Lead, Payroll Manager

Core Responsibilities

• Execute and oversee semi-monthly and bi-weekly payroll for 3,000+ employees, ensuring 100% accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
• Serve as the resident Subject Matter Expert (SME) for payroll regulations, specifically for New York State and multi-state US jurisdictions.
• Maintain deep technical knowledge of withholdings, including complex payroll taxes, medical elections, 403(b) contributions, garnishments, and diverse benefit deductions.
• Lead the maintenance and optimization of integrations between the HRIS and payroll processing systems.
• Drive the issuance of annual W-2 statements and manage all internal/external audit inquiries.
• Act as a critical business partner to Benefits, HR, FP&A, and Accounting. Manage external vendor relationships, including brokers and 403(b) financial advisors.
• Proactively identify opportunities to automate, optimize, and audit the payroll lifecycle to increase compliance, streamline workflows, and reduce manual overhead.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Education & Certification: Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field required. Active Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) designation is required.
• Technical Skills & Experience: 8+ years of progressive payroll experience, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or leadership capacity. Experience with ADP is required; experience with Workday is strongly preferred. Advanced data manipulation skills in Excel, including multi-function formulas, pivot tables, and sophisticated data formatting. Comprehensive, up-to-date understanding of Federal, State, and Local laws, including FLSA.
• Leadership & Soft Skills: Proven ability to act as a "change agent," bring transformation experience to an entrepreneurial, fast-paced, and high-volume environment. Refined emotional intelligence with the ability to influence stakeholders, deliver exceptional internal customer service, and negotiate buy-in across departments. Hands-on problem solver who can balance granular detail with big-picture process improvement.

Compensation, Benefits & Perks

At Success Academy, we know that our extraordinary team is our greatest asset. We offer a highly competitive compensation package designed to support your well-being, financial future, and work-life balance:

• Generous Paid Time Off: Enjoy 20 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) annually to rest and recharge.
• Paid Holidays: Take a well-deserved break with all major holidays off.
• Retirement Security: A 3% employer match on your 403(b) retirement plan to help you build long-term wealth.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Access to full, premium healthcare benefits (medical, dental, and vision insurance), flexible spending accounts (FSA), and pre-tax commuter benefits.

Exact compensation may vary based on skills and experience. This position is not bonus eligible.

Career Path: Success Academy offers a full benefits program and opportunities for professional growth.

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We are an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience.