Sr. Manager of Payroll and T&E

Alliance Resource Group is partnered with a venture-backed advanced technology company in the South Bay on their search for a Manager or Sr. Manager of Payroll and T&E. The company recently closed a significant funding round at a multi-billion-dollar valuation and is in a high-growth phase, scaling headcount quickly across multiple states. This is a greenfield seat and the first dedicated payroll and T&E hire on the team, reporting directly to the Corporate Controller. The role is hands‑on day one with full ownership of payroll processing and the T&E program, plus building out the systems, controls, and policy infrastructure that will scale with the company. The current payroll and T&E platforms are implemented but need to be optimized and built out further. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Own end-to-end payroll processing for a rapidly growing, multi-state employee base, ensuring accuracy and timeliness across the payroll cycle Maintain payroll records and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour laws, tax regulations, and reporting requirements Oversee payroll tax filings, reconciliations, W-2 preparation, and year-end close Partner with HR on new hires, terminations, leaves of absence, compensation adjustments, and benefits deductions, and serve as the primary point of contact for employee payroll inquiries Continuously evaluate and improve payroll processes, systems, and controls Administer the company's T&E program, including policy governance, expense report review and approval workflows, reimbursement processing, and IRS compliance Manage relationships with T&E platform vendors and corporate card program administrators, and produce regular reporting and analytics on spend trends Educate employees and managers on T&E policy, update policy as business needs evolve, and support related system implementations, upgrades, and integrations REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field 5+ years of payroll experience in a fast-paced, high-growth environment, including multi-state payroll Experience administering a corporate T&E program Solid understanding of federal and multi-state payroll tax law, wage and hour regulations, year-end activities, and IRS requirements for T&E reimbursement Proficiency with a major payroll system (Rippling, ADP, Workday, or similar) and Microsoft Excel Builder mindset with specific examples of taking a payroll or T&E function from a low baseline to streamlined and scalable Highly organized and detail-oriented with strong discretion handling confidential information PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation Hands-on experience with Rippling Experience with Ramp or similar expense management platforms Experience partnering with HR and Finance on compensation planning, audits, or system implementations Exposure to multi-entity, multi-currency, or international payroll Comfort working in ambiguous, rapidly changing environments #J-18808-Ljbffr