Payroll Manager

The Nuclear Company is the fastest growing startup in the nuclear and energy space creating a never before seen fleet-scale approach to building nuclear reactors. Through its design-once, build-many approach and coalition building across communities, regulators, and financial stakeholders, The Nuclear Company is committed to delivering safe and reliable electricity at the lowest cost, while catalyzing the nuclear industry toward rapid development in America and globally.

About The Role

The Payroll Manager will own the end-to-end payroll function for the organization, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing across all entities and jurisdictions. This is a hands-on role responsible for both day-to-day execution and building scalable processes, controls, and systems as the company grows.

Additionally, the Payroll Manager will lead the successful transition to the new payroll platform, support the implementation of a new T&E program, and serve as the primary subject matter expert for payroll, taxation, and related compliance. This role offers the opportunity to build a best-in-class payroll and expense platform in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Responsibilities

- Payroll Operations Leadership: Oversee and execute the full payroll cycle (e.g., hourly, salaried, bonus, and overtime) for all employees, ensuring accurate and timely payments in accordance with company policies, employment agreements, and applicable laws. Maintain payroll calendars, cutoffs, and checklists to support predictable and reliable close routines.

- Compliance, Controls, and Tax Management: Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local wage and hour laws, payroll tax regulations, and garnishment requirements. Establish, document, and maintain internal controls over payroll and related processes, including approvals, reconciliations, and segregation of duties, in alignment with SOX/COSO expectations as the company matures.

- Systems Implementation and Process Improvement: Lead the payroll workstream for the transition to the new payroll platform, including requirements definition, configuration support, testing, data validation, and go-live readiness. Continuously assess and improve payroll processes, integrations with ERP/HRIS and timekeeping systems, and documentation to drive efficiency, accuracy, and auditability.

- Time & Attendance, T&E, and Expense Management: Own the operational processes for time and attendance capture, expense report review, and T&E policy enforcement. Partner with Finance and HR to roll out a new T&E software solution (e.g., Concur, Expensify, Ramp, or similar), ensuring alignment with company policies and proper coding to departments, projects, and cost centers.

- Payroll Accounting, Reporting, and Reconciliation: Collaborate with the Accounting team to prepare and review payroll-related journal entries, account reconciliations, and variance analyses (wages, taxes, benefits, bonuses, and accruals). Provide routine and ad hoc payroll reports and analytics to Finance, HR, and leadership, including headcount, labor costs, overtime trends, and other key metrics.

- Vendor and Stakeholder Management: Serve as the primary point of contact for external payroll, tax filing, and T&E vendors. Partner closely with HR/People Operations, Finance, and business leaders to resolve issues, support audits, and respond to employee inquiries with a high level of service and professionalism.

Experience

- Professional Experience: 5+ years of progressive, hands-on payroll experience, including multi-state payroll processing; at least 2 years in a role with primary ownership of payroll operations or payroll leadership.

- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Human Resources, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

- Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of U.S. payroll practices, wage and hour regulations, payroll tax requirements, and related compliance obligations (federal, state, and local). Demonstrated experience with payroll accounting, reconciliations, and coordination with the general ledger.

- Software Proficiency: Proficiency with modern payroll systems and HRIS platforms; experience with at least one mid-market platform (e.g., Gusto, ADP, Paychex, Paylocity, etc.). Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables, reconciliations, and data analysis).

- Execution and Ownership: Proven track record of owning the payroll process end-to-end, meeting tight deadlines, managing sensitive data with discretion, and resolving complex payroll issues with minimal supervision.

- Preferred Experience:

- Prior experience transitioning from one payroll provider to another.

- Experience supporting or leading implementation of a T&E platform (e.g., Concur, Expensify, Ramp, Navan, or similar).

- Prior experience in a high-growth, start-up or scale-up environment with evolving policies and structures.

- Experience in the Power/Energy/Utility, industrial services, or capital projects sectors.

- Familiarity with ERP systems and integrations between payroll, HRIS, T&E, and financial systems.

Benefits

- Competitive compensation packages

- 401k with company match

- Medical, dental, vision plans

- Generous vacation policy, plus holidays

Estimated Starting Salary Range

The estimated starting salary range for this role is $118,000 - $140,000 annually less applicable withholdings and deductions, paid on a bi-weekly basis. The actual salary offered may vary based on relevant factors as determined in the Company’s discretion, which may include experience, qualifications, tenure, skill set, availability of qualified candidates, geographic location, certifications held, and other criteria deemed pertinent to the particular role.

EEO Statement

The Nuclear Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an environment of inclusion in the workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We prohibit discrimination in all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, compensation, and termination.

Export Control

Certain positions at The Nuclear Company may involve access to information and technology subject to export controls under U.S. law. Compliance with these export controls may result in The Nuclear Company limiting its consideration of certain applicants.