Manager, Payroll & Equity Accounting

Overview

The organization is seeking a Manager, Payroll & Equity Accounting to serve as the process owner and primary escalation point for payroll operations and to lead the accounting and payroll/tax execution associated with equity compensation.

This hands-on, manager-level role leads end-to-end, multi-state U.S. payroll, including base pay, variable and incentive compensation, vehicle reimbursements, and equity-related payments. The role establishes review standards, controls, and vendor accountability to ensure accurate and timely results.

Rather than owning equity administration, this manager partners with the Director, Technical Accounting & SEC Reporting to translate equity activity into accurate payroll treatment, stock-based compensation accounting, reconciliations, and financial reporting support. Working across Finance, HR, Legal, and external providers, the Manager resolves complex payroll, tax, accounting, and control issues and leads process and system improvements. Independent judgment is required to influence cross-functional decisions and build scalable processes as the organization grows.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead full-cycle, multi-state U.S. payroll operations for exempt and non-exempt employees, including incentive-based and equity-related payments, with accountability for accuracy, timeliness, compliance, and final review.
• Establish and manage payroll workflows, review checkpoints, escalation paths, adjustments, and amendments to ensure transactions are processed accurately, timely, and in accordance with established controls.
• Partner with HR, Finance, and other process owners to establish clear data handoffs, resolve discrepancies, and ensure employee and compensation data are complete, timely, and synchronized across systems.
• Prepare and review monthly payroll journal entries, bonus accruals, and related payroll accounting entries; investigate variances and ensure accurate support for the financial close.
• Partner with the Director, Technical Accounting & SEC Reporting to obtain and validate equity award activity (grants, exercises, releases, forfeitures, and other award changes), ensuring complete and accurate data is available for payroll, accounting, and reporting purposes.
• Prepare and maintain stock-based compensation expense workbooks and related monthly journal entries, reconciling source data and resolving discrepancies in partnership with the Director, Technical Accounting & SEC Reporting and Finance leadership.
• Own monthly reconciliations for payroll-related accounts; investigate reconciling items, aging issues, and recurring variances through timely resolution.
• Coordinate equity-related payroll events and payments in partnership with the Director, Technical Accounting & SEC Reporting by validating employee data, timing, withholding, and tax treatment before payroll execution.
• Lead quarterly and year-end payroll activities, including review of payroll filings, amendments, W-2 and 1099 reporting, and related reconciliations; escalate material issues and drive them to resolution.
• Own execution and ongoing improvement of payroll-related SOX controls, maintain audit-ready documentation, coordinate control testing, and drive timely remediation of identified payroll control gaps; support equity-related controls in partnership with the Director, Technical Accounting & SEC Reporting.
• Oversee review of international payroll processed through global Employer of Record (EOR) providers; validate key inputs and outputs, manage escalations, and hold vendors accountable to service and contractual expectations.
• Reconcile payroll data across payroll, benefits, 401(k), equity, and general-ledger interfaces; identify root causes of discrepancies and coordinate corrective actions with the appropriate process owner.
• Lead payroll audit support for internal and external reviews by providing complete, audit-ready evidence; coordinate equity-related support with the Director, Technical Accounting & SEC Reporting and other control owners.
• Lead payroll process improvements, system enhancements, automation opportunities, and risk-mitigation initiatives; define requirements, coordinate testing, document changes, and monitor adoption and results.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex payroll and equity-related pay inquiries, resolve issues with urgency and discretion, identify recurring themes, and implement preventive process improvements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Seven (7) years of progressive payroll experience, including demonstrated ownership or lead responsibility for a complex, multi-state payroll function in a publicly traded or similarly regulated environment; biotech, pharma, or life sciences experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with equity-related payroll events, incentive compensation, tax withholding, stock-based compensation accounting support, vehicle reimbursements, and other complex compensation arrangements; experience partnering with a dedicated equity administration function strongly preferred.
• Hands-on expertise with Rippling, ADP, or a comparable payroll platform, including configuration, testing, reporting, issue resolution, and vendor escalation.
• Demonstrated experience owning payroll-related SOX controls and leading payroll audit support, including documentation, testing coordination, issue resolution, and remediation.
• Experience reviewing international payroll through EOR or global payroll models and managing third-party service quality, escalations, and reconciliations.
• Work Authorization for US Applicants: Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

Preferred Qualifications

• Biotech, pharma, or life sciences experience.
• Experience partnering with a dedicated equity administration function.

Compensation & Benefits

• Highly competitive salaries
• Annual performance/merit reviews
• Annual performance bonuses
• Equity and special recognition

Well-Being Benefits:

• Eligibility begins the 1st of the month after hire.
• Fully remote work environment
• Rest and recharge benefits — unlimited flexible time off
• Holidays: In 2026 we will observe 14 holidays
• Retirement: 401(k) with 100% Safe Harbor match up to 4% of base salary
• Health (medical, dental, vision): PPO & HDHP — Cigna/Principal
• Health spending accounts: HSA (with Annual Company Contribution), FSA, FSA-DC
• Illness & disability protection: company paid LTD coverage + voluntary plans
• Life insurance: company paid 2 x base salary + voluntary plans
• Additional exclusive benefits: voluntary legal, pet, plus more

Location

Fully remote work environment.