PRETTYBIRD and VENTURELAND are international production companies whose work transcends the boundaries between branded entertainment, music, short and long form film and television projects. With extensive backgrounds in award-winning brand content, music videos, experiential and interactive storytelling, the companies are continually recognized for cultivating talent and developing and producing high-end entertainment for an array of global clients.

Role Summary:

The Head of Payroll and Human Resources is responsible for the implementation of compliant payroll systems and the assurance of Human Resources compliance across multiple states. The successful candidate will manage the onboarding process for all freelance and office personnel. This position entails comprehensive oversight of the Payroll and Human Resources functions, including the advancement of budgeting of staffing plans, employee reviews, onboarding, offboarding, time tracking, and high-volume freelance payroll processing. Additionally, this position will be responsible for benefits administration and employee relations.

The role necessitates a highly detail-oriented, self-motivated, and organized professional who can effectively prioritize deadlines and manage multiple projects as needed. The position requires strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Key Payroll responsibilities:

Lead and optimize large volume freelance onboarding.
Review timecards to ensure they meet all Federal/State and production union regulations and requirements.
Ensure correct interpretation of production union agreements and other provisions.
Work directly with production teams to establish an understanding of their union payroll process, including roles and responsibilities of all parties involved.
Create and maintain metrics to understand our internal processes.
Organize and track all projects, payroll batches, dues, benefit plan contributions, remittances, etc.
Evaluate and recommend continuous improvement initiatives to the payroll and human resource processes by analyzing payroll and shared service trends.
Monitor compliance issues impacting payroll and ensure adherence to wage and hour laws for both freelance and office staff.
Ensure timely and accurate communication of changes to payroll policies, procedures, and regulations.
Help manage internal/external payroll audits.
Drive, review, and audit work performed by our function, including auditing payroll data, ensuring accurate wages, tax withholdings, deductions, and garnishments, and process quarterly tax adjustments, end-of-year payroll tax, and reporting compliance.
Support management on ad hoc and growth-oriented projects such as scalability initiatives and acquisitions.
Drive special projects, including process documentation and improvements, system updates, integrations, upgrades, or implementations, including reimplementing US payroll.
Stay up-to-date with film industry standards and union contracts, and interpretations.
Oversee all payroll changes (e.g. new hires, rate changes) and system upgrades.
Understand proper tax compliance and overtime regulations with relevant laws and internal policies.
Weekly time tracking approval and reconciliation for both staff and freelance workers.
Maintain accurate records and prepare ad hoc payroll reports.
Resolve issues and answer payroll-related questions.
Monitor changes and remain current on legal, regulatory, or governmental requirements.

Experience:

Extensive experience with a large, short-term temporary workforce.
Comprehensive understanding of labor laws in California and other states.
Practical experience with production union payroll processes.
Knowledge of all unions and associated agreements with Commercial, TV, and Theatrical, as well as strong experience working with a union workforce.
Considered an expert or subject matter expert in a multi-union environment (SAG, IATSE, MPI, etc.).
Knowledge and ability to calculate union timecards without software and with respect to their bargaining agreements.
Understanding and commitment to maintaining current knowledge of industry trends, concepts, products, and best practices.
Ability to synthesize complex collective bargaining agreements and mathematical rules.
Proven knowledge of payroll procedures, federal and state laws.
Proven Excel skills with the ability to create files according to specifications.

Personal Characteristics:

Strategic thinker with a long-term vision.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate complex issues to various levels of an organization.
Ethical and principled in financial management and human resource management.
Adaptability and ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Thinks strategically, but stays on top of tactical execution.
Exhibits excellent judgment and has relentlessly high standards.
Results-oriented, resourceful, innovative, with a can-do attitude and attention to detail.

Qualifications:

6+ years of payroll tax, finance, or a related analytical field experience.

The pay range for this full-time staff position is $150,000 - $170,000 per year, which is a good-faith assessment associated with this position only and pursuant to the California Pay Transparency Law. (This is not inclusive of any bonus, commission, benefits, or equity that might exist in your total compensation package.)

Factors that could be used to determine your actual salary may include your specific skills, years of experience, and comparison to current employees already in this role. The total compensation package for this position will also include other elements, a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, including 401(k) eligibility and paid time off benefits.

Job Type: Full-time in-office

Salary: TBD and based on experience

Location: Culver City, CA (Required)

Benefits / Extras offered:

• Health insurance

• Dental and Vision insurance

• 401(k) plan

• Vacation, Personal Days, and Sick Days

• Paid Company Holidays

• Healthy selection of snacks, drinks, and breakfast options