Director, Payroll Operations

Grade 107 | Job Type: Officer of Administration | Regular/Temporary: Regular | Hours Per Week: 35 | Standard Work Schedule: Monday – Friday

Position Summary

The Director of Payroll Services is responsible for the day-to-day management and execution of payroll operations at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). Reporting to the Assistant Vice President, the Director oversees payroll processing, staff performance, compliance, and service delivery, and ensures the effective implementation of the AVP’s direction and operational priorities.

Responsibilities

The Director is responsible for ensuring the accurate and timely processing of payroll, resolving complex payroll issues, maintaining compliance with applicable regulations and University policies, and supporting appropriate internal controls and financial reporting. The role directly manages payroll staff and requires a hands-on approach to payroll processing and troubleshooting in a lean team environment. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Managing daily payroll operations and monitoring processing deadlines
• Supervising, coaching, and evaluating staff performance
• Addressing performance concerns and disciplinary matters in coordination with the AVP and Human Resources, as appropriate
• Implementing payroll policies, procedures, and decisions established by the AVP
• Interpreting and applying payroll regulations, University policies, and collective bargaining agreements
• Coordinating payroll-related audits, reconciliations, and reporting
• Working with Human Resources, Finance, Labor Accounting, CUIT, and school and department administrators to resolve payroll issues and support system maintenance and enhancements
• Developing and delivering payroll guidance, training, and presentations as needed
• Identifying and implementing operational improvements

Performs other related duties and special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field, plus a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible payroll experience, including supervisory or managerial experience, required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a large, complex academic, healthcare, or research environment preferred
• Payroll certification or advanced payroll expertise a plus

Pay

Salary Range: $165,000 – $175,000. The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Schedule

Standard Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 35 hours per week.