US Payroll and Tax Lead

US Payroll and Tax Lead About RiseRise is a global payroll and workforce platform. We help companies hire, pay, and manage employees and contractors anywhere in the world, through our own technology. We're in an active growth phase, launching new products and expanding into new markets, and we're looking for people who want to build alongside us. The RoleThis is our first dedicated US payroll hire, and it's a meaningful one. You'll own the full US payroll and tax function: processing, filings, remittances, agency registrations, and year-end reporting across our own employees and the employers we service through our payroll platform.There's no existing playbook to follow here. You'll be building the processes and controls from scratch, which is exactly the point. We're looking for someone who sees that as the interesting part of the job, not the downside.You'll also be our closest internal user of the Rise platform itself. When something doesn't work the way it should for US payroll or tax, you'll be the one who spots it first and works directly with our product and engineering teams to get it fixed. Your day-to-day experience will have a real influence on what we build. What You'll Be DoingPayroll processingRun end-to-end payroll cycles for our US employee population and the client employers we service, covering wages, deductions, benefits, and garnishmentsOwn the payroll calendar and keep delivery accurate and on time across all pay schedulesHandle off-cycle runs and corrections as they come upTax filings and compliancePrepare and submit all federal, state, and local payroll tax filings and remittances across all 50 states and DCFile all quarterly and annual returns, including W-2s and 1099s, accurately and on timeComplete employer registrations and tax account setup in new states and localities as we growOwn the compliance tracker and filing calendar so nothing slips throughManage agency notices and resolve tax discrepancies and audit requests across all active jurisdictionsClient supportBe the person our direct payroll customers turn to when they hit a complex compliance question, a tax notice, or an issue they can't figure out on their ownHelp them get to the right answer quicklyProcess and documentationWrite the SOPs for payroll processing, filings, reconciliations, and year-end workBuild audit-ready records and practical controls into everything we doProduct collaborationUse the Rise platform to do your job and tell us honestly where it falls shortWork with product and engineering to turn compliance requirements into features that actually work What We're Looking ForEssential6+ years of US payroll experience, with direct ownership of multi-state processing and employment tax complianceProven, hands-on experience preparing and submitting payroll tax filings and remittances across a wide range of federal, state, and local jurisdictionsExperience completing state and local agency registrationsSolid working knowledge of multi-state withholding, unemployment tax, W-2 and 1099 requirements, and quarterly and annual return obligationsA track record of building processes and controls in environments that weren't fully built out yetSharp attention to detail and strong reconciliation habitsStrongly preferredBackground in a payroll services, EOR, or PEO environment, where you were responsible for payroll and tax on behalf of client employers, not just internal employeesFamiliarity with payroll tax engines such as MasterTax or SymmetryCPP (Certified Payroll Professional) designationExperience handling tax notices and agency inquiries across multiple jurisdictions Why RiseIf you want a role where you can see the direct impact of your work, this is it. You'll own a critical function, build it properly from the start, and have a real say in how our product develops. We're a small team doing hard things, and we're looking for people who are genuinely energized by that.