Payroll Manager

Perplexity is an AI-powered answer engine founded in December 2022 and growing rapidly as one of the world’s leading AI platforms. Perplexity has raised over $1B in venture investment from some of the world’s most visionary and successful leaders, including Elad Gil, Daniel Gross, Jeff Bezos, Accel, IVP, NEA, NVIDIA, Samsung, and many more. Our objective is to build accurate, trustworthy AI that powers decision-making for people and assistive AI wherever decisions are being made. Throughout human history, change and innovation have always been driven by curious people. Today, curious people use Perplexity to answer more than 780 million queries every month–a number that’s growing rapidly for one simple reason: everyone can be curious. 

The Payroll Manager will own and optimize all aspects of payroll processing for our expanding workforce, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and efficiency. You’ll collaborate cross-functionally with HR, Finance, and IT, and play a key role in scaling and automating payroll systems to support our growth. This is a hands-on role that requires both operational excellence and strategic vision.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and process accurate, timely payroll for all employees (US and global), ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations
• Develop, implement, and optimize payroll systems and processes to support rapid company growth
• Collaborate with People Ops/HR to manage payroll components of employee benefits (health, dental, vision, retirement plans, etc.)
• Ensure payroll tax filings and payments are completed accurately and on time
• Serve as the primary point of contact for payroll inquiries and resolve payroll-related issues promptly
• Prepare and maintain accurate payroll records for internal and external audits; assist with compliance audits as needed
• Guide the company through HRIS and payroll system implementations and upgrades
• Ensure confidentiality, security, and integrity of payroll and employee data
• Assist the Accounting Team with month-end close tasks related to payroll, including journal entries and reconciliations
• Supervise and coach payroll staff as the team grows
• Liaise with auditors, manage payroll tax audits, and ensure compliance with all relevant laws and internal policies
• Collaborate with HR, Finance, and IT to streamline processes and enhance system integrations
• Research compliance with all relevant laws and regulations, including tax laws and employment standards

Qualifications

• 8+ years of payroll experience, preferably in a high-growth tech startup environment
• In-depth knowledge of US payroll regulations; global payroll experience a plus
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to build and scale payroll systems and processes
• Experience managing payroll for distributed/multi-state and international teams
• Proficiency with payroll software and HRIS platforms
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred

Nice to Haves

• Experience with global payroll and Employer of Record (EOR) services
• Experience with leading payroll and HRIS system implementations (e.g., Rippling, Workday)
• Familiarity with Rippling

The cash compensation range for this role is $150,000 - $180,000

Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors, including, experience and expertise, and may vary from the amounts listed above