Payroll Analyst

Phantom is scaling from 160+ employees toward 200 by year-end, expanding benefits, and evolving the financial infrastructure that supports our people globally. We’re looking for a Senior Payroll Analyst to own the accuracy, integrity, and scalability of all payroll and benefits processes across the company. You’ll ensure Phantom’s compensation systems run seamlessly, are compliant with all regulations, and are fully audit-ready as we continue to grow. This role builds the connective tissue between Finance, People, and Legal designing processes that ensure every dollar of compensation and benefits is accounted for precisely and efficiently. Responsibilities Payroll & Benefits Operations Own end-to-end payroll processing across all employment types and entities, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timeliness. Maintain high data integrity between HR, payroll, and accounting systems through thoughtful process design and collaboration. Partner cross-functionally to align total rewards data, including payroll, benefits, and compensation reporting with financial controls. Manage payroll- and benefits-related reconciliations and support monthly and quarterly close processes. Serve as the internal subject matter expert for payroll compliance, benefit deductions, and year-end filings. Controls, Systems, and Audit Readiness Design and implement internal controls for payroll and benefits operations. Build scalable, automated processes that enhance accuracy, efficiency, and audit preparedness. Document workflows and maintain clear procedures supporting payroll and total rewards audits. Collaborate with Finance, People, and Legal to streamline reporting and compliance across systems. What Success Looks Like Payroll, benefits, and equity processes run accurately, on time, and with full audit traceability. Compensation data flows cleanly between People, Finance, and Legal systems. Stock-based compensation and benefits are booked and reconciled accurately each period. Phantom’s compensation and accounting infrastructure scales seamlessly with continued growth. Qualifications 6–8+ years owning the end-to-end payroll lifecycle—from processing and benefits administration through reconciliation and reporting—in a high-growth or multi-entity environment; compensation accounting experience is a plus. Deep knowledge of US federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, including multi-state compliance. Proven ability to establish internal controls and maintain audit-ready documentation. Hands-on experience with modern payroll/HRIS platforms (e.g., Rippling, Deel) and 401(k) providers (e.g., Fidelity, Empower); familiarity with equity systems like Carta is a plus. Experience working across integrated payroll, HRIS, and ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite). Exceptional attention to detail, sound judgment, and discretion handling confidential data. Collaborative and proactive, with the ability to work effectively across Finance, People, and Legal. Why This Role Matters As Phantom matures, the integrity of our financial and people systems is essential to sustaining our high-performance culture. This role ensures that every aspect of total rewards pay and benefits is executed with precision and excellence, supporting both our employees and our business as we continue to scale globally.