Why This Job is Featured on The SaaS Jobs
This Payroll and Equity Manager role stands out in the SaaS landscape because it sits where product-led growth meets operational reality: paying a distributed workforce accurately while keeping equity administration clean as headcount and entities expand. In subscription businesses, recurring revenue scale often brings jurisdictional payroll complexity and higher scrutiny on controls, audits, and cap table integrity, making this work central to sustainable operations rather than a back-office afterthought.
For a SaaS career, the long-term value is the combination of systems ownership and cross-functional exposure. Managing payroll alongside equity builds fluency in the operating cadence of venture-backed software companies, including close processes, vendor tooling, compliance timelines, and the downstream impact of hiring on financial reporting. Experience partnering with Finance, People Ops, and Legal also translates well across SaaS companies where operational leverage comes from automation, documentation, and repeatable workflows.
This role fits professionals who prefer accountable ownership, enjoy detail-heavy work, and communicate clearly about sensitive topics. It is well suited to someone who wants to be the internal expert on payroll controls and equity mechanics, and who is comfortable coordinating with external providers and auditors while improving processes over time.
The section above is editorial commentary from The SaaS Jobs, provided to help SaaS professionals understand the role in a broader industry context.
Job Description
About Clay
Our mission is to help organizations turn any growth idea into reality.
We see growth as a creative practice, not a formula. Finding and reaching your best-fit customers takes unique ideas and constant iteration. As AI makes execution faster and tactics easier to copy, creativity is the only lasting advantage. We're already helping thousands of customers — including Anthropic, Waste Management, Figma, and Ramp — go to market with unique data, signals, and AI research.
In 2025, we crossed $100M in revenue and raised a $100M Series C at a $3.1B valuation, backed by world-class investors including Sequoia, CapitalG, and First Round. We also completed our first first employee tender offer and launched a community equity round, for our customers, agency partners, and club members.
Some things to know about us:
Our community includes 11,000+ customers, 150+ integration partners, 125+ agencies, 50+ Clay clubs, and 30k members on Slack.
Our cultureis unique inside and outside of work. Our team members are also DJs, activists, writers, clowns, marathoners, skydivers, psychedelic therapists, social workers, and more.
All employees can work for free with world-class coaches who specialize in creativity, management, and more.
Our operating principles — including negative maintenance and non-attached action — guide our work. Read more about them here.
Read about us in the NYT, Forbes, First Round Review, and more.
Hear from our employees directly on our Glassdoor page!
The Role
Clay is looking for a Payroll & Equity Manager to own and scale our payroll operations and equity administration as we scale operations and grow globally. This role sits at the intersection of Finance, People, and Legal and is critical to ensuring accuracy, compliance, and a world-class employee experience.
You’ll be responsible for managing multi-entity payroll, administering equity plans and building the systems and processes that support a fast-growing and distributed workforce. This is a hands-on role with strategic ownership which is ideal for someone who thrives in detail, compliance, and continuous improvement.
What You’ll Do
Payroll
Own end-to-end payroll processing across the U.S. and international entities (employees and contractors). Strong experience with multi-state payroll and tax scenarios.
Ensure timely, accurate payroll runs, tax filings, and statutory compliance across jurisdictions
Own year-end payroll activities, including review of tax forms, W-2, as well as fringe benefit reporting, 401k limits, and ensuring accuracy of state tax rates
Partner with external payroll providers (Rippling) and drive automation
Manage payroll related reconciliations, journal entries, monthly/quarterly close support and audits.
Maintain and improve payroll controls, documentation, and internal processes
Act as the primary point of contact for payroll questions from employees and leadership
Stock & Equity Administration
Own administration of Clay’s equity plans (ISOs, NSOs, RSUs, etc.)
Process grants, exercises, terminations, and vesting events accurately and on time
Partner with Legal and Finance on equity compliance, board approvals, and cap table integrity
Support equity related reconciliations, journal entries, monthly/quarterly close support and audits.
Support equity-related reporting for audits, valuations (409A), and financial statements
Help educate employees on equity basics and provide clear, thoughtful support
Research and resolve complex equity transactions with the support of management
Cross-Functional & Strategic Work
Partner closely with People Ops, Finance, Legal, and external vendors
Support scaling efforts as Clay grows headcount, geographies, and complexity
Identify opportunities to automate, streamline, and future-proof payroll and equity workflows while supporting new system implementations
Contribute to broader finance and people operations projects as needed
What We’re Looking For
7+ years of experience in payroll and/or equity administration, ideally in a high-growth startup or tech environment
A successful candidate thrives in a dynamic, high-accountability environment, is able to manage multiple workflows and will partner closely with HR, Finance, Legal, and external auditors and consultants
Deep hands-on experience running payroll and administering equity plans
Strong understanding of U.S. payroll compliance and international payroll experience Experience with equity platforms (Carta, Pulley, Shareworks, etc.) and HRIS platforms (Rippling, ADP, Workday, etc)
Exceptional attention to detail and a strong control mindset
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
Comfortable operating independently in an evolving, fast-paced environment
Clear communicator who can translate complex topics into simple, employee-friendly explanations
