Director, Payroll

Who we are

Samsara (NYSE: IOT) is the pioneer of the Connected Operations™ Cloud, which is a platform that enables organizations that depend on physical operations to harness Internet of Things (IoT) data to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. At Samsara, we are helping improve the safety, efficiency and sustainability of the physical operations that power our global economy. Representing more than 40% of global GDP, these industries are the infrastructure of our planet, including agriculture, construction, field services, transportation, and manufacturing — and we are excited to help digitally transform their operations at scale.

Working at Samsara means you’ll help define the future of physical operations and be on a team that’s shaping an exciting array of product solutions, including Video-Based Safety, Vehicle Telematics, Apps and Driver Workflows, and Equipment Monitoring. As part of a recently public company, you’ll have the autonomy and support to make an impact as we build for the long term.

About the role:

We are looking for a visionary, tech-forward leader to architect and scale our global payroll engine. In this role, you won’t just manage a function; you will define the strategic roadmap for how Samsara compensates a world-class, global workforce.

You will lead our global payroll operations, transforming day-to-day execution into a high-precision, automated system that supports our international growth. As a key partner to HR, Tax, Legal, Accounting, and Equity, you will bridge the gap between financial integrity and employee experience. You will be the primary driver behind optimizing our global tech stack, leveraging AI and automation to eliminate manual friction, and ensuring that as Samsara grows, our internal controls and compliance frameworks remain ironclad.

This is a remote position open to candidates in the U.S. Relocation assistance will not be provided for this role.

In this role, you will: 

• Drive Strategic Payroll Architecture: Provide visionary leadership for our global payroll operations, utilizing data-driven metrics to monitor and relentlessly improve the efficiency and impact of our delivery model.
• Build a World-Class Team: Recruit, mentor, and develop an elite, globally dispersed team of payroll professionals, fostering a culture of high performance and continuous technical growth.
• Optimize Vendor Ecosystems: Own and evolve our relationships with external global service providers, ensuring they meet Samsara’s high standards for reliability and security. 
• Engineer Global Precision: Oversee all global payroll cycles, ensuring absolute accuracy and surgical compliance with US and international tax requirements across every jurisdiction.
• Strategic Cash & Treasury Partnership: Act as a key partner to the Treasury team by providing high-precision forecasting of global payroll cash outflows. You will ensure accurate cash positioning, allowing for optimized liquidity management across all international entities.
• Champion Financial Integrity: Master of all aspects of payroll accounting. You will be a key partner to Accounting and FP&A during month-end close, providing the flux analysis and variance reporting that informs our financial narrative.
• Lead Regulatory & Audit Excellence: Ensure all tax filings are executed with total accuracy. Lead the strategy for all payroll audits—including 401(k), Workers’ Comp, and statutory filings—ensuring our controls are always "audit-ready."
• Partner on Total Rewards: Collaborate with Stock Admin, Tax, and People teams to execute seamless stock-based compensation (RSUs, Options) while maintaining a rigorous focus on global tax compliance.
• Scale through AI & Automation: Identify and implement the next generation of scalable processes, leveraging AI-driven anomaly detection and automation to enhance operational flow while maintaining robust internal controls.
• Focus on Employee Experience: Drive a "customer-obsessed" employee experience by providing proactive, plain-English communications and training on complex topics like equity and tax. You will leverage AI-driven self-service tools and rigorous SLAs to ensure rapid, high-touch resolution of all global payroll inquiries.
• Champion, role model, and embed Samsara’s cultural principles (Focus on Customer Success, Build for the Long Term, Adopt a Growth Mindset, Be Inclusive, Win as a Team) as we scale globally and across new offices
• Hire, develop and lead an inclusive, engaged, and high performing team

Minimum requirements for the role:

• Proven Global Track Record: 10–15 years of progressive payroll leadership, with a deep technical command of both US and international payroll landscapes.
• Global Leadership Pedigree: Demonstrated success in leading and scaling globally dispersed teams through periods of significant headcount growth.
• Financial Acumen: Strong understanding of payroll accounting, treasury cash positioning, and the impact of payroll on the broader balance sheet.
• The Growth Mindset: A self-starter who thrives in high-velocity environments, with the ability to manage multiple complex workstreams simultaneously.
• Customer Obsession: A commitment to providing an elite, high-trust experience for every Samsarian.

An ideal candidate also has:

• Technical Credentialing: Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation or equivalent global certification.
• Expert Tech Stack Proficiency: Hands-on mastery of Workday and CloudPay is highly preferred, with a focus on optimizing existing configurations.
• Automation Expertise: Experience leveraging AI, RPA, or advanced data analytics to drive cost savings and operational efficiency within a unified global system.

The range of annual base salary for full-time employees for this position is below. Please note that base pay offered may vary depending on factors including your city of residence, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Learn more about our total rewards and benefits below.

Annual Base Salary

$128,240—$183,200 USD

Total Rewards

At Samsara, we build for the people who keep the global economy moving. We want owners, not passengers, which is why our rewards are designed to fuel high-impact builders. Our compensation program delivers above-market total compensation through a combination of base salary, performance-based bonus/variable pay, and equity (for eligible roles) in a high-growth public company. We meaningfully differentiate pay for our top performers, who have the opportunity to earn above-market compensation that can outpace the broader market over time.

Beyond compensation, we provide the foundations that enable long-term success: a flexible, employee-led remote model, a professional development stipend, comprehensive health and parental leave plans, and more. If you’re ready to build for the long term and own the outcome, your journey starts here.

Flexible Working 

At Samsara, we embrace a flexible working model that caters to the diverse needs of our teams. Our offices are open for those who prefer to work in-person and we also support remote work where it aligns with our operational requirements. For certain positions, being close to one of our offices or within a specific geographic area is important to facilitate collaboration, access to resources, or alignment with our service regions. In these cases, the job description will clearly indicate any working location requirements. Our goal is to ensure that all members of our team can contribute effectively, whether they are working on-site, in a hybrid model, or fully remotely. All offers of employment are contingent upon an individual’s ability to secure and maintain the legal right to work at the company and in the specified work location, if applicable.

Belonging at Samsara

At Samsara, we welcome everyone regardless of their background. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, and other characteristics protected by law. We depend on the unique approaches of our team members to help us solve complex problems and want to ensure that Samsara is a place where people from all backgrounds can make an impact.

Accommodations 

Samsara is an inclusive work environment, and we are committed to ensuring equal opportunity in employment for qualified persons with disabilities. Please email accessibleinterviewing@samsara.com or click here if you require any reasonable accommodations throughout the recruiting process.

Our Commitment to Authenticity

We use Tofu, a fraud detection tool, to validate the authenticity of applications and protect against identity fraud. This ensures we are connecting with real people and allows us to prioritize genuine candidates. Please see Samsara’s Candidate Privacy Notice for more information.

Fraudulent Employment Offers

Samsara is aware of scams involving fake job interviews and offers. Please know we do not charge fees to applicants at any stage of the hiring process. Official communication about your application will only come from emails ending in @samsara.com, @us-greenhouse-mail.io or @mail3.guide.co. For more information regarding fraudulent employment offers, please visit our blog post here.