You'll own US and Canada payroll operations end-to-end , hands-on in Workday, close to the details , while also managing and developing 1–2 direct reports on the US team. You'll report directly to the Head of Global Payroll and be a key leader in making sure North American payroll keeps pace with Anthropic's growth.
Strategic importance: You'll be a key contributor to our compliance initiative , our framework for managing payroll tax obligations across US & Canada. You'll also be part of the team driving AI adoption within payroll: we're actively building out how AI tools can improve reconciliation accuracy, error detection, and reporting workflows. This isn't a future initiative , it's happening now.
Responsibilities:
- US Payroll Operations
- Own full-cycle payroll processing for all US entities , multi-state, multi-frequency, exempt and non-exempt populations
- Process complex equity compensation including RSUs, ISOs, and NSOs, ensuring accurate tax withholding and timely reporting
- Manage high-volume payments: bonuses, commissions, severance, and equity events
- Oversee quarter-end, W-2 preparation, year-end reconciliations, and resolution of federal and state tax notices
- Maintain and continuously improve Workday payroll configuration , identify automation opportunities and lead optimization initiatives
- Canada Payroll Management
- Oversee Canada payroll operations in partnership with our PwC Global Payroll Platform, developing expertise in CRA compliance, T4s, Records of Employment, and multi-province processing
- Partner with our international payroll team to ensure Canada stays integrated into our global compliance posture
- Build out Canada payroll SOPs as the function matures
- Team Leadership & Development
- Manage and develop 1–2 direct reports on the US payroll team , set clear expectations, provide regular feedback, and invest in their growth
- Build a team culture of accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement
- Serve as the escalation point for complex payroll issues and employee inquiries
- Cross-Functional Partnership & Compliance
- Partner with Corporate Accounting on payroll journal entries, accruals, and month-end close
- Work closely with Tax, Benefits, People Systems, and Employment Legal to ensure data integrity and compliance
- Support audit readiness and internal & systems controls
- AI Adoption & Process Improvement
- Champion the use of AI tools within the payroll function , identify high-value use cases for reconciliation, anomaly detection, and reporting
- Lead or support process improvement projects that reduce manual effort, increase accuracy, and improve the employee payroll experience
- Document processes, build SOPs, and contribute to the team's knowledge infrastructure
Requirements:
- 8+ years of payroll experience, with at least 3 years in a senior or manager-level role owning US multi-state payroll end-to-end
- Hold a CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) certification
- Direct people management experience , you've managed at least one FTE directly, not just contractors or mentorship relationships
- Strong Workday experience , payroll module preferred; HCM with direct payroll involvement and a clear path to Workday Payroll ownership is considered
- Deep familiarity with equity compensation processing (RSUs, ISOs, NSOs) and the tax implications at both federal and state levels
- Demonstrated ability to thrive in fast-moving, ambiguous environments , you build structure where none exists and don't wait for someone to hand you a playbook
- Strong cross-functional instincts , you know how to build trust quickly, influence without authority, and communicate clearly across Finance, HR, Legal, and beyond
Preferred qualifications:
- Canada payroll experience , even introductory exposure is valued; willingness to learn and grow into the function matters more than deep expertise on day one
- Experimented with AI or automation tools to improve payroll workflows (reconciliation, error detection, reporting)
- Been part of a Workday payroll implementation or major system migration
- Worked at a company that scaled rapidly , from 500 to 2,000+ employees , and built payroll infrastructure to match
- Experience in or exposure to IPO readiness, SOX compliance, or building financial controls from scratch
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