Payroll Manager

Responsibilities

• Own and execute the full payroll cycle for all US and international employees and contractors, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with federal, state, and local requirements.
• Administer and maintain payroll operations within Rippling HCM, including pay runs, tax setup, deductions, and employee data integrity.
• Act as the primary liaison between the People and Finance teams, ensuring payroll-related information (new hires, terminations, pay changes, leaves, commission/bonus data) flows accurately with no gaps or delays.
• Partner with department and business unit leaders to process commission and bonus payouts, ensuring calculations, approvals, and timing align with plan documents and policy.
• Lead payroll compliance across all US states and applicable federal requirements, including wage and hour law, tax and unemployment insurance obligations, unclaimed property, and benefits-related payroll reporting.
• Serve as subject matter expert on multi-state payroll compliance, with particular depth in California, New York, Texas, and Florida.
• Manage year-end payroll processes, including W-2 preparation, tax filings, and audits.
• Respond to payroll-related inquiries from employees and managers, resolving discrepancies quickly and professionally.
• Maintain and improve payroll policies, procedures, and internal controls; identify opportunities to automate or streamline processes.
• Partner with Finance to explain and reconcile payroll expense changes at month-end close, providing variance context and supporting documentation.
• Work with the Strategic Finance team on headcount planning, providing payroll cost data, forecasts, and scenario modeling as needed.
• Support internal and external audits related to payroll, tax, and compliance.
• Support other ad hoc payroll-related projects as needed.

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience, including full ownership of multi-state payroll cycles.
• Hands-on experience with Rippling HCM.
• Strong working knowledge of payroll compliance requirements across all US states; direct experience in California, New York, Texas, and/or Florida is a plus.
• Experience working cross-functionally between People/HR and Finance teams, with excellent stakeholder communication skills.
• Solid understanding of payroll accounting concepts, including how payroll expenses flow into month-end close.
• Demonstrated experience processing commission and bonus payouts in partnership with cross-functional business teams.
• Highly detail-oriented, organized, and comfortable managing competing deadlines.

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience supporting headcount planning or workforce cost forecasting with a Strategic Finance/FP&A team.
• Prior experience in a high-growth or remote-first organization.
• CPP certification.