Senior Manager, Payroll

About the Role As our Senior Manager of Payroll, you will be the end-to-end owner of U.S. payroll operations across a complex, high-growth environment — processing weekly, biweekly, and semi-monthly payroll cycles with precision and care. You'll manage one direct report and play a pivotal role in building the infrastructure and processes that will scale with us as we grow. This is a high-impact, high-visibility role at the intersection of People, Finance, and Operations — and a unique opportunity to shape how payroll is done. If you are someone who thrives on ownership, loves solving complex operational problems, and wants to help build something from the ground up, this role is for you. What You'll Do End-to-End Payroll Operations Own and execute all U.S. payroll runs — weekly, biweekly, and semi-monthly — with a zero-tolerance standard for errors or delays Manage and mentor one direct report, fostering a culture of accountability, growth, and operational excellence Serve as the internal subject-matter expert on all things payroll, responding to employee inquiries with speed and accuracy Maintain rigorous payroll records and documentation to support audits, compliance reviews, and internal reporting Compliance & Regulatory Oversight Ensure full compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations across all jurisdictions where Commure operates Maintain deep, current knowledge of California labor laws — including wage and hour rules, overtime requirements, pay stub compliance, and final pay obligations Proactively monitor regulatory changes and implement policy or process updates to maintain compliance ahead of effective dates Partner with Legal and HR to manage complex leave scenarios, garnishments, equity-related payroll events, and other non-routine payroll matters People & Payroll Partnership Build a best-in-class People & Payroll integration by partnering closely with the People team to streamline workflows around onboarding, offboarding, leaves of absence, compensation changes, and benefits deductions Drive process standardization to reduce manual touchpoints and increase the accuracy of payroll inputs originating from People systems Champion a seamless employee payroll experience, ensuring clarity, timeliness, and trust in every paycheck Payroll Accounting & Finance Partnership Collaborate with the Accounting team to ensure timely and accurate payroll journal entries, account reconciliations, and period-end close activities Support payroll-related audit requests and ensure the integrity of payroll data flowing into the general ledger Partner with FP&A on headcount-related forecasting, accruals, and variance analysis tied to compensation and benefits HRIS & Systems Leadership Lead or co-lead the evaluation, selection, and implementation of a new global HRIS and payroll management platform, serving as the primary payroll voice in vendor assessments and implementation workstreams Define and document requirements for payroll system integrations, data flows, and reporting structures that can scale with a multinational workforce Continuously identify and implement process improvements and automation to increase efficiency, reduce manual effort, and improve data accuracy across payroll operations What You Have Experience 7+ years of progressive payroll experience, with meaningful tenure in a high-growth, mid-stage startup or similarly fast-paced environment Demonstrated experience managing multi-state and multi-national payroll operations, with hands-on ownership across the full payroll lifecycle Prior experience managing or mentoring direct reports in a payroll or HR operations context Track record of navigating complex environments and building scalable payroll infrastructure from the ground up Technical Knowledge Deep, practical knowledge of California labor laws — including wage and hour regulations, final pay rules, pay stub requirements, and leave administration Strong working knowledge of federal and multi-state payroll compliance requirements, tax withholding, and reporting obligations (W-2s, 1099s, etc.) High proficiency with Rippling is preferred Familiarity with payroll accounting principles, journal entries, and reconciliation processes in ERP environments (NetSuite experience a plus) Systems & Implementation Experience leading or meaningfully contributing to an HRIS or payroll platform implementation is a significant advantage Comfortable evaluating, scoping, and partnering on the rollout of new systems in a fast-moving, resource-constrained environment Hands-on experience with payroll integrations and data mapping across HRIS, ERP, and benefits platforms Soft Skills & Mindset True "builder" mentality — you don't wait for perfect conditions; you create structure, build the playbook, and improve as you go Extreme ownership: you take responsibility for outcomes, follow through on commitments, and raise issues proactively before they become problems Exceptional attention to detail paired with the ability to see the bigger picture and prioritize ruthlessly Strong communicator with the ability to translate complex payroll and compliance topics for non-payroll stakeholders across People, Finance, and Leadership Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, scaling environment where priorities evolve and adaptability is essential Cultural Expectations Acting with urgency and accountability — delivering results quickly without compromising accuracy or compliance Partnering across functions to proactively identify and resolve high-impact challenges Building solutions that are both effective today and scalable for tomorrow, especially with IPO-readiness in mind Leading with collaboration, empathy, and a commitment to our mission Thriving in an environment where priorities can shift quickly, and adaptability is key #J-18808-Ljbffr