Global Senior Payroll Manager

About Strava

Strava is a platform built for active people, used by more than 195 million athletes across over 185 countries. It goes beyond workout tracking to help people build momentum together, whether they’re forming new habits or chasing personal bests. Whatever your sport or tracking style, Strava is designed to support your journey.

The company’s mission is to inspire people to live their best active lives by using movement as a way to connect, motivate, and keep progressing.

About the Role

Payroll at Strava is a critical, high-stakes function where accuracy, compliance, and timing matter for every employee around the world. As the business expands internationally and prepares for public-company life, this position will own the strength, consistency, and scalability of global payroll across all legal entities and regions.

Reporting to the Assistant Controller, you will lead Strava’s global payroll operation from end to end across the US and EMEA, managing a distributed team and shaping the controls, documentation, and reporting needed for SOX readiness and public-company standards. You will also partner with People Operations, Legal, and FP&A, while taking ownership of payroll and equity-compensation considerations connected to the company’s IPO journey. This is a build-and-improve role rather than a simple run-the-existing-process role, with the EMEA payroll platform newly implemented and leadership committed to getting the foundation right.

Strava works in a flexible hybrid model, with more than half of your time spent onsite in either the San Francisco or Dublin office, typically three days per week.

What You’ll Do

• Take full ownership of global payroll operations across the US and EMEA, making sure employees are paid correctly, taxes are withheld properly, and statutory filings are completed in every country where Strava operates.
• Manage and mentor two Senior Payroll Analysts based in San Francisco and France, giving clear direction and supporting their development across different time zones.
• Design and maintain payroll controls, process documents, and supporting materials that are ready for SOX requirements, while working with the Assistant Controller on audit preparation and public-company readiness.
• Handle the payroll aspects of equity compensation as Strava prepares for an IPO, including RSU vesting, ESPP, and mobility or shadow-payroll considerations, in coordination with Legal and Equity partners.
• Work with the GL team on payroll journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations to help ensure a smooth and timely monthly close.
• Build effective relationships across People Operations, Legal, and external payroll vendors, using sound judgment and diplomacy to keep work and partnerships moving forward.
• Communicate payroll topics clearly to leadership and across the function through weekly updates, recommendations, SOX materials, and standard operating procedures, both in writing and in live discussions.
• Track and report payroll performance through metrics such as accuracy, cycle time, exceptions, and compliance SLAs for Controllership and Finance leadership.
• Improve payroll processes through automation and practical AI usage that increases efficiency and quality.
• Oversee international payroll vendors and guide system rollouts and enhancements as the function grows.

What You’ll Bring

• Strong experience independently owning multi-country payroll end to end across multiple entities and currencies, with direct exposure to UK, France, Germany, Ireland, and US payroll.
• Background in leading and developing payroll teams, ideally across locations and time zones.
• Practical knowledge of payroll processing platforms, along with experience managing external payroll providers and implementing new systems.
• Deep understanding of payroll compliance across the US and EMEA, including tax, statutory filings, FLSA, SOX controls, and audit support.
• Proven ability to build payroll controls and procedures that are SOX-ready, not just operate within existing frameworks.
• Experience supporting payroll and equity-related work during a move toward public ownership or IPO readiness.
• Solid knowledge of the payroll and general ledger connection, including journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, and close processes.
• A disciplined, analytical way of running payroll, with experience creating operations reporting for finance leadership.
• Demonstrated hands-on use of AI tools, such as Anthropic’s Claude, to improve payroll quality or efficiency.
• Experience moving payroll from a startup-style operation to public-company standards, or CPP certification, is an advantage.

Additional Information

Benefits information is available separately for the San Francisco and Dublin, Ireland locations.

Why Join Us?

At Strava, movement brings people together. The company is focused on building the world’s largest community of active people and helping them stay motivated as they pursue their goals.

The global team is committed to making movement enjoyable, meaningful, and accessible. Whether you work on technology, community growth, or innovation, your contribution helps shape the experience for athletes everywhere.

Joining Strava means becoming part of a mission-driven organization that values energy, ideas, and initiative. The company is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where employees can grow and thrive.

Equal Opportunity and Accessibility

Strava is an equal opportunity employer and makes hiring and employment decisions without regard to protected characteristics such as race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, pregnancy-related conditions, marital status, height, or weight.

The company will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates and employees with disabilities during the application or interview process, for essential job functions, and for other employment-related benefits and privileges.

Compensation

The stated compensation range for this role is €140,000 to €150,000.

Notice

A California Consumer Protection Act applicant notice is referenced for this role.