Associate, Payroll Operations

Vestwell is a financial technology company based in New York City that is transforming the savings economy. The Operations Associate will play a crucial role in ensuring payroll accuracy and compliance by independently resolving complex operational issues while collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. Responsibilities You’re flexible, creative, team-oriented, and results-driven, exercising independent judgment within established guidelines while collaborating effectively with both internal and external stakeholders on matters that materially impact payroll accuracy, participant eligibility, deferrals, and overall data integrity Develop and maintain internal and client-facing knowledge bases; independently identify opportunities for incremental process improvements and raise recommendations through appropriate channels based on investigative analysis, trend identification, and assessment of operational risk and efficiency Support and guide team members by monitoring workload volume, exercising discretion in day-to-day prioritization, and ensuring timely and accurate remediation of a high volume of complex operational issues in accordance with established standards including determining urgency, client impact, and appropriate escalation paths Collaborate with teams across the Vestwell organization to surface operational insights, document trends, and contribute input on platform enhancements and procedural efficiencies informed by firsthand analysis of recurring issues and fact-specific operational scenarios Maximize team efficiency through timely completion of assigned tasks and projects, using independent judgment to triage, sort, and assign incoming work across platforms based on urgency and service-level expectations rather than applying predefined or rote outcomes Identify, investigate, and resolve discrepancies in high-priority payroll, deferrals, eligibility, and related activities by applying established processes and exercising discretion in analysis, escalation, and resolution to ensure data accuracy and compliance with ERISA and related regulatory requirements as applied to specific factual situations Skills Strong Excel proficiency (e.g., pivot tables, VLOOKUPs) to analyze data and support operational decision-making within defined parameters including evaluating risk, prioritization, and remediation options Comfort working in a start-up environment with autonomy over task execution and prioritization, while operating within established policies and procedures that require judgment in interpretation and application, rather than mechanical execution Exceptional analytical and detail-oriented aptitude; a high degree of accuracy and sound judgment is required as the role regularly affects compliance outcomes, client experience, and operational continuity Ability to manage time effectively, balance competing priorities, and meet deadlines with minimal supervision while independently determining sequencing and urgency of work Strong verbal and written communication skills to clearly document findings, explain recommendations, and escalate issues appropriately based on assessed risk, complexity, and business impact Problem-solving skills, including the ability to research, analyze, and apply judgment to determine appropriate next steps or escalation paths recognizing that decisions may be subject to review but require meaningful discretion Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of formal education and work experience 1 year of relevant experience in Financial Services, Operations, or SaaS industries Payroll system experience Proficiency with productivity tools, especially JIRA Retirement industry experience including exposure to ERISA-governed processes or regulated operational environments Benefits Competitive health coverage Generous vacation offering Great 401(k) plan Company Overview Vestwell is the backbone of the modern savings economy; a fintech company powering savings for retirement, education, and healthcare. It was founded in 2016, and is headquartered in New York, New York, USA, with a workforce of 201-500 employees. Its website is