Senior manager, global payroll

About the Job:

LaunchDarkly is seeking a Senior Manager, Global Payroll to lead and scale the company’s global payroll operations during its next phase of growth. This leader will partner closely with Accounting, Finance, People, Legal, IT, Total Rewards and external payroll providers to ensure payroll is accurate, timely, compliant, efficient and employee-centered across all countries and entities where LaunchDarkly operates.

The Senior Manager, Global Payroll will own the end-to-end payroll operating model, including payroll processing, controls, compliance, vendor management, reconciliations, reporting, systems and continuous improvement. This role is ideal for a strategic, hands-on payroll leader who is comfortable driving change across multiple functions and regions, staying close to complex details, and building scalable processes that support a growing global workforce.

Responsibilities:

• Own the end-to-end global payroll operating model, including payroll calendars, standard operating procedures, data inputs, approvals, processing, funding, reconciliations, reporting and issue resolution
• Lead US and international payroll operations across multiple countries, entities, pay frequencies and local requirements, ensuring each payroll cycle is accurate, timely and complete
• Manage relationships with third-party payroll providers, EOR partners and local payroll specialists, holding partners accountable for service quality, compliance, deadlines and issue resolution
• Establish and maintain strong payroll controls, review procedures and audit-ready documentation across employee data, tax withholding, deductions, benefits, equity, commissions, bonuses, off-cycle payments and employee changes
• Partner closely with People Operations and Total Rewards to ensure new hires, terminations, transfers, promotions, compensation changes, benefits elections, leaves and other employee lifecycle events flow accurately into payroll
• Partner with Accounting on payroll reconciliations, payroll-related journal entries, accruals, balance sheet accounts, cash funding and month-end close support
• Partner with Stock Administration to ensure equity transactions, vesting, exercises, and related taxable compensation are accurately reflected in payroll and reported appropriately
• Partner with Legal and external advisors on payroll tax, statutory requirements, registrations, wage and hour matters, audits, year-end reporting and changes in local regulations
• Serve as the senior escalation point for complex payroll issues, investigate root causes, and communicate clearly with cross-functional partners and affected employees
• Lead payroll audits and year-end processes, including W-2s, tax filings, statutory reporting, reconciliations and other required employee and government reporting
• Evaluate and implement/improve payroll systems, HRIS integrations, workflows and reporting to reduce manual effort, improve data quality and increase operational visibility
• Partner with IT and business stakeholders on payroll system enhancements, integrations, provider transitions, entity launches and other initiatives that improve scalability and employee experience
• Define and monitor payroll operating metrics, including cycle accuracy, timeliness, exception volume, issue resolution, provider performance, reconciliations and audit findings
• Analyze payroll data and trends, prepare regular payroll forecasts and workforce-cost projections, investigate discrepancies, and deliver clear reporting and metrics to Finance and leadership
• Improve the employee payroll experience by responding to questions, resolving issues promptly, and communicating clearly about payroll timelines and changes
• Identify opportunities to use automation and AI-enabled tools responsibly to improve payroll operations, reporting, controls and employee support
• Lead, mentor and develop payroll team member(s) and external partners, creating clear accountability, strong development paths and a culture of operational excellence
• Serve as a trusted partner to Finance and People leadership by balancing strong governance with practical, business-oriented problem solving

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of progressive payroll experience, including significant experience leading global payroll operations in a multi-entity organization.
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, human resources, business or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. CPP preferred.
• Experience managing US and international payroll across multiple countries, pay frequencies, payroll providers, EOR partners and local specialists, including service-level oversight and issue resolution
• Strong knowledge of US payroll tax, statutory requirements, year-end reporting, wage and hour considerations, benefits deductions, equity, commissions and payroll accounting
• Experience processing or reviewing bonuses, commissions, equity-related compensation, and other off-cycle or non-recurring payroll payments
• Hands-on experience with payroll solutions (e.g. ADP) and a track record of leading payroll system implementations, migrations, integrations, or major system enhancements
• Demonstrated success designing and improving payroll controls, reconciliations, audit processes, documentation and standard operating procedures
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail, with the ability to investigate variances, identify root causes and communicate clear recommendations
• Proven ability to partner cross-functionally and influence outcomes across Finance, Accounting, People, Legal, IT, Total Rewards and business leadership
• Demonstrate sound judgment and the ability to communicate clearly when handling sensitive employee information and time-critical issues
• Ability to move between strategic leadership and detailed execution with a high degree of ownership
• Experience working across regions and time zones in a fast-paced, evolving environment

Pay:

Target pay ranges based on Geographic Zones* for Level M3:

• Zone 1: San Francisco/Bay Area or NYC Metropolitan Area, Boston, Seattle - $136,000 - $187,000**
• Zone 2: Irvine, LA, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, Austin, Portland, Philadelphia, Chicago - $122,000 - $168,000**
• Zone 3: All other US locations - $116,000 - $159,000**

All Zones inclusive of a 15% Bonus Target

LaunchDarkly operates from a place of high trust and transparency; we are happy to state the pay range for our open roles to best align with your needs. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

*Within the United States, our geographic pay zones are defined by counties surrounding major metropolitan areas.

**Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), health, vision, and dental insurance, and mental health benefits in addition to salary.

About LaunchDarkly:

Modern software delivery was supposed to be the foundation for a thriving digital business but reality has proven otherwise. Slow, inefficient development cycles, costly outages, and fragmented customer experiences are preventing developers from building their best software. The LaunchDarkly platform helps developers innovate on new features faster while protecting them with a safety valve to instantly rewind when things go wrong. Developers can target product experiences to any customer segment and maximize the business impact of every feature. And by gradually rolling out new application components, they escape nightmare "big-bang" technology migrations.

The LaunchDarkly platform was built to guide engineers to the next frontier of DevOps by:

• Improving the velocity and stability of software releases, without the fear of end customer outages
• Delivering targeted experiences by easily personalizing features to customer cohorts
• Maximizing the business impact of every feature through the ability to experiment and optimize
• Coordinating the release and optimization of software to provide consistent experiences across mobile platforms and device types
• Improving the effectiveness and productivity of engineering teams, by providing insights into engineering cadence and stability

At LaunchDarkly, we believe in the power of teams. We're building a team that is humble, open, collaborative, respectful and kind. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. LD invites any applicant to review our written Affirmative Action Plan. To do so, contact People Ops at hr@launchdarkly.com.

Do you need a disability accommodation? Fill out this accommodations request form and someone from our People Operations team will contact you for assistance.

Your safety matters to us. To protect yourself from potential scams, LaunchDarkly recruiters will only contact you from @LaunchDarkly.com email addresses or via LinkedIn from "Verified Recruiter" accounts. Be cautious of emails from other domains. Legitimate LaunchDarkly recruiters will never ask for money, fees, or banking information before making a job offer. LaunchDarkly will never make a job offer without conducting a formal interview process. Our interview process does not involve asking detailed questions by email. If you are ever unsure about a communication that you receive, don't click any links—visit Careers | LaunchDarkly directly for confirmed job openings and links to apply.

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