Manager, Payroll - US PEO

We are seeking a Manager, Payroll - US PEO to lead the operational delivery, compliance governance, and continuous improvement of our US PEO payroll function. This role owns the day-to-day PEO payroll operating model, manages risk and escalations, and ensures consistent, compliant payroll delivery across a growing PEO client base.

The US PEO Manager sits at the intersection of Payroll Operations, Tax, Benefits, Product, and Engineering, translating complex PEO requirements into scalable operating standards. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring deep US PEO payroll expertise, strong people and process leadership, and comfort operating in a fast-scaling, remote-first environment.

• Several years of US payroll experience, with significant hands-on experience in a PEO environment.
• Proven expertise in multi-state US payroll and co-employment models.
• Strong knowledge of US payroll tax, benefits, and labor compliance.
• Prior experience leading or mentoring payroll professionals.
• Ability to operate independently while managing complex, high-risk payroll scenarios.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex payroll issues clearly to non-experts.
• Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience supporting or scaling PEO payroll operations in a high-growth or tech-enabled company.
  • Exposure to payroll system implementation or internal payroll engine development.
  • Experience partnering with Product or Engineering teams.
  • Familiarity with remote-first, asynchronous work environments.

• Own end-to-end US PEO payroll operations, including on-cycle, off-cycle, and correction payrolls.
• Ensure accurate handling of multi-state payroll, including work-state vs residence-state taxation under a co-employment model.
• Oversee PEO-specific compliance areas, including:
  • Federal, state, and local tax withholdings and filings
  • SUTA/FUTA and state unemployment complexities
  • Workers’ compensation and benefits-related payroll deductions
  • Co-employment risk and client responsibility boundaries
• Act as the final escalation point for high-risk payroll, tax, or compliance issues.

• Lead and develop a team of PEO payroll specialists, providing coaching, feedback, and performance guidance.
• Establish clear expectations around accuracy, timeliness, documentation, and ownership.
• Review payroll outputs, reconciliations, and risk items to ensure operational quality.
• Support onboarding, training, and skill progression for PEO payroll team members.

• Define and maintain PEO payroll operating standards, SOPs, and control frameworks.
• Identify operational gaps, risk patterns, and scalability issues; drive process improvements and automation where possible.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to improve payroll workflows, controls, and client experience.
• Ensure strong documentation, audit readiness, and evidence quality.

• Partner closely with Product and Engineering to inform PEO payroll system enhancements and roadmap priorities.
• Collaborate with Tax, Benefits, Legal, and Finance teams to resolve complex PEO issues.
• Provide subject-matter guidance on US PEO feasibility, risk, and scalability.
• Support go-to-market, sales, or implementation teams as an advisor on PEO payroll capabilities and limitations.

• Provide regular updates on operational health, risks, escalations, and performance metrics.
• Own incident management for PEO payroll issues, including root cause analysis and corrective action plans.
• Ensure compliance with internal controls and external regulatory requirements.

• You'll report to: Senior Manager, Payroll Operations
• Team: Payroll Operations
• Team size: 1
• Location: United States
• Start date: As soon as possible

Roughly 2.5 hours across 3 weeks

1. Interview with recruiter
2. Interview with General Manager, PEO
3. Interview with future manager
4. Interview with Senior Director, Payroll Operations
5. Bar Raiser Interview
6. Prior employment verification check