Senior Payroll Accountant

Job title: Senior Payroll Accountant

About the Role We're building a finance function that leverages AI, automation, and modern tooling to operate at the pace Databricks demands. The Senior Payroll Accountant will handle day-to-day and month-end payroll accounting for Databricks' global payroll, reporting to the Payroll Accounting Manager in India. You will tackle complex reconciliations, variance analysis, and drive process improvements.

What You'll Do

• Prepare and record comprehensive payroll journal entries for salaries, bonuses, commissions, stock-based compensation, benefits, and multi-state/international taxes.
• Prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations for assigned accounts, proactively identifying and resolving variances.
• Perform monthly payroll flux analysis and investigate drivers behind period-over-period movements.
• Prepare payroll accounting for equity compensation programs (RSUs, stock options, ESPP), ensuring accurate recording, tax withholding, and reconciliation with equity, payroll, and GL.
• Execute payroll accounting across global entities, including Netherlands, Brazil, France, Germany, and India, with exposure to high-complexity jurisdictions.
• Partner with Payroll Operations to research and resolve discrepancies between the payroll register and GL.
• Support annual local statutory audits, consolidated external audits, and internal SOX requests; help maintain SOPs.
• Collaborate with the Manager and cross-functional teams (Legal, External Advisors) to set up accounting processes for new international subsidiaries and locations.
• Lead testing and implementation of updates to cloud-based payroll and accounting systems; perform ad hoc financial analysis and drive process improvements.
• Support AI and automation initiatives across payroll accounting, including reconciliation tooling, variance detection, and reducing manual work.

What We're Looking For

• BA/BS in Economics, Business Administration, Accounting, or Finance.
• 6-8 years of general accounting experience, with a minimum of 4+ years dedicated to payroll accounting.
• Chartered Accountant (CA) or CPA equivalent strongly preferred.
• Experience with equity compensation accounting (RSUs, stock options, ESPP) is a plus.
• Experience supporting annual statutory audits and collaborating with local and remote teams across various time zones.
• Exposure to global payroll jurisdictions, particularly high-complexity countries like Netherlands, Brazil, France, Germany, and India, is a plus.
• Hands-on experience with cloud-based accounting systems and strong working knowledge of US GAAP.
• Hands-on experience or strong interest in driving automation and AI adoption in payroll or accounting operations.
• Proven experience partnering with local accounting teams to file statutory accounts and the flexibility to support remote teams across different geographic areas, including US-based accounting teams.

Nice to Have

• Additional familiarity with international subsidiary setups and cross-border payroll in multiple jurisdictions.

Compensation & Benefits Benefits At Databricks include comprehensive programs; details vary by region. Databricks is committed to diversity and inclusion and fosters an inclusive culture. We support equal employment opportunity regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.