Payroll Manager

About the Team
The Accounting team at Decagon is at the center of our growth, building the financial foundation that powers a rapidly scaling startup. We ensure accurate, timely financial reporting in accordance with U.S. GAAP while designing scalable processes and strong controls that support expansion across teams and geographies. Partnering closely with Sales, People, Legal, and Operations, we drive thoughtful spend management, contract oversight, and payroll excellence—balancing precision with agility in a fast-moving environment where our work directly enables the company’s next stage of growth.

About the Role
We’re looking for a high-impact Payroll Manager to build the finance engine that keeps our company scaling. You’ll own global payroll operations, payroll accounting, and stock administration transforming these core operations into smooth, scalable systems that support a fast-moving, high-growth team. This is a high-impact individual contributor role responsible for ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll while helping build the processes and controls needed to support a rapidly scaling organization.

In this role, you will

• Run end-to-end payroll for the U.S. and international entities, including new hires, terminations, bonuses, commissions, and equity compensation

• Own stock administration in Carta: grants, exercises, terminations and repurchases, and the tax and reporting that follows

• Close payroll and equity every month: accruals, reconciliations, support for stock comp expense, and the schedules auditors ask for

• Get payroll tax right across states and countries, including new registrations, mobile employees, and year-end filings

• Write the documentation and build the controls this function is missing, and automate the parts that shouldn't be manual

• Expand into broader accounting operations over-time: own T&E policy, process, and compliance; take on accounts payable and month-end reconciliations as capacity allows

Your background looks something like this

• 4-6 years of progressive payroll experience, with full ownership of U.S. and international payroll

• Payroll tax fluency, including registrations, multi-state nexus, and year-end forms

• Deep knowledge of payroll compliance, tax regulations, and reporting requirements.

• Working knowledge of equity compensation mechanics: ISO/NSO, exercises, dispositions, withholding, and reporting. Carta experience is a plus and the ability to pick it up quickly is not optional.

• Comfort closing the books on your own work: journal entries, accruals, reconciliations

• Rippling experience is helpful

• Strong attention to detail and the ability to independently reconcile and resolve discrepancies

• A proactive, ownership-driven mindset with comfort operating in a fast-moving startup environment

Even better if you have

• Have worked in a hyper growth company

• Have stood up payroll in a new country

• Have worked directly with external auditors on payroll and equity testing

• Have exposure to AP, AR, or T&E operations

Compensation

$140,000 - $170,000 + equity

• Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits for you and your family

• Life Insurance and Disability Benefits

• Retirement Plan (e.g., 401K, pension)

• Parental Leave

• Fertility and family building benefits through Carrot