Director, Payroll

IDEAYA Biosciences • South San Francisco, CA

20h • $196,000 - $243,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

About IDEAYA Biosciences: IDEAYA is a precision medicine oncology company committed to the discovery, development, and commercialization of transformative therapies for cancer. Our approach integrates expertise in small-molecule drug discovery, structural biology and bioinformatics with robust internal capabilities in identifying and validating translational biomarkers to develop tailored, potentially first-in-class targeted therapies aligned to the genetic drivers of disease. We have built a deep pipeline of product candidates focused on synthetic lethality and antibody-drug conjugates, or ADCs, for molecularly defined solid tumor indications. Our mission is to bring forth the next wave of precision oncology therapies that are more selective, more effective, and deeply personalized with the goal of altering the course of disease and improving clinical outcomes for patients with cancer. When you're at IDEAYA, you will be in the midst of brilliant minds working on precision medicine therapies to help cancer patients. We are passionate and committed about being on the forefront of oncology medicine, which means we all have a high internal drive that is at the very core of every person at IDEAYA. We are inquisitive, ask deep questions, and are data-driven innovators who like to collaborate and use team work to move science forward. For more information, please see www.ideayabio.com.

Position Summary: We are seeking a Payroll Director to build and lead IDEAYA’s payroll function as we transition from a clinical-stage to a commercial-stage biosciences company. This role is responsible for the end-to-end payroll operating model—ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant pay delivery—while establishing scalable governance, robust internal controls (including SOX compliance), and execution across multi-jurisdictional requirements. Reporting to the Senior Finance Director, the Payroll Director will oversee all aspects of payroll processing and reporting, including payroll policy administration, wage and hour compliance, and payroll tax management. As the primary owner of ADP Workforce Now, the Payroll Director will optimize system configuration and reporting, strengthen data integrity, and drive seamless integration across HR, IT, and Finance systems, including equity compensation reporting and taxation. This position is based in our South San Francisco headquarters and requires being onsite four days per week per company policy.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration; MBA or advanced degree preferred
• 10–15+ years of progressive payroll experience, including at least 5 years in a director-level role within a publicly held company
• Proven experience in a public company, including experience supporting a clinical-to-commercial transition
• Advanced, hands-on expertise with ADP Workforce Now is essential, including reporting, SmartCompliance, general ledger interface, time/attendance modules, and access management
• Deep understanding of multi-state tax regulations, wage/hour laws (FLSA), and payroll-related legal and compliance requirements
• Experience building and scaling international payroll operations, including managing global payroll vendors and ensuring country-specific compliance (employment, tax, and statutory requirements)
• Experience with equity compensation and related tax implications
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to build trust and credibility across all levels of the organization
• A proactive, high-energy approach with a demonstrated track record of driving continuous improvement
• Self-starter with strong people leadership, a collaborative mindset, and a commitment to operational excellence
• All employees are expected to act with integrity and in full compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and IDEAYA policies, including IDEAYA’s Code of Conduct. Employees must demonstrate good judgement and ethical behavior in all business activities, maintain patient and product safety as a top priority, and report any suspected violations of law or Company policy through appropriate channels

Nice To Haves

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation highly preferred

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a long-term payroll strategy aligned with IDEAYA’s evolving workforce needs, commercial growth, and broader Finance objectives
• Lead end-to-end payroll operations to ensure accurate, compliant, and timely pay delivery across all employee populations
• Own ADP Workforce Now as the platform subject matter expert, including system configuration, database governance, access management, and continuous optimization
• Manage integrations and data flows across HRIS, Accounting, IT, and equity systems; develop advanced custom reporting to support financial integrity and decision-making
• Oversee federal, multi-state, local, and foreign tax compliance; ensure consistent adherence to applicable regulations and internal standards
• Maintain and evolve SOX-compliant internal controls for payroll; prepare documentation, testing support, and audit-ready evidence for internal and external stakeholders
• Lead and respond to external payroll audits, and support 401(k) and Workers’ Compensation audits
• Administer and ensure accurate payroll treatment of bonuses, equity-based compensation (stock options, ESPP), paid time off, benefits, imputed income, and other compensation elements
• Partner closely with Stock Administration to process option grants and exercises and ensure correct reporting and taxation of equity events
• Identify and implement automation and process improvements to reduce manual effort, mitigate risk, improve accuracy, and enhance the employee experience
• Lead payroll system implementations, upgrades, and vendor evaluations, including project management, change management, and stakeholder alignment
• Take a leadership role in commercial-stage readiness initiatives, including administering incentive compensation plans, impacting payroll process, controls, and reporting
• Collaborate closely with Finance & Equity, HR, IT, and Legal to ensure timely execution, accurate reporting, and strong governance across payroll processes

Benefits

• Along with our inspiring mission, and highly collaborative and inclusive environment, IDEAYA offers a competitive total rewards package that reflects our pay-for-performance philosophy where employees are eligible to be considered for merit-based salary increases, company discretionary short-term incentive plan participation, and company discretionary stock option awards (based on board approval).
• Our comprehensive benefits package includes, but is not limited to, medical/dental/vision coverage (100% company paid for employees and 90% company paid for dependents), 401k, ESPP, and wellness programs.

What This Job Offers

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