Director, Global Payroll

Neurocrine Biosciences • San Diego, CA

18h

About The Position

The Director, Global Payroll provides strategic leadership and governance for Neurocrine Biosciences’ U.S. and international payroll operations. The role develops and directs the global payroll strategy and operating model and is accountable for payroll performance, including accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery; a scalable global operating model; leadership of the payroll team and third-party providers; and effective systems, controls, reporting, and service.

The Director partners with Human Resources, Total Rewards, Finance, Tax, Treasury, Legal, Stock Administration, and Information Technology to support employees, business growth, and evolving regulatory requirements. The position also advises senior leadership on payroll strategy, performance, risk, controls, and priorities.

Requirements

• 16+ years of relevant training, education, and experience, including progressive payroll experience and progressively responsible payroll leadership roles with accountability for teams, complex payroll operations, and/or multi-country payroll delivery; alternatively, a BS/BA and 12+ years of progressive payroll experience including 5+ years in progressively responsible payroll leadership roles, or a master's degree and 10+ years of progressive payroll experience including significant leadership responsibility for complex and/or multi-country payroll operations.
• Deep expertise in U.S. payroll operations, wage and hour requirements, payroll taxation, regulatory reporting, payroll accounting, and complex compensation arrangements.
• Demonstrated experience leading international or multi-country payroll operations, including governance of local statutory requirements, compliance obligations, and third-party provider models.
• Demonstrated experience establishing and overseeing payroll governance, internal controls, SOX compliance, audit readiness, risk management, data privacy, and remediation of control or compliance issues.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders, resolve complex or ambiguous issues, and exercise sound judgment on complex, sensitive, or high-risk matters.
• Ability to develop functional strategy, translate business objectives into scalable operating models and multi-year roadmaps, and lead organizational change across a complex organization.
• Demonstrated experience leading payroll transformation and technology initiatives, including process optimization, system implementation or enhancement, HCM/financial-system integrations, automation, data integrity, interfaces, and access controls.
• Experience governing payroll platforms and HCM/financial-system integrations, with accountability for data integrity, interfaces, workflow automation, and access controls.
• Experience overseeing payroll implications of equity compensation, executive compensation, mobility, fringe benefits, and other complex compensation programs.
• Ability to govern complex vendor relationships and lead large-scale, cross-functional initiatives using sound judgment, structured decision-making, and effective change leadership.
• Executive-level communication skills, including communicating payroll strategy, operational performance, risk, and recommendations to senior leadership and key stakeholders; discretion in handling confidential employee and compensation information.
• Proven people leadership experience, including developing high-performing teams, coaching and developing leaders and professionals, establishing accountability, and supporting succession and talent planning.

Nice To Haves

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification; global payroll certification preferred.
• ADP Workforce Now experience.
• Equity Edge Online/ETRADE experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a multi-year global payroll strategy and operating model for U.S. and international employee populations, aligned with business growth and employee needs.
• Lead, develop, and retain the payroll organization; set priorities and performance expectations; build leadership and technical capability; and establish accountability, service standards, succession plans, and a culture of operational excellence.
• Provide strategic oversight and escalation leadership for accurate and timely payroll delivery, including regular and off-cycle payrolls, bonuses, equity compensation, mobility-related items, garnishments, and other complex pay arrangements.
• Establish and direct governance for international payroll operations and third-party providers, including country-specific compliance, statutory reporting, tax withholding, social contributions, data privacy, and local filing requirements.
• Partner across Human Resources, Total Rewards, Finance, Tax, Treasury, Legal, Stock Administration, and Information Technology to influence enterprise policies, shape business decisions, and drive organizational change.
• Lead payroll workstreams for transactions and other significant business initiatives and advise senior leadership on payroll strategy, performance, risk, controls, and priorities.
• Direct payroll compliance, tax governance, year-end reporting, regulatory filings, and audit support across applicable jurisdictions; assess regulatory developments and establish organizational responses and control changes.
• Establish and oversee the payroll control environment, including SOX controls, reconciliations, segregation of duties, documentation, business continuity, and timely remediation of identified issues.
• Direct payroll accounting, funding, reconciliations, management reporting, and payroll treatment of equity, executive compensation, and other complex programs.
• Develop and direct payroll technology strategy and roadmap; establish governance for payroll-related systems and interfaces; and drive automation, standardization, scalability, data quality, and effective access controls.
• Establish vendor strategy and governance and direct relationships, contracts, service-level expectations, performance, risk, and issue escalation across domestic and international providers.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Annual bonus with a target of 35% of earned base salary.
• Eligibility to participate in the equity-based long-term incentive program.
• Retirement savings plan with company match.
• Paid vacation, holiday, and personal days.
• Paid caregiver, parental, and medical leave.
• Medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with applicable plan terms and conditions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director