Manager, Payroll & Benefits

About the Role

Join Rocket Pharma, a fully integrated, late-stage biotechnology company advancing gene therapies with curative potential for patients with rare and life-threatening diseases. We are a team of creative, compassionate, and driven individuals united by a profound mission of seeking gene therapy cures. The Payroll & Benefits Manager is responsible for the end-to-end administration of employee benefits, leave programs, and payroll operations. Reporting to the Associate Director, Payroll & Compliance, this role ensures accurate, compliant, and efficient processing of payroll while delivering a high-quality employee experience across benefits and leave management. The position partners closely with Finance, People Operations, and external vendors to maintain operational excellence and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Manage full-cycle payroll processing across exempt and non-exempt employees
• Ensure timely and accurate payroll execution in Workday Payroll
• Maintain payroll compliance with federal, state, and local regulations
• Partner with Finance on payroll reconciliations, accruals, and reporting
• Process and reconcile equity events (RSUs), including taxation and coordination with external providers
• Oversee day-to-day administration of health, welfare, and retirement programs
• Manage benefits billing, reconciliation, and vendor payments
• Ensure accurate eligibility, enrollments, and life event processing
• Serve as primary point of contact for employee benefits inquiries
• Administer all leave programs including FMLA, state leaves, and company policies
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal and state regulations
• Partner with employees and managers to support seamless leave experiences
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations (e.g., ACA, ERISA, FLSA)
• Support audits and maintain documentation for payroll and benefits processes and controls

Qualifications

• 5 years of experience in payroll and benefits administration, preferably in a public company
• Experience processing multi-state payroll, including exempt and non-exempt required, experience with equity and RSU payrolls preferred
• Experience with Workday Payroll and Time and Attendance highly preferred
• Experience with benefits billing and vendor management
• Experience with leave of absence administration and compliance requirements
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage complex, sensitive data
• Experience with SOX controls, audits, and compliance frameworks highly preferred

Pay

The expected salary range for this position is $120,000 to $150,000.

Benefits

• Competitive total rewards package including bonuses (short-term incentives)
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance
• 401(k) with company match and generous vesting
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Global shutdown days between Christmas and New Year’s
• Variety of wellness resources and employee support programs
• Equity awards (long-term incentives) for eligible positions