Senior Manager, Global Payroll

About the Company Armada is the hyperscaler for the edge, delivering modular AI infrastructure from first deployment to AI factory with speed, scale and sovereignty. Named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies and to the CNBC Disruptor 50, Armada’s solutions are deployed in over 60 countries globally for organizations ranging from energy to defense. With nearly $500 million in funding to date, Armada is backed by leading investors including Founders Fund, Lux, BlackRock and Microsoft (M12), alongside strategic partnerships with Microsoft, Dell, Palantir, NVIDIA, SpaceX, and Skydio. We are building the infrastructure layer for sovereign and edge AI - rugged, deployable compute for customers that cannot rely on centralized cloud. Working at Armada means taking ownership, driving autonomy, and delivering impact. You’ll tackle challenges that haven’t been solved before and help build something transformative from the ground up. What you do here will not only define your career but help further Armada’s mission to bridge the digital divide for customers around the world. About the Role Armada is hiring a Senior Manager, Global Payroll to own global payroll end-to-end. We are an edge AI infrastructure company with more than 500 employees across our full-time, EOR, and contractor populations, spread across 30+ US states and 11 countries outside the US. Our Payroll and HRIS run on Rippling, with EOR coverage through Rippling and through Deel in markets Rippling does not support. This role has no direct reports today. You are the payroll function, and you will run the cycle yourself. We are hiring someone who can do that while building what comes next: the systems, the controls, the documentation, and eventually the team. The scaling work is not a stretch goal attached to this job. It is the job. You will own the vendor relationships, act as the subject matter expert the business escalates to, and be accountable for accuracy and compliance in every jurisdiction where we pay people. As we add states, countries, and entities, you provide input on what the payroll infrastructure needs to become and then you build it. That includes evaluating additional platforms if Rippling becomes insufficient and making the case for payroll headcount when volume and complexity justify it. There is no playbook waiting for you. You will write it. Location. This role is remote-based on the continental US. Main Responsibilities • Own end-to-end payroll processing for all US employees in Rippling across 30+ states, including bi-weekly pay runs on separate schedules for hourly and salaried employees and off-cycle runs, bonuses, commissions, relocation, fringe benefits, deductions, garnishments, and final pay. • Own payroll delivery for international and global EOR populations, coordinating with Rippling, Deel, and local providers so every jurisdiction pays accurately, on time, and compliantly. • Own payroll tax compliance across federal, state, and local jurisdictions, including registrations, withholding and unemployment accounts, filings, amendments, and agency notice resolution. • Own payroll readiness for expansion into new states and countries, standing up new jurisdictions inside the lead times the business works to and advising on EOR versus direct entity where the math changes. • Own payroll's side of equity. Today that means clean data, correct treatment of any taxable equity events, and coordination with Finance and Legal. Ahead of a liquidity event, it means building the withholding, sourcing, and reporting process before we need it rather than during it. • Prepare and reconcile payroll journal entries and payroll-related balance sheet accounts, and partner with Accounting on accruals and month end, quarter end, and year end close. • Own year-end processing end-to-end, including W-2 production and corrections and the equivalent filings across international and EOR populations. • Serve as primary payroll liaison for state and workers' compensation audits, compiling wage records, tax filings, and supporting documentation to satisfy auditor requirements • Design, document, and maintain payroll controls, approval workflows, segregation of duties, and desktop procedures, and serve as the primary payroll contact for external auditors and the annual 401(k) audit. • Set the payroll calendar, cut-off deadlines, and data handoffs with People Operations, Talent Acquisition, and Finance so data integrity holds from offer through final pay. • Evaluate and implement payroll systems and automation as we scale, including potential addition of or migration to platforms such as ADP, and systematically remove manual reconciliation from the process. • Build the function. Define the target operating model, make the case for headcount when the volume supports it, and hire, onboard, and develop the payroll team that follows you. • Produce payroll metrics, variance analysis, and labor cost reporting for People and Finance leadership. Required Qualifications • Full-cycle payroll ownership. 8+ years of hands-on payroll experience with end-to-end ownership of US multi-state payroll, including at least 2 years as the most senior payroll person in a company or leading a payroll team. • Rippling depth. Direct experience administering payroll in Rippling, including EOR populations, at a level where you configure and troubleshoot the platform rather than escalate to support. • US multi-state tax command. Working knowledge of nexus determination, reciprocity, SUI and SDI, supplemental withholding rates, local levies, and agency management across a footprint of comparable breadth. • International and EOR fluency. Experience managing payroll through EOR and local provider models. • Equity payroll readiness. Familiarity with equity payroll mechanics and stock plan administration data. You understand RSU settlement, option exercise withholding, and income sourcing well enough to partner with Finance to account for any equity complexities. • Payroll accounting fundamentals. Comfort with GL mapping, balance sheet reconciliation, accruals, and supporting month end close alongside Accounting. • Builder instinct. You have scaled a payroll function, not just operated one. Calendars, controls, documentation, system selection, and audit readiness built inside a company growing faster than its infrastructure. • Certification. CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) strongly preferred. • Judgment and influence. The ability to advise leadership, escalate early, push back when upstream data is wrong, and hold partner teams to deadlines while preserving the relationship. Preferred Qualifications • Hands-on experience with Deel or another secondary EOR platform • Experience implementing or migrating a payroll platform such as ADP or Workday • Experience taking a company from pre-IPO through a liquidity event, including equity payroll at settlement • Exposure to SOX, IPO readiness, or building financial controls from scratch • Experience with payroll and equity tax treatment for mobile employee populations • Experience supporting a venture-backed technology company scaling past 500 people and into new countries • Proficiency with Excel, using formulas and v-lookups to effectively manage data outputs from multiple sources, is preferred. Compensation & Benefits For U.S. Based candidates: To ensure fairness and transparency, the starting base salary range for this role for candidates in the U.S. are listed, varying based on location experience, skills, and qualifications. In addition to base salary, this role will also be offered equity and subsidized benefits (details available upon request). We use a geographic pay structure based on cost-of-labor markets. • Tier 1 (e.g., SF Bay Area, NYC, Seattle): $159,620 – $199,525 • Tier 2 (most U.S. metro areas): $1138,800 – $173,500 • Tier 3 (other cities): $131,860 - $164,825 Final compensation will be determined by experience, scope, and level, and may vary from the posted range. Benefits • Competitive base salary and equity • Medical, dental, and vision (subsidized cost) • Health savings accounts (HSA), flexible spending accounts (FSA), and dependent care FSAs (DCFSA) • Retirement plan options, including 401(k) and Roth 401(k) • Unlimited paid time off (PTO) • 14 paid company holidays per year #LI-SM1 #LI-Remote Compensation $138,800—$173,500 USD You're a Great Fit if You're • A go-getter with a growth mindset. You're intellectually curious, have strong business acumen, and actively seek opportunities to build relevant skills and knowledge • A detail-oriented problem-solver. You can independently gather information, solve problems efficiently, and deliver results with a "get-it-done" attitude • Thrive in a fast-paced environment. You're energized by an entrepreneurial spirit, capable of working quickly, and excited to contribute to a growing company • A collaborative team player. You focus on business success and are motivated by team accomplishment vs personal agenda • Highly organized and results-driven. Strong prioritization skills and a dedicated work ethic are essential for you Equal Opportunity Statement At Armada, we are committed to fostering a work environment where everyone is given equal opportunities to thrive. As an equal opportunity employer, we strictly prohibit discrimination or harassment based on race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy applies to all employment decisions, including hiring, promotions, and compensation. Our hiring is guided by qualifications, merit, and the business needs at the time. Unsolicited Resumes and Candidates Armada does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from external agencies or recruiters. All candidates must apply directly through our careers page. Any resumes submitted by agencies without a prior signed agreement will be considered unsolicited and Armada will not be obligated to pay any fees.