Payroll Manager

AppLovin is looking for a driven Payroll Manager to own global payroll operations across the US and key international markets. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives on building compliance frameworks from the ground up, partnering cross-functionally, and making payroll run like infrastructure — accurate, on time, and scalable. You will be the subject matter expert on payroll tax and statutory compliance across our primary geographies: United States, Singapore, Germany, Ireland, Cyprus, and Italy. You will manage vendor relationships, own the end-to-end payroll cycle, and work closely with Finance, Accounting, and HR/PeopleOps to support month-end close, audit readiness, and equity-related payroll events.

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end payroll processing across the US (multi-state) and international entities in SG, DE, IE, CY, and IT; Manage relationships with external payroll vendors and in-country service providers; Serve as the primary point of contact for all payroll-related matters across Finance, Accounting, HR, and Legal; Handle off-cycle payrolls, manual calculations, retroactive adjustments, and termination runs; Maintain deep, current knowledge of payroll tax obligations in each covered jurisdiction; Ensure timely and accurate filing of all payroll tax returns, year-end forms, and local employer statutory filings; Monitor legislative and regulatory changes across all jurisdictions; Partner with Tax and Legal on cross-border employment structures, shadow payrolls, and treaty-related matters; Support external payroll audits, tax authority inquiries, and statutory inspections; Process and reconcile equity-related payroll events including RSU vesting, ESPP purchase cycles, NQ exercises, and ISO exercises; Ensure proper tax withholding and reporting for stock transactions across all jurisdictions; Monitor integrations and manual business processes between Workday HCM and payroll systems; Audit input data, validate outputs, and maintain strong internal controls around payroll authorization and data integrity; Support month-end close: prepare payroll journal entries, headcount reconciliations, accruals, and benefits reconciliations; Identify and drive process improvements; Serve as a trusted resource for HR/PeopleOps on all payroll implications of compensation decisions, new hires, LOAs, and terminations; Partner with Accounting Ops on payroll-related reconciliations and audit support; Respond to employee escalations and payroll inquiries promptly and with clarity

Requirements

6+ years of progressive payroll experience in a multi-country environment; at least 2 years in a lead or manager capacity; Deep working knowledge of US payroll tax (federal, state, local) — multi-state is required; experience with CA, NY, or WA is a plus; Direct, hands-on experience processing payroll in at least two of the following: Singapore (CPF, IRAS IR8A), Germany (Lohnsteuer, SV contributions), Ireland (PAYE/PRSI/USC/ASC), Cyprus (PAYE, GHS contributions), or Italy (INPS, IRPEF, busta paga); Proficiency with Workday HCM/Payroll or equivalent global processor; strong Excel/Google Sheets skills required; Track record of managing payroll tax filings, year-end reconciliations, and statutory reporting across multiple jurisdictions simultaneously; Experience processing equity-related payroll transactions (RSU, ESPP, NQ, ISO) in a public company environment; Exceptionally detail-oriented with strong reconciliation instincts — comfortable building processes to detect errors before they become problems; Clear, direct communicator who can translate complex payroll mechanics for a non-payroll audience; Comfortable in a lean, high-velocity environment where you own outcomes end-to-end with limited hand-holding

Nice to have

APAC payroll experience beyond Singapore (e.g., Japan, South Korea, Australia, or India); CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) or equivalent international credential; Experience supporting payroll for a company that went through rapid international expansion or M&A; Prior exposure to NetSuite in a payroll accounting context

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability; 401(k) Retirement Plan; Unlimited Discretionary Time Off; 10 paid holidays per year; 80 hours paid sick leave per year