Senior Manager, Global Payroll

About the Opportunity

The primary function of this position is to effectively build, lead and manage a multi-location department which is responsible for the processing, reconciliation, analysis and compliance associated with global payroll for salaried, hourly, and variably compensated workforce. The ideal candidate for this role will bring their proven experience to leverage best in class, people, processes and systems to effectively meet the current and anticipated needs of the business. This role will also be involved in, and lead their team in, closely collaborating with the People Organization, Finance, Legal and the business.

What to except?

• Lead and manage a team of two Payroll Analysts, consisting of and leveraging world class tools, processes, and personnel, to deliver against the responsibilities and objectives of the department.
• Effective, accurate, timely, confidential, and efficient processing, calculating and settlement of all global payroll and settlement of commissions and bonuses. This role does not include responsibility for commission or bonus plans design.
• Serve as the main compliance point of contact for all US and International payroll Transactions.
• Effectively serve as the lead interface for all payroll matters with financial and regulatory auditors. Including accurate and timely preparation of and explanations for all audit related requests.
• Responsible for reconciling and accurate and timely filing of all employer payroll related compliance forms/returns for all applicable jurisdictions. This includes, but is not limited to
• working with our service providers for W-2 forms (and Int’l equivalents) to ensure accurate entry of all compensation transactions (i.e. gifts, prizes, education assistance, equity, etc.) and the reconciliation of the quarterly Federal and state returns and amendments.
• Overseeing the implementation, maintenance and recurring optimization of tools, processes and including readout and escalation strategies to effectively monitor and communicate the “health” of the global payroll process. Process should be such that critical issues are detected, analyzed, escalated if required, and ultimately resolved timely with minimal impact to the financial statements and employee experience. Process should also provide Contentful with a quantitative basis for identifying and assessing the financial impact of sub-optimal processes in the daily global payroll processes and identifying and prioritizing recommendations for improvement.
• Overseeing root cause analysis of recurring reconciliation issues and recommending and
• influencing the implementation of process improvements and tools solutions to correct and mitigate these.
• Effective collaboration with the global People Organization, Legal, Finance and business on general payroll matters with cross functional impact. This specifically, but is not limited to, accounting for payroll and all related items to the general ledger, new hire processes, compensation programs, bonus and other non-recurring payment processing, terminations processes, commissions program changes, benefits programs and general business expansions.
• Influencing the outcome to optimize the trade-off between stakeholder satisfaction and time to market with the global payroll needs for effectiveness and efficiency of processing and reconciliation.
• Develop and drive a vision and detailed roadmap to ensure Contentful payroll functions meet current and future business needs and stay competitive with “best in class” standards. Actively participate with the wider Finance team in driving the department roadmap, appropriately prioritizing initiatives and helping to ensure automated solutions are implemented timely and effectively.
• Assist with or be responsible for other duties and ad hoc projects as assigned.

What do you need to be successful?

• BA degree in Accounting or Finance, preferred
• Payroll Compensation industry and organization certifications a strong plus
• 10-12 or more years relevant work experience in payroll
• Including, 5 or more years of leadership and management experience with proven results for building and leading highly effective teams.
• Experience with Payrolls larger than 750 employees and both exempt and non-exempt employees
• Experience with both multi-state and global employees, including Germany
• Experience with tax equalization and a strong understanding of payroll matters with employee mobility cases.
• Power user level experience with multiple payroll automation tools. Workday Payroll, OSV, and Cloudpay experience a plus.
• Prior NetSuite experience a plus
• System and process architecture, troubleshooting, reengineering and mapping a plus
• Project team level participation in new systems implementations a strong plus
• Experience with recurring metrics tracking and analysis
• Interacting with external parties including auditors and other service providers.
• Presentations to senior and executive management a strong plus
• Ability to adhere to the highest ethical standards and unwavering integrity.
• Stand out leadership and effective team and individual management practices.
• High-functioning, working knowledge of relevant payroll and related standards, codes, GAAP, regulations and other related requirements at both the US and global level.
• Solid payroll accounting, reconciliation and accounting process knowledge including comfort with multi-state and multi-country environments.
• Strong system and data flow knowledge. Ability to learn and adapt to new flows and software technologies.
• Strong analytical, research, problem solving and evaluative thinking skills.
• Acute attention to detail and well-developed organization and time management skills.
• Well-developed sense of urgency and follow through.
• Strong communication skills - including ability to listen to the needs of others and comprehend complex matters, articulate issues in a clear and concise manner, and present effectively in both oral and written presentations to all levels in the organization.
• Team-oriented approach – can effectively lead a project or participate as an effective team member as well as work cross-functionally with other organizations.
• High level of energy and a desire to thrive in a growing, complex, fast-paced organization; ability to handle multiple projects under pressure.
• Strong work ethic, including the ability to work independently, but also knows how to have fun while doing it!
• This position may require occasional travel
• The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by the employees assigned to this classification. They are not an exhaustive list of all the responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees so classified.

What's in it for you?

• Join an ambitious tech company reshaping the way people build digital experiences
• Full-time employees receive Stock Options for the opportunity to share in the success of our company
• Comprehensive healthcare package covering 100% of monthly health premiums for employees and 85% of costs for your dependents. 
• Fertility and family building benefits, including a lifetime reimbursable wallet to support your growing family.
• We value Work-Life balance and You Time! A generous amount of paid time off, including vacation days, sick days, compassion days for loss,  education days, and volunteer days
• Company paid parental leave to care for and focus on your growing family 
• Use your personal annual education budget to improve your skills and grow in your career
• Enjoy a full range of virtual and in-person events, including workshops, guest speakers, and fun team activities, supporting learning and networking exchange beyond the usual work duties 
• An annual wellbeing stipend to care for your physical, financial, or emotional health
• A monthly communication stipend and phone hardware upgrade reimbursement.
• New hire office equipment stipend for hybrid or distributed employees. Get the gear you need to work at your best.

The application deadline is 02/19/2026

Colorado Salary Statement: The salary range displayed is specifically for those potential hires who will work or reside in the state of Colorado if selected for the role. Any offered salary is determined based on internal equity, internal salary ranges, market data/ranges, applicant's skills and prior relevant experience, certain degrees and certifications (e.g. JD/technology), for example.

Colorado Salary: $138,000-186,000

[This position is eligible for equity awards, annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards in accordance with the terms of Contentful’s variable compensation plans]

#LI-hybrid #LI-SD1

Who are we?

Contentful is a leading digital experience platform that helps modern businesses meet the growing demand for engaging, personalized content at scale. By blending composability with native AI capabilities, Contentful enables dynamic personalization, automated content delivery, and real-time experimentation, powering next-generation digital experiences across brands, regions, and channels for more than 4,200 organizations worldwide. More than 700 people from more than 70 nations contribute their energy and creativity to Contentful, working from hubs in Berlin, Denver, San Francisco, London, New York, and distributed worldwide.

Everyone is welcome here!

“Everyone is welcome here” is a celebrated component of our culture. At Contentful, we strive to create an inclusive environment that empowers our employees. We believe that our products and services benefit from our diverse backgrounds and experiences, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, physical [dis]ability, or length of time spent unemployed. We invite you to apply and join us!

If you need reasonable accommodations at any point during the application or interview process, please let your recruiting coordinator know.

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