Sr. Payroll Analyst

Amplitude•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

We’re looking for a Senior Payroll Analyst who can operate as both an owner and a problem-solver—someone who takes pride in running payroll accurately, efficiently, and without surprises. This role is responsible for end-to-end payroll processing across the US and Canada and plays a critical role in ensuring employees are paid correctly and on time, every time. You’ll sit within the Finance organization and partner closely with HR, Legal, Benefits, and Stock Administration. This isn’t just a processing role—you’ll be deeply involved in equity compensation payroll, month-end close, compliance, and system optimization within Workday. The environment is fast-paced and evolving, so success in this role requires both precision and adaptability. If you enjoy building structure, improving processes, and being the person people rely on when things get complex, this role will give you a lot of room to make an impact.

Requirements

5+ years of hands-on experience managing payroll in Workday, with Workday Payroll as the primary system of record
Proven experience running full-cycle payroll for US (multi-state) and Canadian employees
Deep understanding of equity compensation payroll, including RSU, NSO, and ISO taxation, processing, and reporting requirements
Experience supporting month-end close, including preparing journal entries and reconciling payroll-related GL accounts
Strong knowledge of US payroll tax laws (federal, state, and local), with working knowledge of Canadian payroll regulations
Advanced proficiency in Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and managing large datasets
Exceptional attention to detail and a track record of maintaining high levels of accuracy in complex payroll environments
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot issues and identify root causes

Nice To Haves

You’ve worked in a high-growth or fast-moving environment and know how to balance speed with precision (you don’t sacrifice one for the other)
You’re comfortable navigating ambiguity and can independently prioritize when multiple deadlines compete for your attention
You have experience working within SOX-controlled environments and understand the importance of documentation and audit readiness
You’ve been involved in Workday Payroll implementations, upgrades, or system enhancements and enjoy improving how systems operate
You take a proactive, ownership-driven approach—you don’t wait for problems to escalate, you spot and solve them early
You’re a strong cross-functional partner who can build trust with Finance, HR, Legal, and external vendors
You enjoy digging into the details but can also step back and think about process improvements at a higher level

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end payroll operations for US (multi-state) and Canadian employees across semi-monthly and bi-weekly cycles, ensuring all payroll inputs (new hires, terminations, tax updates, garnishments, etc.) are processed accurately and on time
Act as the primary payroll point of contact for employees and internal stakeholders, resolving inquiries with a high level of accuracy, professionalism, and urgency
Lead payroll system operations in Workday , including configuring deductions and withholdings, managing EIB uploads, building reports, and troubleshooting issues in partnership with HRIS
Manage equity compensation payroll events , including RSUs, NSOs, and ISOs, ensuring proper taxation, reporting, and reconciliation in coordination with Stock Administration and external platforms
Support month-end close and accounting activities , including preparing journal entries, reconciling payroll-related GL accounts, and analyzing variances in partnership with Accounting
Ensure compliance across jurisdictions , staying up to date on US federal, state, and local regulations as well as Canadian provincial requirements
Own year-end payroll processes , including W-2 T4, and T2200 preparation, reconciliations, and filings, ensuring everything is accurate and submitted on time
Drive process improvements and automation , identifying opportunities to increase efficiency, reduce manual work, and strengthen internal controls
Support audits and SOX compliance efforts , maintaining documentation, executing controls, and partnering with auditors as needed

Benefits

Excellent Medical, Dental and Vision insurance coverages, with 100% employer-paid premiums for employee Medical, Dental, Vision on select plans
Flexible time off, paid holidays, and more
Generous stipends to spend on what matters most to you, whether that’s wellness (monthly), commuter transit/parking (monthly), learning and development (quarterly), home office equipment (annual), and much more
Excellent Parental benefits including: 12-20 weeks of Paid Parental Leave, Carrot Fertility Benefits/Adoption/Surrogacy support, Back-up Child Care support
Mental health and wellness benefits including no cost employee access to Modern Health coaching & therapy Sessions and high quality physician office experience via One Medical membership (select U.S. locations only)
Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)

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