Global Payroll Manager (AI)

Location: Home-based in EMEA time zones, with the option to be based in the London office; international travel twice a year for company events, up to two weeks per event

Company

Canonical is a founder-led, profitable technology company building Ubuntu and supporting open-source infrastructure for cloud, data science, AI, engineering, and IoT.

What you will do

• Manage end-to-end payroll operations across multiple countries, ensuring accurate and timely processing.
• Collaborate with HR, Accounting, Accounts Payable, Treasury, FP&A, and external payroll providers.
• Review and approve payrolls, maintain payroll controls, and analyze salary costs and variances.
• Ensure compliance with payroll tax, statutory, reporting, employment, and internal policy requirements across jurisdictions.
• Coordinate internal and external payroll audits, monitor regulatory changes, and manage compliance risks.
• Improve payroll scalability, reporting quality, accuracy, and employee experience through automation, emerging technology, and AI; lead and mentor global payroll professionals.

Requirements

• Exceptional academic track record from high school and university.
• Undergraduate degree in Accounting or Finance, or a compelling narrative explaining an alternative path.
• Significant experience supporting multi-country and/or global payroll operations.
• Strong knowledge of payroll compliance, taxation, internal controls, audits, and regulatory requirements.
• Proficiency with payroll systems, HRIS platforms, and spreadsheet-based analysis.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, reconciliation, leadership, mentoring, and skills-development abilities.
• Professional written and spoken English with excellent presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Curiosity, flexibility, accountability, self-motivation, reliability, precision, adaptability, and a results-oriented approach.
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse, multicultural, multinational organization and travel internationally twice a year for company events.

Nice to have

• Experience implementing or optimizing payroll platforms and HRIS systems.
• Payroll management experience in publicly traded or pre-IPO companies.
• Experience supporting rapid expansion, including new-country payroll launches.
• Passion for technology and experience working with motivated colleagues.
• MBA or another relevant business degree.

Culture & Benefits

• Distributed work environment with twice-yearly in-person team sprints.
• USD 2,000 annual personal learning and development budget.
• Bi-annual compensation reviews, performance-driven annual bonus or commission, and recognition rewards.
• 40 days of annual leave including public holidays and company holiday periods, plus maternity and paternity leave.
• Team Member Assistance Program, Wellness Platform, and opportunities to travel to meet colleagues with Priority Pass lounge access.
• High-expectation, open-source-focused environment with globally distributed collaboration and emphasis on excellence.