Payroll Manager (APAC)

Position Summary:

The APAC Payroll Manager will have end-to-end responsibility for payroll operations across

India, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand, within a fast-paced, high-

growth startup environment. As part of a global payroll team, you will drive process excellence,

compliance, and transformation, and must be adaptable, proactive, and collaborative. You will

manage all payroll functions, including equity setup and processing, for both private and public

entities and play a critical role in supporting IPO readiness and SOX controls. This is an

excellent opportunity for a forward-thinking payroll professional with a global mindset,

exceptional communication skills, and expertise in APAC payroll to help scale world-class

payroll operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee accurate and timely payroll processing for APAC countries (India, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand) in a dynamic startup environment.
• Ensure compliance with local regulations, tax, and statutory requirements for each country.
• Manage all aspects of equity compensation, including setup, processing, and taxation of stock-based awards in partnership with legal and finance stakeholders.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for regional payroll queries and escalations.
• Manage relationships with internal stakeholders, external payroll vendors, banks, and auditors.
• Collaborate with finance and accounting teams on GL, chart of accounts, funding, and banking requirements.
• Ensure payroll processes, controls, and reporting meet requirements for both private and public company environments, including SOX compliance.
• Lead or support payroll activities associated with IPO readiness, including process reviews, documentation, system enhancements, and audit preparation.
• Support and execute global payroll audits; maintain robust controls and documentation.
• Identify and lead process improvement and automation initiatives to enhance payroll efficiency and scalability.
• Participate in M&A activities and entity consolidations; support payroll transitions and integrations.• Report payroll metrics and insights for the APAC region; ensure data integrity and confidentiality.
• Coach and manage a small team or direct report(s).
• Collaborate with global payroll colleagues to harmonize processes and share best practices.
• Ensure smooth delivery of payroll during global projects, including system upgrades and migrations.
• Use advanced Excel skills for data analysis, reporting, and reconciliation tasks.
• Stay adaptable to evolving priorities and thrive in a changing, fast-paced startup environment.
• Maintain flexibility to work EMEA hours and join calls with US-based stakeholders as needed.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of regulatory changes impacting payroll operations in both private and public contexts.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 10+ years end-to-end payroll experience, including APAC region (India, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand).
• Demonstrated payroll management experience within both private and publicly traded companies required.
• Proven experience in supporting or preparing organizations for IPO readiness, including payroll-related process and documentation requirements.
• Hands-on experience with setup, administration, and processing of employee equity/stock programs.
• In-depth understanding and hands-on implementation of SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley) controls and compliance within a payroll environment.
• Exposure to payroll operations in Americas, LATAM, and EMEA regions highly advantageous.
• In-depth knowledge of payroll processes, compliance frameworks, and statutory requirements across APAC.
• Demonstrated experience with payroll-related audits, funding/banking, and general ledger interfaces.
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, formulas, VLOOKUP, etc.) required.
• Experience with process optimization, automation projects, and supporting M&A or entity consolidation.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication.
• Experience with UKG is advantageous.
• Strong global mindset; ability to work cross-culturally and collaborate with remote teams.
• High degree of integrity, confidentiality, and professionalism.

Personal Attributes:

• Thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth startup setting.
• Self-starter with high attention to detail and a continuous improvement mindset.
• Proven ability to build relationships and partner with stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills.
• Flexible, resilient, and able to pivot quickly to changing business needs.