Payroll Manager

About the role

The Payroll Manager plays a critical role in supporting a rapidly growing organization by leading accurate, compliant, and scalable payroll operations across a complex, multi-state workforce.

Responsibilities

• Administer all garnishments and levies in compliance with federal and state regulations, in partnership with OSV.
• Maintain accurate worker costing allocations and state-mandated SUI reporting.
• Manage payroll inbox requests in Workday to meet payroll deadlines.
• Partner with Treasury to ensure accurate and timely payroll funding.
• Collaborate with Accounting on GL questions, new earnings/deductions, and payroll research.
• Manage leave of absence pay processing, including PTO, STD, salaried and hourly prorations.
• Oversee Timekeeping and Scheduling in Workday, assisting managers with corrections and approvals.
• Stay current on federal, state, and local legislative changes impacting payroll and pay practices.
• Work collaboratively with a co-manager to execute bi-weekly payroll processes.
• Research and resolve employee time-off inquiries.
• Maintain service dates for vacation accruals and adjust balances as needed.
• Ensure accurate transition of plans and balances for employees transferring locations or plans.
• Own payroll, time, and absence audits and reporting requirements.
• Ensure timely and accurate DOL reporting across all states.
• Provide payroll reporting to Operations, Accounting, and Treasury.
• Support ad hoc reporting and data analysis to troubleshoot payroll, tax, time, and absence issues.
• Provide reporting support for audits including 401(k), benefits, and workers’ compensation.
• Serve as primary liaison with OSV for payroll, garnishments, treasury, and fulfillment.
• Troubleshoot timeclock and software issues in partnership with pharmacy leadership and vendors.
• Review and process vendor invoicing as applicable.
• Research and set up payroll taxes for new states and localities in Workday, OSV, and tax entities.
• Carefully coordinate ordering, setup, and deployment of time clocks for new locations.
• Ensure carryover PTO and prior benefit payments are processed accurately during go-live.
• Ensure quarterly payroll is accurate and reconciled prior to close.
• Manage year-end payroll activities, including W-2 processing in partnership with OSV.
• Ensure W-2s are issued timely and accurately to employees and regulatory agencies.
• Research and process W-2 corrections (W-2Cs) as needed.
• Partner with Accounting and Treasury to finalize GL and payroll payments.
• Report HCM issues to the Workday HCM team.
• Manage Time, Pay, and Absence modules in Workday, including annual calendar setup.
• Partner with Accounting on forward accrual configurations.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) strongly preferred (or actively pursuing).
• 10+ years of payroll administration experience; HR experience a plus.
• Workday payroll experience preferred (comparable enterprise system required).
• Multi-state payroll experience across 10+ states required.
• Experience processing payroll for 2,500+ employees.
• Public company (SOX) experience preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills required.
• Exceptional attention to detail with a high level of accuracy.
• Prioritizing problem-solving independently and meeting strict deadlines.
• Strong communication and customer service skills, including executive-level communication.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, multi-priority environment.

Benefits

Guardian provides employees with a comprehensive Total Rewards package, supporting our core value of, “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” Compensation & Financial: Competitive pay, 401(k) with company match. Family, Health & Insurance Benefits: Medical, Dental and Vision Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts, Company-paid Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Company-paid Long-Term Disability and optional Short-Term Disability, Voluntary Employee and Dependent Life, Accident and Critical Illness, Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Wellbeing Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Guardian Angels (Employee assistance fund). Time Off: Paid holidays and sick days, Generous vacation benefits based on years of service.