Payroll Initiatives Lead - Global M&A & Scale (Hybrid)

OpenAI; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenAI is seeking a Payroll Initiatives Lead in San Francisco to scale our payroll ecosystem for a fast-growing tech leader. You will own end-to-end initiatives, from integration planning to stabilization, across global payroll operations and systems.

The role requires 8+ years in payroll, strong regulatory knowledge, and hands-on Workday or similar HCM experience. This is a hybrid role with relocation support.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive payroll experience in fast-paced environments.
• Deep knowledge of global payroll regulations and best practices.
• Experience leading M&A payroll integrations.
• Hands-on with Workday Payroll or other large HCM/global payroll systems.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting/HR; CPP certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead payroll integrations for global M&A transactions from planning to stabilization.
• Partner with acquired companies to finalize payrolls, including equity, variable compensation, and final pay.
• Integrate acquired employees into OpenAI's payroll processes and service model.
• Oversee legacy payroll system closures and ensure compliant year-end processing.
• Develop and improve global payment-processing capabilities across countries and payment types.
• Lead payroll system and provider integrations with data integrity and proper connections.
• Collaborate with Payroll, Finance, Tax, Legal, People, and Equity teams to drive initiatives.
• Identify risks, strengthen controls, and automate repeatable payroll processes.

Skills

Global payroll

Workday

M&A payroll

Stakeholder management

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting/HR

CPP certification

Tools

Workday Payroll

HCM systems

Job description

OpenAI is seeking a Payroll Initiatives Lead in San Francisco to scale our payroll ecosystem for a fast-growing tech leader. You will own end-to-end initiatives, from integration planning to stabilization, across global payroll operations and systems.

The role requires 8+ years in payroll, strong regulatory knowledge, and hands-on Workday or similar HCM experience. This is a hybrid role with relocation support.