Interim Payroll Manager (Contract-to-Hire Potential)

Location: Austin, TX (Flexible Hybrid/Onsite 2-3 times/week)

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to immediately stabilize and lead payroll operations for our client, a growing manufacturing organization. This is a highly urgent and business-critical engagement, as payroll must be successfully processed next week and there is currently limited internal payroll coverage available. The ideal candidate is a hands-on payroll professional who can quickly assess the current payroll environment, take ownership of payroll processing, and ensure employees are paid accurately and on time. This individual will play a key role in supporting a rapidly growing company as it scales operations and prepares for potential public company readiness within the next two years. This position will initially focus on ensuring successful payroll execution over the next several payroll cycles while helping establish sustainable processes and controls for future growth.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end payroll processing for the Austin, TX employee population.
• Ensure payroll is processed accurately and on schedule beginning with the upcoming payroll cycle.
• Validate timesheets, earnings, deductions, bonuses, commissions, and payroll adjustments.
• Review payroll reports and reconcile payroll data prior to final submission.
• Partner with HR, Finance, and leadership to resolve payroll issues and employee inquiries.
• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations.
• Manage multi-state payroll considerations for employees located in states including Texas, Colorado, Washington, Oklahoma, Florida, and others.
• Ensure payroll tax withholding, reporting, and compliance requirements are met.
• Assist with payroll audits, reconciliations, and documentation.
• Identify process improvements and recommend best practices as the organization continues to scale.
• Support enhanced payroll controls and procedures aligned with a company preparing for future public market requirements.
• Document payroll processes and provide knowledge transfer to internal stakeholders when appropriate.

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience, including full-cycle payroll processing.
• Demonstrated ability to independently process payroll with minimal supervision.
• Experience managing payroll for multi-state employee populations.
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax compliance and payroll regulations.
• Ability to quickly learn existing processes and execute under tight deadlines.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience partnering with HR, Finance, and executive leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Paycor payroll software strongly preferred.
• Manufacturing industry experience preferred.
• Prior experience supporting organizations experiencing rapid growth.
• Experience helping companies improve payroll controls, processes, and scalability.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation is a plus.
• Experience supporting organizations preparing for IPO or public-company readiness is highly desirable.

What Will Make Someone Successful in This Role?

• Ability to confidently step in and ensure payroll is processed successfully next week.
• Prior experience taking over payroll operations in transition or turnaround situations.
• Strong understanding of payroll compliance and best practices.
• Comfortable working independently and solving problems quickly.
• Ability to establish trust with HR, Finance, and executive leadership.

Work Arrangement

The company is flexible regarding hybrid work arrangements. However, candidates should be available to work onsite in Austin, TX during the initial engagement, particularly to ensure a smooth payroll transition and successful processing of the upcoming payroll cycle.

Pay

Target compensation: $45-$60/hour depending on experience.

About the Company

This is an opportunity to make an immediate impact in a growing manufacturing company at a pivotal stage. The Payroll Manager will play a critical role in maintaining operational continuity, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time, and helping build the payroll foundation needed to support continued growth and future public company readiness.

The role is with a high-growth organization preparing for public company readiness. The parent company, ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), is the leading global workforce solutions company, helping organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing talent.