Associate Vice President, Payroll

The Role

The Associate Vice President, Payroll serves as a key leader within the Office of Business and Finance, reporting to the Vice President of Operations and Deputy Chief Financial Officer. This role provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for one of the nation’s most complex payroll environments, serving employees across The Ohio State University and Wexner Medical Center, including faculty, staff, student employees, healthcare professionals, and clinical operations across multiple locations and states.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for Payroll Services, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities while maintaining rigorous compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Lead and develop a multi-functional Payroll organization, overseeing payroll operations, payroll tax administration, time and absence management, accounting, and systems teams.
• Provide leadership for the planning, organization, and execution of all biweekly and monthly payroll processes across all campuses, serving approximately 42,000 employees, while driving excellence in service delivery, operational efficiency, process quality, and team performance.
• Drive process and system optimization initiatives in partnership with IT, HR and Finance, leveraging data and enhancing platforms to improve efficiency, audit outcomes, and long-term scalability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and twelve (12) or more years of progressive experience supporting large, complex organizations with highly regulated, operationally diverse, and multi-faceted workforce environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, multi-layered teams, including development of leaders and high-performing organizations.
• Deep expertise in payroll operations, tax compliance, and regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in a complex, decentralized environment and influence across functions.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Recognized as a collaborative leader who builds partnerships across a complex enterprise environment, influencing stakeholders and driving change across areas outside of direct authority to improve operational efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and employee experience.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong technical aptitude with the ability to quickly learn new systems, technologies, and business.
• Extensive knowledge of enterprise payroll, HRIS, and workforce management systems, including hands-on experience working within complex payroll and timekeeping environments, with a strong understanding of payroll system functionality, configuration, workflows, business processes, interfaces, and data management.

Benefits

The university offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

Pay

The salary range for this position is $180,000 - $220,000 annually.

Schedule

The schedule for this position is full-time.

Contact Information

To learn more about the position, its requirements, and how to apply, please visit https://osu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/OSUCareers/job/Columbus-Campus/Associate-Vice-President--Payroll_R153115-1. The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.