Payroll Manager

About Airship

Airship is trusted by world’s leading brands such as Alaska Airlines, BBC and The Home Depot to drive revenue growth and customer loyalty with exceptional cross-channel customer experiences. Today, brands are challenged to deliver seamless, unified customer experiences across a fragmented array of channels and devices— apps, websites, email, SMS, wallets and more.

Airship’s no-code, AI-powered platform was designed with non-technical, growth-focused teams in mind, making it easy to create, test and orchestrate hyper-personalized experiences across all channels. With the ability to easily enrich customer data and rapidly launch growth experiments, Airship enables brands to deliver consistent, meaningful interactions that accelerate conversion and foster deeper customer relationships.

We invite you to be part of our journey in building products and delivering services that touch millions of customers around the world every day.

To learn more about us, visit www.airship.com , read our blog or follow us on LinkedIn.

About the Role

As Airship's Global Payroll Manager, you will be responsible for leading and managing payroll operations across the U.S. and international regions (e.g., UK, France, Germany, Singapore, India), while driving the development, documentation, and continuous improvement of Airship's global payroll function. Your primary focus will be on building a robust, accurate, compliant, and high-functioning payroll operation through the establishment of standardized processes, policies, and best practices. This role requires deep payroll expertise, strong project management skills, and the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams, external vendors, and stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions.

What You'll Do

Payroll Operations & Processing

Oversee and manage end-to-end payroll operations for U.S. multi-state payroll and international payrolls including the UK, France, Germany, Singapore, Canada, Ireland, and India

Process bi-weekly U.S. payroll for exempt, non-exempt, and temporary employees, as well as off-cycle payments on an ad hoc basis

Partner with local service providers to process monthly international payrolls, ensuring accurate and timely processing of salary calculations, deductions, statutory contributions, garnishments, commissions, and benefits

Review and validate payroll inputs and outputs, including employee data, timesheets, benefits, and deductions

Manage complex payroll scenarios and document payroll practices and procedures

Perform payroll accounting activities, including posting journal entries and reconciling payroll general ledger accounts

Coordinate year-end and new year payroll processes and HRIS setup, including earnings and deductions configuration, payroll schedules, tax reporting, annual statements, and country and state-specific compliance filings

Serve as the primary point of contact for employee payroll inquiries, addressing questions and concerns related to pay, deductions, taxes, and benefits with professionalism, empathy, and discretion

Payroll Transformation & Process Development

Develop, document, and implement global payroll policies, procedures, and controls to ensure accuracy, compliance, and data security

Evaluate current payroll processes and systems, identify gaps or inefficiencies, and implement best practices and streamlined workflows

Establish and maintain strong payroll controls, including reconciliation procedures, spot checks, variance analysis, and audit trails

Lead payroll system enhancements, upgrades, and integrations to improve efficiency and reporting

Drive standardization and automation of payroll processes across all regions while accommodating local regulatory requirements

Compliance & Risk Management

Ensure compliance with local payroll regulations, tax laws, and statutory requirements in all countries of operation; stay current with emerging legislation and compliance requirements for each jurisdiction

Conduct periodic payroll audits and collaborate with internal and external auditors to ensure data accuracy, identify discrepancies, and resolve payroll-related issues promptly

Manage payroll data integrity and maintain employee records in compliance with data protection regulations (including GDPR)

Manage state and local reporting and filing requirements, workers' compensation reporting, payments, and annual audit

Administer ongoing 401k processes and employee-employer contribution plans, including coordination of audit-related activities

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

Manage relationships with international payroll service providers, ensuring service level agreements are met and escalations are addressed promptly; evaluate vendor effectiveness and lead vendor selection processes when necessary

Collaborate with People Ops, Finance, and IT teams to gather payroll requirements, ensure accurate reporting, support cross-functional initiatives, and integrate payroll systems with HRIS, time and attendance systems, and other relevant platforms

Training, Reporting & Leadership

Develop and deliver payroll training programs to People Ops, Finance, and relevant teams to enhance knowledge and ensure adherence to global payroll processes and procedures

Monitor and report on global payroll performance and metrics, identifying trends and making recommendations for continuous improvement

Supervise payroll processing team, providing direction, feedback, and guidance on payroll processes, compliance, and reporting

What We're Looking For

Proven experience as a Global/International Payroll Manager or similar role, with demonstrated responsibility for managing end-to-end payroll operations across multiple countries and regions, including in-depth knowledge of U.S. multi-state payroll and familiarity with UK and/or France/Germany/Singapore/India payroll regulations and compliance requirements

Experience developing and documenting payroll policies, procedures, and internal controls

Strong understanding of payroll best practices, including reconciliation, audit procedures, and quality assurance processes, with excellent analytical and problem-solving skills to handle complex, multi-jurisdictional payroll calculations and transformation challenges

Experience managing payroll vendors and ensuring compliance with service level agreements

Proficiency in implementing payroll system solutions; strong project management skills with the ability to lead process improvement and system implementation initiatives

Strong attention to detail and accuracy; excellent organizational and time management skills to handle multiple payrolls, projects, and deadlines

Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to address sensitive employee payroll concerns with patience and discretion while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams, external stakeholders, and employees

Understanding of data protection regulations (GDPR, etc.) and confidentiality requirements in handling employee information

Proficiency in UKG Payroll and Reporting and G-Suite applications, particularly Sheets/Excel for data analysis and reporting

Experience experimenting with AI tools in your personal or professional life - or an eagerness to learn!

We'd Be Delighted If You Also Have

Experience leading payroll transformation initiatives, including system implementations and process standardization

Familiarity with HRIS systems (e.g., UKG, ADP, SAP) and their integration with payroll systems

Experience with payroll in a SaaS or technology company environment

Professional certification in payroll (e.g., CPP, FPC, CIPP) or project management is advantageous

Continuous learning mindset to stay updated with changes in global payroll regulations and technology advancements

Work Location & Travel Requirements

Airship’s ‘Digital First’ approach to work mean