Director, Payroll (Fixed Term)

Figma; California, San Francisco (MO, CA); Remote; USD 198,000 - 288,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative company is seeking a strategic Director of Payroll to lead its Global Payroll team. This role is crucial for managing global payroll operations, ensuring compliance, and driving improvements in a fast-paced environment. You will mentor a team, collaborate with various departments, and support public company readiness. With a focus on process enhancement and compliance with labor laws, this position offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact in a growing organization. If you are passionate about payroll leadership and thrive in a dynamic setting, this role is perfect for you.

Benefits

Equity

Health Benefits

Retirement Plans

Parental Leave

Wellness Programs

PTO

Stipends

Qualifications

• Expertise in processing stock-related payroll transactions.
• Deep understanding of HRIS systems and payroll system integrations.

Responsibilities

• Lead global payroll operations ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Drive process improvements and standardization for scalability.

Skills

Global Payroll Management

Compliance with Tax Regulations

Analytical Skills

Problem-Solving Skills

Communication Skills

Education

10+ years in Global Payroll Leadership

Certifications such as CPP or GPMI

Tools

Workday

ADP SmartCompliance

Excel

Google Workspace

Job description

Figma is growing our team of passionate people on a mission to make design accessible to all. Born on the Web, Figma helps entire product teams brainstorm, design, and build better products — from start to finish. Whether it's consolidating tools, simplifying workflows, or collaborating across teams and time zones, Figma makes the design process faster, more efficient, and fun while keeping everyone on the same page. From great products to long-lasting companies, we believe that nothing great is made alone—come make it with us!

About the Role

Figma is seeking a strategic and hands-on Director, Payroll to lead its Global Payroll team. This high-impact leadership role is responsible for managing all aspects of a global payroll function, ensuring compliance, and driving continuous improvements. You will play a critical role in public company readiness, scaling payroll operations in line with regulatory requirements. This position reports to the Senior Director, Assistant Controller.

This is a temporary role for 12 months, available in the United States. It can be based in one of our US hubs or remote.

What You'll Do

1. Lead and oversee all aspects of global payroll operations, ensuring accuracy and timeliness across countries and PEO arrangements.
2. Manage and mentor a team of four payroll professionals, fostering professional growth and high performance.
3. Drive process improvements and standardization to support scalability and compliance in a fast-growth environment.
4. Collaborate with People Operations, HRIS, Benefits, Accounting, Equity, and Tax teams on payroll initiatives, system integrations, and new entity setups.
5. Support public company readiness by enhancing controls, documentation, and reporting in line with SOX and other regulations.
6. Create and enforce payroll policies and procedures to ensure operational consistency and compliance with global labor and tax laws.

Ideal Candidate

• 10+ years in a global payroll leadership role at a public company.
• Expertise in processing stock-related payroll transactions, including stock options, RSUs, and ESPPs, with compliance with tax regulations.
• Deep understanding of HRIS systems and payroll system integrations.
• Experience designing and maintaining SOX-compliant payroll processes and audit readiness.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading payroll in high-growth tech or SaaS environments.
• Proficiency with Workday, ADP SmartCompliance, Excel, and Google Workspace.
• Certifications such as CPP or GPMI.

Our Values and Application Encouragement

At Figma, we believe in growing as you go. We encourage candidates who are excited about this role to apply, even if their experience doesn't perfectly match all criteria. You might be the right fit for this or other roles.

Pay Transparency & Benefits

For candidates in SF/NY, the annual base salary range is $198,000—$288,000 USD. Compensation is based on experience, skills, and location. We offer equity, health benefits, retirement plans, parental leave, wellness programs, PTO, stipends, and more. Details may vary and are subject to change.

Equal Opportunity & Accessibility

Figma values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. We provide reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Please contact [e-mail] if needed. We also require candidates to keep cameras on during video interviews and attend in-person onboarding if hired.

By applying, you agree that your data will be processed according to our Candidate Privacy Notice.