Global Payroll Controller

This is Adyen

Adyen provides payments, data, and financial products in a single solution for customers like Meta, Uber, H&M, and Microsoft - making us the financial technology platform of choice. At Adyen, everything we do is engineered for ambition. 

For our teams, we create an environment with opportunities for our people to succeed, backed by the culture and support to ensure they are enabled to truly own their careers. We are motivated individuals who tackle unique technical challenges at scale and solve them as a team. Together, we deliver innovative and ethical solutions that help businesses achieve their ambitions faster.

At Adyen, our people are our greatest asset. Our unique company culture attracts the smartest individuals who thrive on taking initiative and ownership, contributing directly to our rapid growth. We believe in empowering our team members, providing the freedom, opportunity, and ownership necessary for them to reach their utmost potential.

Global Payroll Controller

We are looking for a hands-on and strategic Global Payroll Controller to join our dynamic Payroll team within the Finance function. This role is an opportunity for a flexible, financially-minded professional to navigate a global landscape. You will not be siloed into a single country; instead, you will manage a mix of in-house processing and outsourced vendor partnerships across the Americas.

As a Payroll Controller, you will be instrumental in coordinating payroll for (a selection of) our 20+ entities globally, working closely with our external payroll providers. You'll report directly to the Global Head of Payroll in Amsterdam and you will be based in our San Francisco office.

New phase: You’re joining us at a pivotal moment. As a team, we are moving away from manual, reactive work towards a future of scalable, automated solutions. Your role provides the essential stability and accuracy that allows our team to function as a strategic partner to the wider business. We want people who are inspired by this shift and ready to help us build a world-class financial platform.

What you will do

• Execute & control: You will be hands-on in preparing and executing payrolls, this role focuses primarily on the US and other countries in the Americas. This includes validating inputs, managing data flows, and thoroughly reviewing the output from our global vendors to ensure 100% accuracy before payment.
• Automation & process: You will be a champion for data integrity and system efficiency. You will identify manual inefficiencies and design and implement scalable workflows that connect seamlessly with HR and Finance workflows.
• Stakeholder management: You will be a business partner to our HR and Finance teams. You will actively manage external payroll vendors to ensure they meet our high standards.
• Employee support: You will be a point of contact for our colleagues. You will handle payroll-related queries with empathy and speed, helping employees understand their pay-slips situations.
• Financial ownership: You will bridge the gap between Payroll and Accounting. You are responsible for the General Ledger (GL) journals, month-end reconciliations, and variance analysis to ensure our books match our bank. 
• Compliance: You have experience with US multi-state payroll tax withholding.
• Research: You don't just follow existing rules; you stay ahead of them. You will actively research and monitor evolving local tax requirements and proactively implement changes to ensure we remain compliant before issues arise.

Who you are

• Experience: You have at least 5 years of experience in payroll. You have a solid grasp of payroll accounting principles and the General Ledger.
• Mindset: You are flexible and thrive in an environment where processes are not always set in stone. You are comfortable switching between different operating models and regions.
• Curious: You are naturally curious and don't take things at face value. You ask "why," dig into the details to understand the root cause of discrepancies, and are eager to learn how complex mechanisms (like shadow payrolls) work.
• Global mindset: You think beyond your office. You are culturally aware and flexible enough to work across different time zones when the business requires it.
• Team player: You are collaborative and communicative. You realize that payroll is a team sport, and you are ready to jump in and support colleagues during peak times. You are able to work across timezones. 
• Systems: Strong preference for experience with Workday and the Workday payroll module. More importantly, you have a natural aptitude for systems and are eager to learn new tools.
• Financial acumen: You aren't scared of debits and credits. You have experience (or a strong interest) in how payroll impacts the P&L and Balance Sheet.
• Proactive: You spot errors before they happen and speak up when you see a better way to do things.

The annual base salary range for this role is $120,000 - $195,000 in San Francisco, plus RSUs; to learn more about our compensation philosophy, please click here.   

Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion commitments 

Our unique approach is a product of our diverse perspectives. This diversity of backgrounds and cultures is essential in helping us maintain our momentum. Our business and technical challenges are unique, and we need as many different voices as possible to join us in solving them - voices like yours. No matter who you are or where you’re from, we welcome you to be your true self at Adyen. 

Studies show that women and members of underrepresented communities apply for jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Does this sound like you? If so, Adyen encourages you to reconsider and apply. We look forward to your application!

What’s next?

Ensuring a smooth and enjoyable candidate experience is critical for us. We aim to get back to you regarding your application within 5 business days. Our interview process tends to take about 4 weeks to complete, but may fluctuate depending on the role. Learn more about our hiring process here. Don’t be afraid to let us know if you need more flexibility.

Adyen is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, marital status or any legally protected status.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

This role is based out of our San Francisco office. We are an office-first company and value in-person collaboration; we do not offer remote-only roles.