Payroll Manager, US at Legora (formerly Leya) in Chicago, IL

ABOUT US Legora is redefining how legal work gets done. Not built for lawyers, built with them. We work alongside the world’s best legal teams, who expect excellence, precision, and speed, and we hold ourselves to the same bar. Our AI-native workspace lets legal professionals move faster, think more clearly, and operate with sharper precision. By analysing thousands of documents in minutes and powering end-to-end workflows, we cut through complexity, teams can focus on what matters: judgment, strategy, and outcomes. 1,000+ customers across 50+ countries trust us, including Cleary Gottlieb, Goodwin, Linklaters, White & Case, Dentons, and Barclays. We’ve scaled to $100M+ in ARR, with teams across Europe, North America and APAC, and continue to expand through acquisitions including Qura, Walter AI and Graceview. We partner with world-class performers: including Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees, Ludvig Åberg (and his caddie), and campaigns featuring Jude Law. Joining Legora means three things. - We lean in: ownership over titles, outcomes over intentions. - We fight for excellence: high standards, direct, ego-free feedback. - We grow together: as a team and with our customers. Mission before ego. Everyone contributes. No one coasts. If you’re driven by impact, pace, and raising the bar. This is the place. THE ROLE We’re hiring a Payroll Manager to take ownership of U.S.-based, multi-state payroll operations for our growing organization. You’ll be responsible for ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll execution across the full employee lifecycle, while partnering closely with our Professional Employer Organization (PEO) and internal People teams. This role sits at the intersection of payroll operations, compliance, and employee experience. The scope is hands-on and detail-oriented, with meaningful impact as the company continues to scale. WHAT YOU'LL DO In this role, you’ll be responsible for managing end-to-end payroll operations and ensuring compliance across jurisdictions. - Own full-cycle U.S. payroll processing across multiple states, including semi-monthly payroll for the entire employee population - Manage payroll systems and processes to ensure accurate calculation of wages, overtime, variable compensation, reimbursements, and wage garnishments - Partner with our PEO to establish payroll and compliance requirements as the company expands into new states - Administer payroll-related benefits deductions and funding, including 401(k), HSA, FSA, and other benefit programs - Coordinate closely with U.S. People Enablement on payroll changes related to new hires, terminations, open enrollment, and qualifying life events - Respond to employee payroll and pay-related benefits inquiries with accuracy and discretion - Monitor changes in federal, state, and local payroll legislation (including FLSA and EEOC), ensuring ongoing compliance and advising leadership on required actions - Generate, review, and analyze payroll reports, including wage registers, deductions, and quarterly and annual tax filings - Maintain strict confidentiality and safeguard sensitive employee payroll and compensation data WHAT YOU BRING We’re looking for someone who is detail-oriented, reliable, and experienced operating in complex, high-growth payroll environments. - Proven experience managing full-cycle, multi-state payroll operations - Experience from a technology and/or scale-up start-up environment - Hands-on experience supporting payroll for organizations with 500+ employees - Strong understanding of PEO models and functionality - In-depth knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll laws and compliance requirements - Experience handling complex payroll reporting, including quarterly and annual filings - Highly organized, with a strong attention to accuracy, compliance, and confidentiality - Clear and effective communicator, able to support both employees and leadership WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU - Global collaboration: Partner with teams and clients across Europe, APAC, and North America. - Competitive package: Comprehensive salary, benefits, and tools for success. - Meaningful work: Your efforts shape how thousands of lawyers use AI daily. - In-person environment: Chicago office designed for ambitious builders. - Benefits & Perks: We invest in our people with a comprehensive, thoughtfully designed benefits package: Medical, Dental & Vision - Multiple medical plan options via Aetna and Kaiser Permanente - HSA or Healthcare FSA (based on plan selection) - Dental plans via MetLife - Vision plans via Vision Care Family Support - Generous parental leave - Free access to Maven Clinic - Dependent Care FSA - Free One Medical membership for employees and dependents Additional Perks - Pre-tax commuter benefits - Life Insurance + STD/LTD - 401(K) with generous company match - Unlimited PTO - Robust voluntary benefits, including identity protection (via Aura), legal coverage via MetLife, pet savings programs, and more Legora is an Equal Opportunity Employer At Legora, we believe great teams are built on diversity of thought and experience. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive, high-performance culture where everyone can do their best work. We welcome people of all backgrounds and don’t discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.