Payroll Operations Manager (Finance)

TL;DR

Payroll Operations Manager (Finance): Scaling and owning the global payroll function for an AI software engineering company with an accent on domestic and international tax compliance and vendor management. Focus on designing scalable automation systems for workforce payment and managing complex variable compensation across multiple jurisdictions.

Location: Must be based in San Francisco and willing to work from the office 5 days per week

Company

Cognition is the creator of Devin, the first AI software engineer.

What you will do

• Own end-to-end global payroll for employees, contractors, and commission recipients across the US and international jurisdictions.
• Design and improve systems, automation, and controls to allow payroll to scale significantly without proportional effort.
• Manage relationships with payroll providers, EORs, and benefits administrators.
• Coordinate domestic and international payroll tax registrations, withholding, filings, and reconciliations.
• Administer complex variable compensation including commissions, bonuses, and 401(k) contributions.
• Partner with Finance, Accounting, People Ops, Tax, and Legal to maintain data integrity and compliance.

Requirements

• 5+ years in payroll, accounting operations, or finance operations in a high-growth environment.
• Deep experience with US payroll tax compliance, including federal, state, and local reporting.
• Significant exposure to international payroll, EORs, and cross-border employee matters.
• Fluency with enterprise payroll platforms such as ADP, Workday, or Rippling.
• Based in San Francisco with ability to work on-site 5 days per week.

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to work in an extremely talent-dense team with world-class engineers and founders.
• Direct impact on building the operational foundation for a cutting-edge AI product.
• Commitment to equal opportunity and reasonable accommodations for all employees.