Global Payroll Lead

The role

The Global Payroll Lead will spearhead global payroll delivery and scale operational infrastructure. This role involves end-to-end accountability for payroll execution, vendor governance, and automation initiatives while collaborating cross-functionally.

What you will do

• Run employee payroll cycles across assigned countries.
• Review new hires, departures, compensation changes, bonuses, benefits, deductions, and equity-related payroll inputs.
• Reconcile payroll outputs to approved inputs, funding, and accounting records.
• Maintain country calendars and evidence of required filings and remittances.
• Lead payroll workstreams for acquisitions and new-country launches.
• Improve HRIS-to-payroll data flows, approval workflows, and reporting.
• Build operating procedures, backup coverage, access controls, and audit evidence.
• Resolve employee pay questions clearly and promptly.
• Automate repeatable checks and reporting using approved tools.

Required qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive payroll experience in high-growth tech startups
• Hands-on ownership of US payroll and experience delivering payroll in additional countries through local teams or providers
• Strong understanding of payroll processing, reconciliations, statutory deadlines, controls, and year-end reporting
• Experience delivering a payroll optimization, vendor transition, acquisition integration, or new-country launch
• Practical experience with an enterprise HRIS and payroll platform
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail
• Clear communication
• Sound judgment with confidential information
• A degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience

Nice to have

• EMEA or APAC payroll
• Equity or mobility payroll
• Hourly payroll and timekeeping
• CPP or comparable certification
• Rippling or comparable systems experience

Benefits

• Generous equity grant vested over 4 years
• Up to $15k Relocation bonus
• $10K housing bonus (if you live within 0.5 miles of our office)
• $1.5K monthly stipend for meals
• Free Equinox membership
• $200 monthly laundry reimbursement
• $200 monthly personal wellness reimbursement
• Health, Dental, Vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match

About the company

Mercor builds infrastructure that enables frontier AI labs and enterprises to train, evaluate, and improve AI on real-world professional work. The company is profitable and recently raised a $750 million Series D at a $20 billion valuation.