Payroll Manager

Achieve Life Sciences

11d•$130,000 - $145,000•Remote

About The Position

Achieve Life Sciences is preparing for the potential commercial launch of cytisinicline and developing the operational infrastructure to support growth. Reporting to the Vice President, Finance, the Payroll Manager will own and scale the global payroll function across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The position oversees end-to-end payroll operations, tax compliance, financial reconciliation, reporting, systems, and year-end activities while partnering with HR, Finance, Accounting, Equity Administration, Sales Operations, Legal, and other teams. It will also prepare payroll processes for commercial launch, including sales incentive compensation and field-force pay practices. The role leads payroll processing, provider and systems management, payroll tax and country-specific compliance, equity and benefits payroll administration, reconciliations, accounting, reporting, controls, and audit readiness. It is a remote position for candidates residing in the continental United States and may require travel of up to 10% for conferences and company meetings.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
At least 7 years of payroll experience, including at least 3 years in a payroll lead or management role.
Hands-on multi-country payroll experience, with direct responsibility for at least two of the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Strong working knowledge of U.S. federal and multi-state payroll tax requirements, wage and hour regulations, and applicable payroll compliance obligations.
Experience processing equity compensation through payroll, including stock options, RSUs, and ESPP transactions.
Proficiency with a major payroll or HRIS platform, such as ADP Workforce Now or Rippling.
Strong analytical skills and attention to detail, with discretion in handling confidential employee and financial information.
Excellent communication and problem-solving skills and ability to collaborate across HR, Finance, Legal, and Sales Operations.
Ability to manage competing priorities and maintain accurate payroll operations during rapid growth.

Nice To Haves

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
Experience in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, or life sciences, particularly during a transition from pre-commercial development to commercialization.
Experience in manufacturing, multi-site operations, or other complex operating environments.
Experience building or supporting incentive compensation payroll processes for a field-based or pharmaceutical sales team.
Experience supporting SOX compliance, internal controls, and audit readiness.
Familiarity with pharmaceutical commercial compliance considerations, including coordination with Finance and Compliance on Sunshine Act reporting and alignment with expense policies.

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end regular, off-cycle, and bonus payroll processing across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payments.
Administer multi-state U.S. payroll for remote and field-based sales personnel, coordinating hires, terminations, compensation changes, leaves, and final pay with HR.
Manage payroll provider relationships, service-level agreements, performance expectations, HRIS and payroll integrations, and process improvements.
Oversee payroll tax withholding, remittances, filings, registrations, and statutory reporting; monitor regulatory changes and update processes as needed.
Oversee U.S. federal, state, and local payroll obligations; Canadian source deductions, remittances, and year-end reporting; and U.K. PAYE, National Insurance, HMRC submissions, statutory payments, and pension auto-enrollment.
Partner with Sales Operations, HR, and Finance to establish payroll processes for bonuses, commissions, sales performance awards, and other variable pay tied to quotas and performance metrics.
Coordinate payroll administration for sales expense reimbursements, car allowances, and other field-force pay elements, ensuring compliance with applicable wage and hour, commission, final pay, and expense reimbursement requirements.
Process payroll-related tax withholding and reporting for stock option exercises, RSU vesting, and ESPP purchases; coordinate with external advisors on cross-border and mobile employee tax matters, including U.K. share schemes and Canadian stock option rules.
Reconcile payroll deductions with benefit carriers and plan providers and support company benefits and 401(k) plan administration.
Prepare payroll journal entries and accruals and support month-end close.
Deliver reporting and analysis for Finance, HR, and leadership, including headcount costs, budget variances, and R&D tax credit support.
Maintain documented payroll controls and segregation of duties, support SOX compliance and financial statement and benefit plan audits, and identify ways to reduce risk and improve efficiency.
Collaborate with HR, Finance, Accounting, Legal, Equity Administration, and Sales Operations to resolve issues, maintain compliance, and support business needs.