US Payroll Operations

OpenAI • San Francisco, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

At OpenAI, payroll is not a back-office function — it is mission-critical infrastructure. We are seeking a seasoned US Payroll Operations expert to scale, and continuously improve the payroll and payroll-support ecosystem that serves one of the fastest-growing and most technically sophisticated organizations in the world.
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.

Requirements

• 8+ years of progressive experience in payroll operations, preferably in a fast-paced or high-growth environment.
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. federal, state, and local payroll regulations, tax requirements, and standard payroll practices.
• Hands-on experience with Workday Payroll or other large HCM/payroll systems; ADP or SmartCompliance 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.

Nice To Haves

• CPP certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Execute end-to-end payroll processing for bi-weekly payroll cycles, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
• Review and validate employee data changes (new hires, terminations, compensation changes, time and attendance inputs) to ensure payroll accuracy.
• Proactively identify and resolve payroll discrepancies, working directly with employees and internal partners to troubleshoot and prevent recurrence.
• Manage employee payroll support inquiries with a high degree of professionalism, clarity, and service orientation.
• Lead day-to-day workflows with outsourced payroll/BPO partners to ensure SLAs are met, quality standards are upheld, and escalations are handled efficiently.
• Partner closely with HR and other cross-functional teams to ensure clean upstream inputs and accurate downstream reporting.
• Maintain documentation, process maps, and internal controls to support audit readiness and compliance.
• Recommend process improvements and identify automation or efficiency opportunities to drive continuous improvement in payroll operations.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level