Director - Payroll (Fixed Term)

Figma is seeking a strategic and hands-on Director, Payroll to lead its Global Payroll team. This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for leading all aspects of a global payroll function. The role will focus on handling all payroll processes, ensuring compliance, and driving continuous improvements. You will also play a critical role in driving public company readiness processes, helping to scale and align payroll operations with the requirements of a public company environment. This role will report to the Senior Director, Assistant Controller.

This is a temporary role available for a fixed term of 12 months in the United States. It can be held from one of our US hubs or remotely.

What you’ll do at Figma:

• Lead and oversee all aspects of global payroll operations, ensuring accurate and timely processing across multiple countries and PEO arrangements

• Manage and mentor a global payroll team of four professionals, fostering continuous learning, professional development, and a high-performance culture

• Drive process improvements and standardization across payroll operations to support scalability and compliance in a fast-paced, high-growth environment

• Collaborate cross-functionally with People Operations, HRIS, Benefits, Accounting, Equity, and Tax teams on payroll-related initiatives, including integrations, new entity setup and system enhancements

• Support public company readiness by enhancing internal controls, documentation, and reporting in line with SOX and other regulatory requirements

• Create, maintain, and enforce payroll policies, procedures, and internal documentation to ensure operational consistency and compliance with global labor and tax laws

We'd love to hear from you if you have:

• 10+ years of experience in a global payroll leadership role at a public company

• Expertise in processing stock-related payroll transactions, including stock options, RSU vestings, and ESPPs, while ensuring compliance with tax withholding and reporting requirements

• Deep understanding of HRIS systems and their integration with payroll systems

• Proven experience in designing, implementing, and maintaining SOX-compliant payroll processes, including the ability to develop and maintain control documentation and ensure audit readiness

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with keen attention to detail

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with employees, internal teams, and external partners

While not required, it’s an added plus if you also have:

• Prior experience leading payroll operations in a high-growth tech or SaaS environment

• Proficiency with Workday, ADP SmartCompliance, Excel and Google Workspace

• Certification as a Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or through the Global Payroll Management Institute (GPMI)

At Figma, one of our values is Grow as you go. We believe in hiring smart, curious people who are excited to learn and develop their skills. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with the points outlined in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Pay Transparency Disclosure

If based in Figma’s San Francisco or New York hub offices, this role has the annual base salary range stated below.    

Job level and actual compensation will be decided based on factors including, but not limited to, individual qualifications objectively assessed during the interview process (including skills and prior relevant experience, potential impact, and scope of role), market demands, and specific work location. The listed range is a guideline, and the range for this role may be modified. For roles that are available to be filled remotely, the pay range is localized according to employee work location by a factor of between 80% and 100% of range. Please discuss your specific work location with your recruiter for more information. 

Figma offers equity to employees, as well a competitive package of additional benefits, including health, dental & vision, retirement with company contribution, parental leave & reproductive or family planning support, mental health & wellness benefits, generous PTO, company recharge days, a learning & development stipend, a work from home stipend, and cell phone reimbursement.  Figma also offers sales incentive pay for most sales roles and an annual bonus plan for eligible non-sales roles. Figma’s compensation and benefits are subject to change and may be modified in the future.

Annual Base Salary Range (SF/NY Hub):

$198,000—$288,000 USD