Global Payroll Compliance Manager

Muck Rack is the leading SaaS platform for public relations and communications professionals. Our mission is to enable organizations to build trust, tell their stories, and demonstrate the unique value of earned media. Muck Rack’s AI-powered, comprehensive, and integrated platform streamlines the PR workflow to help businesses generate positive media coverage, monitor mentions to manage brand reputation, and analyze PR’s impact on business outcomes. By combining media database, monitoring, and reporting into one dynamic platform, we empower teams to collaborate seamlessly, pitch effectively, and analyze results faster and more efficiently.

Founder-controlled, fully distributed, and growing sustainably, Muck Rack has received several awards for its unparalleled culture and product from organizations like Inc., Quartz, G2, and BuiltIn. We value resilience, transparency, ownership, and customer devotion, and infuse these values into everything we do.

We’re seeking a detail-oriented and compliance-driven Global Payroll Compliance Manager to oversee payroll processes and ensure accuracy, consistency, and regulatory compliance across all regions and entities. In this role, you’ll own payroll execution, reporting, and compliance for U.S. and international employees, while partnering with Finance, Talent Operations, and external vendors to deliver a seamless payroll experience.

You’ll be responsible for managing payroll workflows, documentation, maintaining compliance with federal, state, and international tax laws, domestic and international employment compliance and supporting related benefit and reporting programs (e.g., 401(k), stipends, state tax, and global mobility).

What you’ll do:

• Independently own and execute global payroll operations, ensuring accuracy and timeliness across all employee groups and countries

• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and international tax and labor regulations, including payroll reporting, filings, and documentation

• Maintain all federal, state, and international employment compliance

• Manage U.S. payroll compliance items such as 401(k) support, state tax setup, and stipends payment processes

• Administer global payroll (e.g., UK payroll, Canadian payroll, Bulgarian payroll), ensuring accuracy and alignment with local laws and company policies

• Lead preparation for and participation in related audits, collaborating with Finance, Legal, and other internal partners as needed

• Support year-end and quarterly reporting, including W-2, 1099, and global equivalents.

• Partner with the Talent Operations team to support new hire setup, compensation changes, and terminations

• Collaborate with external vendors and internal stakeholders to identify opportunities for process automation and system improvements. Drive all vendor and platform consolidation as the payroll subject matter expert

• Own global compliance projects, such as payroll vendor contract management, international payroll integrations, and expansion readiness, including researching and standing up international entities

• Ensure a positive employee experience by responding promptly and professionally to payroll and tax-related inquiries

• Own all aspects of employment-related compliance administration, including unemployment claims, verification of employment requests, and workers’ compensation cases

• Serve as the primary point of contact for relevant agencies, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant responses

• Maintain records and documentation in accordance with legal requirements and company policy

How success will be measured in this role:

• Accurate and timely execution of payroll across all entities and pay cycles

• Zero major compliance or audit findings across U.S. and international operations

• Successful implementation of process and system improvements to enhance efficiency and accuracy

• Strong collaboration with internal partners and external vendors

• High employee satisfaction with payroll accuracy and responsiveness

If the details below describe you, you could be a great fit for this role:

• 7+ years of global payroll and compliance experience and deep experience with mergers and acquisitions

• Deep knowledge of U.S. federal and state tax regulations and global payroll practices

• Strong understanding of U.S. federal and state and global employment law

• Experience managing external payroll providers (e.g., ADP, Deel, Papaya Global, or similar) and related vendor relationships effectively

• Experience managing equity programs

• Meticulous, analytical, and highly organized, with a strong focus on accuracy, confidentiality, and compliance

• Comfortable working independently in a fast-paced, remote-first environment

• Excellent communication skills; able to explain complex payroll and compliance concepts clearly

• Proactive and process-driven with a track record of improving workflows and systems

Salary

In the US, the base salary for this role is between $100,000 - $120,000+, depending on skills and experience. Total compensation for this role consists of base salary and a quarterly bonus plan.

We take a geo-neutral approach to compensation within the US, meaning that we pay based on job function and level, not location. For all other countries, we have competitive pay bands based on market standards.

Individual compensation decisions are based on a number of factors, including experience level, skillset, and balancing internal equity relative to peers at the company. We expect the majority of the candidates who are offered roles at our company to fall healthily throughout the range based on these factors. We recognize that the person we hire may be less experienced (or more senior) than this job description as posted. If that ends up being the case, the updated salary range will be communicated with you as a candidate.

Why Muck Rack?

Remote Work, Forever

• Fully distributed team with a permanent remote setup

• Home office stipend, phone and internet reimbursement, coworking membership

• Virtual and in-person team bonding (lunches, events, competitions)

Transparent & Fair Compensation

• Competitive geo-neutral pay in the U.S.

• Annual reviews to ensure equity and market alignment

• Standardized bonus or commission structure

• 401(k) with employer contributions

• Equity opportunities

Health & Wellness

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance for employees and dependents

• 100% premium coverage for individuals on high-deductible plans

• 24/7 Virtual Care and Employee Assistance Program

• Employer-funded HSA contributions and other pre-tax benefits

• Quarterly wellness stipend and free Headspace subscription

Time Off & Family Benefits

• 4+ weeks of PTO, plus paid sick and mental health days

• 13 paid holidays with the option to swap for personal days

• Up to 16 weeks of fully paid parental leave

Learning and Development

• Transparent pathways for internal mobility and promotion

• Bi-annual performance reviews, team workshops, and leadership training

• Unlimited access to Coursera and O’Reilly

• 2 additional PTO days annually for learning and development

Inclusive, Customer-First Culture

• Commitment to equity and valuing diverse perspectives

• Agile, founder-led company focused on collaboration and innovation

• Trusted by 3,000+ companies worldwide

Note: Benefits and compensation reflect offerings for U.S.-based employees. Support is provided for employees in other locations, in compliance with local laws and regulations.

While we are a fully distributed team, we do have limitations on where we can hire and maintain a list of acceptable working locations based on job function. If we are unable to hire in your current location for the role for which you applied, you will be notified via email. While we enjoy many benefits as a permanently distributed and remote company, we cannot always support relocation or extended travel and have guidelines in place to ensure compliant work away from your designated permanent residence.

#LI-Remote

Please note: For detailed information regarding our GDPR and/or CCPA compliance policies, including how we handle personal data and privacy rights, kindly refer to the email correspondence accompanying this application.

Muck Rack does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or any other third parties. Any unsolicited resume sent to Muck Rack will be considered Muck Rack property, and Muck Rack will not pay a fee should it hire the subject of any unsolicited resume.

Muck Rack considers applicants for all positions on the basis of merit, qualifications, and business needs, and without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, alienage or citizenship status, ancestry, marital status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, veteran status, familial status, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Note to applicants/job seekers: We have recently been made aware of scams impersonating Muck Rack’s HR team. Please be cautious of these attempts to elicit banking or other financial or sensitive information. Muck Rack will never request financial information during the interview process, and follow ups for interviews or next steps will always come from an ‘@muckrack.com’ email address. If you are contacted by anyone from a different domain who claims to be from Muck Rack, please forward the communication to [email protected].