Payroll Manager

The Role:

We’re looking for a Payroll Manager to own and manage end-to-end payroll operations across our global workforce. This role is critical to ensuring payroll accuracy, compliance, and consistently high-quality employee experience as we scale.

This is a senior individual contributor role with full accountability for payroll execution. The ideal candidate brings deep, hands-on payroll experience, sound judgment, and a high bar for accuracy. While this role does not require deep Workday payroll configuration expertise, functional experience working within Workday is preferred. This individual will partner closely with People Operations, Finance, and external payroll vendors to ensure payroll is processed correctly, on time, and in compliance across jurisdictions. While this role does not have direct reports, it carries significant trust, visibility, and responsibility.

Responsibilities:

• Own end-to-end global payroll processing through Workday, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Manage global payroll operations through external vendors, including Deel and WeConnect, ensuring accurate and compliant processing across countries.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for payroll vendors, managing relationships, issue resolution, escalations, and ongoing process improvements.
• Partner closely with Finance on payroll reconciliations, audits, accruals, and reporting.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable payroll laws and regulations, including multi-state requirements.
• Manage payroll inputs related to onboarding, offboarding, job changes, bonuses, and leaves of absence.
• Conduct regular payroll audits and reconciliations to identify and resolve discrepancies.
• Own and coordinate key payroll close activities, including quarter-end and year-end processes, audits, and required tax reporting (e.g., W-2 preparation and filings), ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
• Oversee payroll-related state and local tax setup, ensuring accurate registration, withholding, and unemployment accounts are established and maintained as we operate across jurisdictions.
• Support internal partners and audits by providing timely payroll data, reconciliations, and ad hoc reporting, ensuring accuracy and clear documentation.
• Maintain payroll documentation, controls, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Respond to employee payroll inquiries with professionalism, discretion, and a high bar for service.
• Identify opportunities to streamline payroll processes, reduce manual effort, and improve accuracy through improved workflows and vendor capabilities.
• Partner with People Operations to ensure accurate employee data flow between HRIS and payroll systems.

Skills and Qualifications:

• 5+ years of payroll experience, with direct ownership of global payroll processing.
• Strong working knowledge of global payroll laws, tax regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Experience managing international payroll vendors and multi-country payroll operations.
• Hands-on experience working in Workday payroll or Workday-integrated payroll environments.
• Highly detail-oriented with strong reconciliation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable operating independently in a high-trust, high-accountability role.
• Strong communication skills and ability to partner effectively with Finance, People Operations, and external vendors.
• Experience supporting a scaling or high-growth organization.

Bonus Skills and Qualifications:

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or equivalent certification.
• Experience supporting payroll audits and internal controls.
• Experience building or improving payroll SOPs and documentation.
• Experience supporting an international workforce across multiple countries.

Benefits:

 Halcyon offers the following benefits to eligible employees:

• Comprehensive healthcare (medical, dental, and vision) with premiums paid in full for employees and dependents
• 401k plan with a generous employer contribution
• Short and long-term disability coverage, basic life and AD&D insurance plans
• Medical and dependent care FSA options
• Flexible PTO policy
• Parental leave
• Generous equity offering

The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.​

Base Salary Range: $150,000 – $175,000