Payroll Specialist

Overview

This role involves owning accurate, timely payroll for employees across the US and multiple other countries, ensuring compliance with applicable tax and labor rules. The position also focuses on improving payroll operations using AI and automation to reduce manual effort, detect issues before payroll closes, and keep processes aligned with country-by-country regulatory changes.

Responsibilities

Run global payroll

• Process payroll for employees in the US and multiple other countries in partnership with finance and people teams, and with in-country agencies and providers
• Calculate wages and other compensation, including equity-based awards and variable pay
• Manage multi-currency payroll, including exchange rate handling
• Handle garnishments, benefits deductions, off-cycle runs, and other special adjustments
• Maintain compliance with international, federal, and local tax and labor rules; prepare and file payroll tax reports, including quarterly and annual filings
• Support audits tied to workers' compensation, 401(k), and other benefits, ensuring accurate reporting
• Administer leaves of absence in-house, including pay and benefits deductions during leave, coordination with state and statutory programs, and a clean return to payroll

Make the process smarter

• Build pre-payroll checks that flag anomalies in hours, deductions, currency, and new hire or termination data before payroll closes (using AI tools, spreadsheet automation, or light scripting)
• Use AI to track regulatory and statutory changes by country and translate them into concrete actions, confirming each against primary sources and with tax and legal advisors
• Document how payroll runs, including calendars, reconciliation templates, onboarding and offboarding checklists, and maintain a living knowledge base for common questions
• Partner with People Systems and Finance to improve how data moves between HRIS, payroll, benefits, and general ledger systems, and address root causes when issues arise

Partner across the organization

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee payroll questions; use AI-assisted tools to respond faster and handle sensitive personally identifiable information appropriately
• Design and maintain policies and procedures connecting payroll with onboarding, offboarding, and variable compensation
• Maintain an up-to-date view of global headcount costing, including open hiring requisitions, to support planning by Finance and People

Requirements

• 5+ years managing payroll for 500+ employees across multiple countries
• Working knowledge of US and international payroll tax, labor law, and statutory reporting
• Hands-on experience administering leaves of absence (FMLA, state paid family and medical leave, parental, and international statutory leave) and managing the payroll and benefits impact of each
• Hands-on experience with a global payroll or HRIS platform and strong Excel or Google Sheets skills (lookups, pivots, reconciliations)
• Regular use of AI tools in your work; able to explain what you used them for, where they saved time, and where you did not trust the output and checked it
• Systems mindset: understanding of how data flows between HR, payroll, benefits, and finance systems, with the ability to troubleshoot integration and sync issues
• Sound judgment with confidential data, including what belongs in an AI tool and what does not
• Ability to explain pay questions to employees and variances to Finance clearly and without jargon
• Ability to work independently and with a distributed, global team

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Rippling
• Experience with Optum for HSA/FSA administration
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP), Global Payroll Professional (GPC), or equivalent certification
• Experience with tax withholding and reporting on equity compensation across countries
• Experience in a fast-paced startup or in an open-source, AI, or data science company

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary range:
  • $91,000 - $115,000 for candidates in New York City and San Francisco
  • $68,500 - $100,000 for other US-based team members
• Annual bonus potential, equity participation, and benefits
• Benefits include:
  • Flexible Vacation Policy
  • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
  • Short Term and Long Term Disability
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Monthly Wellness Stipend
  • Employee Assistance Program and Mental Health Resources

Location

• Fully remote setup is available.
• Compensation ranges vary by location, including specific ranges for New York City and San Francisco and a different range for other US-based team members.

Application Timeline

• Application deadline: 12/15/2026
• Applicants will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the role is filled.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.