Payroll Manager

About the role

The Payroll Manager will lead end-to-end payroll operations across the United States and United Kingdom, ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely pay for all employees. This role partners closely with HR, Finance, Legal, and external providers to scale payroll operations in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end payroll processing for US and UK employee populations, ensuring accuracy and timeliness of every pay cycle.
• Maintain full compliance with US federal, state, and local payroll tax and reporting requirements, and with UK HMRC regulations, statutory reporting, and pension obligations.
• Serve as the primary point of escalation for payroll discrepancies, audits, and employee inquiries in both regions.
• Led process improvement initiatives to increase efficiency, accuracy, and scalability of payroll operations as the company grows.
• Ensure proper internal controls, SOX compliance (where applicable), and audit readiness for payroll processes in both countries.
• Stay current on evolving payroll legislation in both the US and UK.

Requirements

• 6+ years of experience leading global payroll operations, preferably in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-country payroll, with direct exposure to both US and UK payroll cycles strongly preferred.
• Expert-level understanding of US federal, state, and local payroll compliance (e.g., multi-state tax withholding, wage and hour law, garnishments, unemployment insurance).
• Expert-level understanding of UK statutory compliance, including PAYE, National Insurance Contributions (NIC), HMRC reporting, Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), Statutory Maternity/Paternity Pay (SMP/SPP), and pension auto-enrolment requirements.
• Familiarity with UK year-end processes (P60, P11D, Final FPS) and IR35/off-payroll working rules where applicable.
• Hands-on experience with Workday or other large HCM/payroll systems; ADP Workforce Now and CloudPay experience preferred.
• Strong Excel/data analysis skills for reconciliations, reporting, and audits.

Core Competencies

• Clear, concise communicator able to translate complex payroll regulations into plain-language guidance for HR, Finance, and employees across countries and time zones.
• Comfortable managing external vendor and advisor relationships (e.g., HMRC, IRS, payroll bureaus, benefits providers) in both regions.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with sound judgment resolving complex, ambiguous, or sensitive payroll issues.
• Proactively identifies compliance risks and recommends practical solutions.
• Detail-oriented with a high level of accuracy, balanced with the ability to manage competing deadlines across multiple payroll cycles.
• High level of integrity and discretion when handling confidential compensation and personal data.
• Adaptable and resilient in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities; builds trust with cross-functional partners as a payroll subject-matter expert.

Compensation & Benefits

• U.S.-based employees have access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with company match, short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, and well-being benefits and perks.
• U.S.-based employees also receive up to 12 scheduled paid holidays per calendar year and one Thrive Day off per quarter.
• Additionally, all employees have Flexible Time Off (FTO).
• The successful candidate may be eligible for a bonus and equity awards. Eligibility and amounts are determined by performance and the terms of the applicable plans.

Additional Resources

• Moloco Company Blog
• Moloco Leadership
• Moloco Newsroom
• AI Use in Interviews