Global Payroll & Equity Specialist

Emploive; San Francisco, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Perplexity is seeking a detail-oriented Payroll Analyst to join our Finance and Accounting team in San Francisco. You will partner with the Payroll Manager to ensure US and international payroll is accurate, compliant, and timely as the company scales through rapid hiring and global expansion.

The role involves hands-on ownership from day one, working with People Operations, Accounting, Tax, and Equity to manage payroll, equity, and related compliance.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of hands-on payroll experience, ideally including multi-state US payroll.
• Experience establishing and managing US state agency accounts, including troubleshooting agency mailings and invoices.
• Strong knowledge of California wage statement requirements and state compliance.
• Hands-on experience with modern payroll/HRIS platforms (Rippling, Workday, ADP, Gusto). Rippling experience preferred.
• Detail-oriented with Excel and Google Sheets; able to handle large datasets and reconciliations.
• Familiarity with US payroll tax compliance (SUI, SIT, federal/state withholding) and cross-border payroll.
• Experience with equity payroll reporting (RSU/NSO/ISO) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• US and international payroll processing: support US multi-state semi-monthly payroll and international cycles across ~16 countries, mainly in Rippling.
• Global contractor payroll: manage monthly contractor payroll cycle, timecard tracking, approvals, and contractor payments.
• Pre- and post-payroll audits: reconcile deductions and employer matches; flag discrepancies before payroll release.
• State tax account administration: support registration and maintenance of state accounts as company expands.
• Benefits and 401(k) support: monitor contributions and testing; assist with COBRA offboarding.
• Equity payroll reporting: track exercise data and apply tax treatment; prepare payroll-side entries.
• Reimbursements and systems integration: manage Rippling-to-NetSuite reimbursements; ensure accurate posting.
• Employee support: be first point of contact for payroll inquiries and escalations.
• Close and compliance support: assist with W-2s, ACA, 401(k) true-ups, and year-end reconciliations.
• Process improvement: identify and implement controls to reduce manual work.

Skills

Payroll processing

Multi-state US payroll

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Tools

Rippling

Workday

ADP

Gusto

NetSuite

Excel

Google Sheets

Job description

Perplexity is seeking a detail-oriented Payroll Analyst to join our Finance and Accounting team in San Francisco. You will partner with the Payroll Manager to ensure US and international payroll is accurate, compliant, and timely as the company scales through rapid hiring and global expansion.

The role involves hands-on ownership from day one, working with People Operations, Accounting, Tax, and Equity to manage payroll, equity, and related compliance.