Payroll & Benefits Manager

About the role

SANY America is seeking an experienced Payroll & Benefits Manager to join our team. This role serves as a critical operational leader within Human Resources, ensuring seamless payroll processing, effective benefits administration, and a high level of service to employees and leadership. Following the recent transition from ADP to UKG, this role will play a key part in stabilizing processes, improving system utilization, and driving operational efficiency across payroll and benefits functions.

Key responsibilities

• Payroll Administration
  • Lead end-to-end payroll processing ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance
  • Manage payroll within UKG, including earnings, deductions, taxes, and adjustments
  • Review and validate payroll registers, ensuring proper approvals and audit controls
  • Administer garnishments, tax filings, and regulatory compliance requirements
  • Partner with Finance on payroll reporting, accruals, and reconciliation
• Benefits Administration
  • Oversee administration of all employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and other plans
  • Manage vendor relationships and coordinate with benefit carriers and brokers
  • Ensure accurate enrollment, eligibility, and deductions in alignment with plan provisions
  • Perform monthly benefits billing reconciliation and resolve discrepancies
  • Support open enrollment planning, execution, and employee communication
• HRIS and Process Management
  • Support ongoing stabilization and optimization of UKG payroll and benefits functionality
  • Identify and resolve system and process gaps resulting from the ADP to UKG transition
  • Maintain accurate employee data and ensure data integrity across systems
  • Develop and document standardized processes to eliminate manual workarounds
• Employee Support and Service Delivery
  • Serve as a primary point of contact for payroll and benefits-related inquiries
  • Provide timely, accurate, and professional support to employees and managers
  • Resolve issues proactively and ensure a high level of employee satisfaction
• Data Analysis and Reporting
  • Develop, maintain, and analyze payroll and benefits reports to ensure accuracy, compliance, and operational insight
  • Utilize advanced spreadsheet and reporting tools to validate payroll outputs, reconcile data, and identify discrepancies
  • Support audits, reconciliations, and data validation activities through detailed analysis and reporting
  • Extract and analyze data from UKG to support decision-making and process improvement
• Compliance and Risk Management
  • Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local payroll and benefits regulations
  • Maintain proper documentation and audit trails for all payroll and benefits activities
  • Support internal and external audits as required
• Leadership and Collaboration
  • Partner closely with HR, Finance, and operational leaders to support business needs
  • Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within HR operations
  • Support and guide administrative or temporary resources as needed

Critical success factors (behavioral expectations)

• Responsiveness and Service Orientation: Demonstrates urgency, accountability, and follow-through in responding to employee and business needs
• Accessibility and Engagement: Maintains a visible and approachable presence; actively supports employees and leaders
• Team Player and Collaboration: Works effectively across functions, supporting shared goals and business priorities
• Global Mindset and Flexibility: Demonstrates openness to different ways of working; adapts to evolving processes; operates effectively within a global organization where practices may differ from traditional U.S. models
• Professional Communication: Communicates proactively, clearly, respectfully, and constructively in all interactions
• Ownership and Accountability: Takes full responsibility for outcomes and consistently follows through on commitments
• Process Discipline: Documents, standardizes, and continuously improves processes to ensure consistency, scalability, and control
• Problem-Solving Mindset: Focuses on solutions and continuous improvement; approaches challenges with a constructive and non-defensive mindset
• Relationship Building: Establishes trust and strong working relationships across all levels of the organization
• Adaptability: Thrives in a dynamic environment and supports ongoing system, process, and organizational changes

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Accounting, or related field
• 5+ years of progressive experience in payroll and benefits administration
• Experience with HRIS systems, preferably UKG or similar platforms
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, lookup functions (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP), and data validation and reconciliation techniques
• Strong knowledge of payroll regulations, tax requirements, and benefits administration
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex processes with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills

Preferred qualifications

• Experience supporting a multi-state workforce
• Experience with HRIS implementation or post-implementation stabilization
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or similar certification
• Experience working within a Fortune 1000 or global organization, with a strong understanding of what “good” looks like in payroll, benefits, and HR operations
• Demonstrated ability to drive process improvement, enhance controls, and implement best practices within a dynamic or evolving environment

Work environment and physical requirements

This role is office-based (corporate/professional) and travel requirements are not applicable.

Compensation

Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience. It will include a base salary, an annual performance bonus, and other exceptional benefits such as medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, a 401(k) savings plan, Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), company-paid STD and LTD benefits, life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Equal opportunity employer

SANY America is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected status under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Drug and alcohol free workplace notice

SANY America is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a drug and alcohol-free workplace consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Applicants may be required to complete pre-employment screenings, including drug and/or alcohol testing, as a condition of employment where permitted by applicable law. Testing requirements, employment practices, and workplace policies may vary based on work location, position responsibilities, business necessity, workplace safety considerations, customer requirements, contractual obligations, and applicable regulatory standards. SANY America complies with applicable federal, state, and local laws relating to marijuana/cannabis use, including applicable medical and recreational marijuana laws where permitted. However, applicants and employees are prohibited from being impaired or under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or other prohibited substances while working, operating Company vehicles or equipment, performing safety sensitive duties, conducting Company business, or while on Company property, consistent with applicable law. Certain positions may be designated as safety sensitive or subject to additional regulatory, customer, contractual, operational, or workplace safety requirements and may require participation in pre employment, random, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, return to duty, follow up, or other drug and/or alcohol testing programs in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.