Payroll Analyst Intern (Summer 2026)

THE WORK

As a Ripple intern, you will work on challenges that impact our mission and shape our company. With support from your team, access to learning and development resources, and opportunities for fun along the way, our program will give you the foundation to start your career journey.

The Payroll Analyst Intern will support key operational, analytical, and project-based work across Ripple’s global payroll function. This role will assist with data reconciliation, compliance reviews, process documentation, payroll funding and reporting support, and various components of our year-end and implementation work. The intern will also gain exposure to cross-functional collaboration with Finance, Tax, HR, Total Rewards, and our external payroll vendors.

Payroll is a highly specialized field within the broader finance ecosystem, yet it plays a critical role in the operational health and financial integrity of the company. Payroll sits at the intersection of Finance, Accounting, Tax, HR, Legal, and employee experience — and the decisions we make directly impact our people, our compliance posture, and Ripple’s financial controls.

Bringing in a colleague candidate who is studying finance provides an opportunity for them to see firsthand how payroll data connects to the company’s P&L, balance sheet, cash flows, equity programs, tax compliance, and global reporting requirements. It also allows them to develop skills in analysis, problem-solving, and controlled financial operations — all of which are core competencies in any finance career path.

This role not only supports Ripple’s immediate operational needs but also helps build a stronger future pipeline of payroll and finance professionals by exposing interns to a function that is foundational to the company’s stability, accuracy, and long-term growth.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Payroll Data Reconciliation and Audit Support: Validate earnings, taxes, deductions, and funding files across U.S. and international payrolls.
• Equity and RSU Event Reporting Support: Help prepare, review, and track data tied to RSU vests, cashless exercises, and global mobility reporting.
• Process Documentation and SOP Updates: Maintain and improve payroll process docs, workflows, and audit controls for global payroll procedures.
• Analytics Reporting Projects: Partner with Payroll Managers to update dashboards, funding trackers, KPIs, and month-end reporting tools.
• Year-End and Implementation Project Support: Assist with W-2/Year-End reconciliations, global tax packages, and vendor implementation activities (ADP Celergo, Workday, etc.).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with HR, Finance, Tax, Total Rewards, and external payroll vendors on ad-hoc requests and compliance tasks.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• Currently enrolled in an Undergraduate, or Graduate degree preferably in a Finance, Accounting, Economics, Data Analytics, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Available to work for 12 weeks during Summer 2026, beginning in May or June.
• Intent to return to degree-program after the completion of the internship
• High proficiency in Excel and Google Sheets, including pivot tables, lookups, and comfort working with structured datasets.
• Interest in payroll, equity, tax, or financial operations, with a desire to understand how payroll intersects with compliance, forecasting, HR operations, and global finance.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data, spot anomalies, and think critically about process gaps.
• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and a commitment to maintaining data integrity in a high-stakes financial environment.
• Ability to work with confidential information and demonstrate sound judgment, professionalism, and discretion.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to articulate questions, explain findings, and collaborate across teams (HR, Finance, Tax, Total Rewards).
• Proactive and curious mindset, willing to ask questions, explore new tools, and propose improvements.
• Comfort working in fast-paced, dynamic environments, managing competing priorities, and adapting to new processes or systems quickly.