Payroll Initiatives Lead

About the Team

OpenAI Finance is responsible for ensuring the organization is set up for success in pursuit of its mission.

OpenAI’s Payroll team is responsible for ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant payroll processing while supporting the company’s growth and strategic initiatives.

About the Role

At OpenAI, payroll is not a back-office function — it is mission-critical infrastructure. We are seeking a Payroll Initiatives Lead with broad, end-to-end payroll experience to scale the payroll ecosystem in support of one of the world’s fastest-growing and most technically sophisticated organizations. This role will apply that expertise to high-value processes, strategic initiatives, and complex business needs beyond day-to-day payroll processing.

This role is based in San Francisco, CA. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees.

In this role, you will:

- Lead payroll integrations for global M&A transactions, coordinating payroll activities from transition planning through stabilization.

- Partner with acquired companies to complete final payrolls accurately and on time, including equity, variable compensation, final pay, and other deal-related payments.

- Integrate acquired employees into OpenAI’s payroll systems, processes, controls, and service model while maintaining continuity of pay.

- Oversee the closure of legacy payroll systems and ensure accurate, compliant year-end processing and reporting.

- Develop and improve global payment-processing capabilities that support employees across multiple countries and payment types.

- Lead global payroll system and provider integrations, ensuring data integrity and effective upstream and downstream connections.

- Partner across Payroll, Finance, Tax, Legal, People, Equity, and other teams to deliver strategic initiatives and resolve complex operational challenges.

- Identify risks, strengthen controls, and automate repeatable processes that enable payroll operations to scale with the company.

You might thrive in this role if you have:

- 8+ years of progressive experience in payroll operations, preferably in a fast-paced or high-growth environment.

- Strong working knowledge of global payroll regulations and standard best practices.

- Experience leading M&A payroll integrations.

- Hands-on experience with Workday Payroll or other large HCM/global payroll systems; Broad systems experience is a plus.

- Ability to independently manage priorities, take ownership of outcomes, and deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines.

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail.

- Clear and concise communication skills, with the ability to partner effectively with internal and external stakeholders.

- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, HR, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. CPP certification is a plus.