis. 
  • Processes special payrolls for equity, bonuses, etc. as needed. 
• Ensures accurate and timely processing of payroll updates including new hires, terminations, and changes to pay rates. 
• Ensures timesheets are completed timely and accurately. 
• Prepares and maintains accurate records and reports of payroll transactions. 
• Manages the end-to-end leave of absence process from a payroll perspective, including calculating pay adjustments, managing benefit deductions/arrears, coordinating with third-party administrators, and ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations. 
• Maintains SOX compliance for all payroll activities 
• Ensures compliance with company documented policies, federal, state, and local payroll, wage, and hour laws and best practices. 
• Defines and maintains a payroll schedule for all employees. 
• Participates in audit process as it relates to payroll 
• Answers employee questions as it relates to payroll, escalating as needed 
• Liaise with third party payroll tax manager, ensuring compliance as a multi-state employer 

Benefits and Leave Administration

• Administers benefits processing, including enrollments, COBRA, terminations, changes, compliance testing, distributions, and other employee changes. 
• Manages yearly open enrollment period from the back end, ensuring systems and materials are accurate and prepared timely 
• Reconciles benefits on a monthly basis, running reports to ensure accuracy of enrollments and billing. 
• Completes annual ACA filing. 
• Maintain materials for benefits orientations, open enrollment and summary plan descriptions. 
• Coordinate 401(k) annual notices, respond to employee questions, and conduct nondiscrimination testing 
• Manages the full lifecycle of employee leaves of absence (LOA) from initial notification and eligibility determination to documentation, tracking, and the return-to-work process- ensuring compliance with FMLA, ADA, state and local regulations, and company policy. 
• Answer employee questions about their benefits and LOA

HR Systems

• Manages Savara’s US HRIS, ADP Workforce Now, and benefits enrollment platform, Employee Navigator. 
• Ensures data integrity and privacy of sensitive employee information. 
• Identifies and recommends updates to software, systems, and procedures. 
• Create and maintain user guides for all HR systems 

Other duties and projects as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• At least five years of experience managing multi-state payroll processes
• Experience with ADP Workforce Now strongly preferred
• Experience running equity payroll for publicly traded companies preferred
• A keen attention to detail and ability to maintain strict confidentiality 
• Strong working knowledge of payroll compliance and leaves of absence within the US 
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing 
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Experience managing broker and vendor relationships preferred
• Experience within Life Sciences preferred

Work Schedule and Location

• This role is remote within the US and requires availability to work US Eastern Time Zone.
• Travel to the office outside of Philadelphia may be required based on business need.

Savara provides Comprehensive Benefits including:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Flexible Spending Account for health care and dependent care expenses and Health Savings Account
• Paid time off and paid holidays, including Dec 24-Jan 1
• Paid parental leave
• 401(k) with highly competitive match
• Life, AD&D, STD and LTD insurance coverage
• Other supplemental insurance programs

Savara’s compensation for this role will include a base salary, bonus, and equity.  The role will be filled at a Manager or Senior Manager level. The base salary range for this role is $105,000 to $140,000.

About Savara

Savara is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on rare respiratory diseases. The company's lead program, molgramostim nebulizer solution, is in Phase 3 development for autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (aPAP). Savara's management team has extensive experience in rare respiratory diseases and pulmonary medicine, advancing product candidates to approval and commercialization.