Sr. Manager, Payroll

Databricks•4h ago

United StatesOnsiteFull-timeManager Level8+ yrs exp

H-1B sponsor

GAQ127R57
While candidates in the listed location(s) are encouraged for this role, candidates in other locations will be considered.
Databricks is looking for a Senior Manager, Payroll to own end-to-end payroll delivery for the United States and Canada. This is a hands-on leadership role — you will run the operations, lead the team, own the compliance
be the subject matter expert the business turns to when it matters.
You will sit within the Global Payroll function, reporting directly to the Senior Director, Head of Global Payroll
will be an active member of the Payroll Leadership Team — contributing to global strategy, cross-regional alignment
function-wide initiatives beyond your direct remit.
You will manage a team of four to five payroll professionals and be accountable for accurate, timely, and compliant payroll for a fast-scaling workforce across multiple US states and Canadian provinces.
This is not a coordinator role with a manager title. We need someone who has been in the engine room, knows what good looks like, and can build it here.
The impact you will have:
Payroll Operations
Own the full payroll cycle — semi-monthly and off-cycle runs — for all US and Canadian employees, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and a clean audit trail on every run
Manage the payroll calendar, cut-off deadlines, and coordination with HR and Finance to ensure data integrity from hire to final pay
Serve as the primary escalation point for payroll discrepancies, employee queries, and operational issues — resolving with speed and precision
Drive continuous improvement across payroll processes, reducing manual effort and increasing controls without sacrificing responsiveness
Technology & Systems
Work within Workday Payroll and Workday HCM as the primary payroll platform — managing pay runs, earnings and deduction codes, and audit reporting
Utilise ADP Smart Compliance for multi-state and provincial tax filing, remittance, and amendment management
Partner with HRIS and IT on system upgrades, open enrolment changes, and configuration changes requiring payroll impact assessment
Identify opportunities to reduce manual reconciliation and improve data accuracy across the payroll tech stack
Tax Compliance — US & Canada
Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax obligations across all US jurisdictions including multi-state nexus, SUI, SDI, and local levies
Manage Canadian payroll tax compliance across all provinces — CPP, EI, provincial income tax, and Quebec-specific requirements (QPP, QPIP)
Own year-end processes end to end — W-2, W-2c, T4, T4A, RL-1 — from reconciliation through employee distribution and agency filing
Manage tax registration, filing, amendment, and penalty response across all active jurisdictions
Stay ahead of legislative changes — federal and sub-national — and translate them into process and system updates before they become compliance gaps
Equity & Supplemental Compensation
Manage payroll processing and tax withholding for RSU vesting events , including coordination with Stock Administration on vest schedules, sell-to-cover mechanics, and supplemental withholding rates
Ensure correct treatment of ESPP, NQSOs, ISOs, and other equity instruments from a payroll tax perspective
Partner with Legal and Tax on equity income sourcing and IRS / CRA reporting obligations on equity-derived income
Reconcile equity payroll data to stock admin records each quarter with zero tolerance for mismatch
Team Leadership
Lead, develop, and performance-manage a team of four to five payroll professionals — setting clear expectations, managing workload, and building capability
Create a team culture where accuracy is non-negotiable, deadlines are owned not managed around, and problems surface early
Build redundancy and cross-training so the function is never single-threaded on any critical process
Coach the team on technical depth — tax law, equity mechanics, compliance — so they grow into the next generation of payroll leaders
Controls, Audit & Governance
Design and maintain SOX-compliant payroll controls, including segregation of duties, approval workflows, and exception reporting
Lead payroll's response to internal and external audits — preparing documentation, managing timelines, and closing findings without repeat
Maintain payroll policy documentation and desktop procedures, updated with every legislative or system change
Produce monthly payroll metrics and variance analysis for Finance and HR leadership
What we look for:
8+ years of hands-on US and Canada payroll experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership role managing a team
Deep working knowledge of US multi-state payroll tax — nexus determination, reciprocity agreements, SUI/SDI, supplemental withholding rates
Solid understanding of Canadian payroll compliance — CPP/QPP, EI/QPIP, provincial tax, T4/RL-1 year-end
Proven experience managing RSU and equity payroll — from vest event processing through W-2/T4 reconciliation
Strong command of payroll reconciliation, general ledger mapping, and accrual processes
Experience leading teams of four or more people — you know how to delegate, develop, and hold people accountable
CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) or equivalent certification preferred
Nice to Have
Experience with Workday Payroll and Workday HCM — working knowledge of the platform in a payroll operations context is a strong advantage
Hands-on experience with ADP Smart Compliance for multi-jurisdictional tax filing and agency management is a strong advantage
Experience supporting a high-growth technology company through rapid headcount scaling across new US states and Canadian provinces
Familiarity with Shareworks for stock plan administration and equity payroll integration is an added advantage
Experience with payroll and equity tax rules for mobile employee populations
Exposure to global payroll coordination and vendor management beyond North America
Pay Range Transparency
Databricks is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The pay range(s) for this role is listed below and represents the expected base salary range for non-commissionable roles or on-target earnings for commissionable roles. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to job-related skills, depth of experience, relevant certifications and training
specific work location. Based on the factors above, Databricks anticipated utilizing the full width of the range. The total compensation package for this position may also include eligibility for annual performance bonus, equity
the benefits listed above. For more information regarding which range your location is in visit our page here .
Zone 1 Pay Range
$189,300 — $260,250 USD
Zone 2 Pay Range
$170,300 — $234,200 USD
Zone 3 Pay Range
$160,900 — $221,200 USD
Zone 4 Pay Range
$151,400 — $208,250 USD
About Databricks
Databricks is the data and AI company. More than 10,000 organizations worldwide — including Comcast, Condé Nast, Grammarly
over 50% of the Fortune 500 — rely on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform to unify and democratize data, analytics and AI. Databricks is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices around the globe and was founded by the original creators of Lakehouse, Apache Spark™, Delta Lake and MLflow. To learn more, follow Databricks on Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook .
Benefits
At Databricks, we strive to provide comprehensive benefits and perks that meet the needs of all of our employees. For specific details on the benefits offered in your region click here .
Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
At Databricks, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone can excel. We take great care to ensure that our hiring practices are inclusive and meet equal employment opportunity standards. Individuals looking for employment at Databricks are considered without regard to age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status
other protected characteristics.
Compliance
If access to export-controlled technology or source code is required for performance of job duties, it is within Employer's discretion whether to apply for a U.S. government license for such positions
Employer may decline to proceed with an applicant on this basis alone.

Required skills

Workday PayrollWorkday HCMADP Smart ComplianceUS multi-state payroll taxCanadian payroll complianceRSU and equity payrollpayroll reconciliationgeneral ledger mapping