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Salary: USD 160,000 - 185,000 / annual
Mercor is an AI data company that organizes human intelligence to power the AI economy. The company operates a platform where millions of domain experts train frontier AI models, and is expanding into enterprise solutions. Mercor is a profitable Series C company valued at $10 billion with offices in San Francisco, NYC, and London.
You will lead global payroll delivery and scaling of operational infrastructure with end-to-end accountability for payroll execution, vendor governance, internal controls, general ledger reconciliations, and complex issue resolution. You'll drive high-impact automation initiatives and orchestrate seamless transitions of acquired talent onto Mercor's unified payroll architecture.
Key responsibilities include:
- Running employee payroll cycles across assigned countries, coordinating inputs, validations, approvals, funding deadlines, and provider processing
- Reviewing new hires, departures, compensation changes, bonuses, benefits, deductions, and equity-related payroll inputs; investigating exceptions before approval
- Reconciling payroll outputs to approved inputs, funding, and accounting records; partnering with Accounting on journals, accruals, and month-end close
- Maintaining country calendars and evidence of required filings and remittances; resolving issues with providers and local advisers
- Leading payroll workstreams for acquisitions and new-country launches, including data mapping, cutover planning, testing, and post-launch reconciliation
- Improving HRIS-to-payroll data flows, approval workflows, and reporting; delivering scoped implementations and vendor transitions
- Building operating procedures, backup coverage, access controls, and audit evidence with appropriate separation of duties
- Resolving employee pay questions and tracking accuracy, on-time delivery, and issue resolution metrics
- Automating repeatable checks and reporting using approved tools with proper validation and data protection
You will work cross-functionally with Accounting, People Ops, Finance Systems, Legal, and international payroll partners. The role demands a mix of strategic oversight and hands-on execution, with ability to dive deep into operational mechanics, drive swift decision-making, and proactively flag bottlenecks to leadership. The company operates in-person five days per week.
REQUIREMENTS:
- 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 with judgment about when to involve local tax or legal specialists
- Experience delivering a payroll optimization, vendor transition, acquisition integration, or new-country launch from planning through stabilization
- Practical experience with an enterprise HRIS and payroll platform, including data validation, reporting, testing, and troubleshooting (Rippling or comparable systems experience valued)
- Strong analytical skills and attention to detail with ability to manage competing deadlines and influence partners without direct authority
- Clear communication, sound judgment with confidential information, and willingness to stay close to operational work
- Degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, or related field, or equivalent practical experience
NICE TO HAVE:
- EMEA or APAC payroll experience
- Equity or mobility payroll
- Hourly payroll and timekeeping
- CPP or comparable certification
