Payroll Specialist
Waltham, Massachusetts /
G&A – Finance /
Full-Time
/ Hybrid
Who We Are
Cogent Biosciences is a publicly traded biotechnology company developing real solutions to treat genetically driven diseases. With a focus on rational drug discovery and development, we are leveraging validated biology to advance precision therapies designed to address the true underlying drivers of disease and provide real hope for patients. Cogent’s lead therapeutic candidate, bezuclastinib (CGT9486), is a precision kinase inhibitor designed to selectively and potently inhibit the KIT D816V mutation. This mutation is responsible for driving a rare and serious condition called Systemic Mastocytosis (SM), which can severely impact many different tissues and organs in the body. We are also studying CGT9486 to treat advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), which have a strong dependence on oncogenic KIT signaling. We are currently enrolling two Phase 2 clinical trials for patients with SM and a global Phase 3 trial for GIST patients.
Our Team
The Role
Reporting to the Senior Director, Controller, we are seeking a Payroll Specialist who can provide end-to-end management of our payroll processes. These include maintaining all appropriate payroll files, reports, and documentation in a secure and confidential manner while maintaining a robust control environment.
Responsibilities
- Complete all onboarding tasks and coordinating with HR on and open items.
- Maintain employee records in the payroll and 401(k) systems.
- Ensure accurate and timely processing of payroll updates including new hires, terminations and changes to pay rates for hourly and salaried employees.
- Manage timecards and time entry in the timekeeping system for hourly employees.
- Process all equity and stock compensation activity in payroll.
- Manage the third party payroll for ex-US employees.
- Manage all payroll tax related processes, including quarterly and year-end filings.
- Create and manage state withholding UI/SUTA accounts for remote work positions/locations with the appropriate state agencies and ensure wages are recorded correctly. Notifies state agencies when locations close/remote positions end.
- Administer the ADP WFN system.
- Maintain and establish pay policies, payroll calendars, payroll checklists and other documentation.
- Respond to employee payroll related questions in a timely manner.
- Manage, maintain and implement interfaces between ADP WFN and other benefits and HR systems.
- Work with the accounting team to provide timely reports for financial close and partner with the team to ensure accurate payroll journal entries are recorded timely.
- Ensure all payroll controls are executed timely and consistently and appropriate documentation is maintained to support execution of all payroll controls and compliance with SOX 404(b) requirements.
- Act as the primary contact for 401(k) compliance tasks, Form 5500 filing and 401(k) audit.
- Assist the HR team with benefits requests.
- Assist with the workers compensation audit and insurance applications.
- Responsible for ensuring the timely year-end processing and distribution of W-2s.
- Develop and provide reporting to finance and accounting teams for budget and actual reporting and reviews.
- Populating information for upload to the equity system and assistance to the accounting team with equity grant administration.
- Performs other duties related to payroll as assigned.
Other tasks will include:
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and 2+ years payroll related experience.
- Detail oriented, ensuring accuracy with a strong “employee service” attitude.
- Ability to handle confidential information.
- ADP WFN experience required.
- Experience with multi state payroll and tax set up.
- Experience with 401(k) plans, including audit and compliance tasks required.
- Experience in a SOX controls environment required.
- Strong problem solving skills and an ability to prioritize and multitask.
- Experience with equity administration a plus.
Compensation
- Salary: $75,000 - $105,000
- Target Bonus: 10%
Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.
