Payroll Manager

Key Responsibilities

• Establish, maintain, and continuously improve payroll and T&A policies, process maps, internal controls, and standard operating procedures across all US entities to ensure compliance, accuracy, and scalability.
• Oversee payroll and time/attendance vendor relationships, service performance, and system/timeclock configurations to ensure rapid issue resolution and minimal operational downtime.
• Monitor changes in federal, state, and local payroll regulations, assess impacts on systems and workflows, and lead timely compliance implementations.
• Oversee weekly and biweekly payroll processing to guarantee timeliness, accuracy, and strong internal controls, utilizing post-payroll audits to drive root-cause improvements.
• Support integrations between payroll/T&A platforms and core enterprise software by defining data controls, testing protocols, and governance standards.
• Lead payroll-driven initiatives by establishing project timelines, mitigating risks, and directing cross-functional resources to ensure successful execution.
• Ensure high-level management and accurate execution of executive and expatriate payroll components.
• Oversee quarterly and annual reconciliations for federal, state, and local tax withholdings, while assuring compliant deduction processes for garnishments, benefits, etc. Partner with Accounting and Tax for internal/external audits and bank reconciliations, tax agency registrations, and check requests.
• Partner with Compensation, HRIS, Benefits, Finance, and Accounting to align upstream/downstream workflows, manage handoffs, and support annual bonus and merit cycles.
• Provide ad-hoc HR and payroll analytics, consolidated reporting, and budget presentations as required by leadership.
• Supervise payroll team members in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws, including interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Requirements

• Associ's degree or equivalent experience required; Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of equivalent experience required.
• 2+ years of supervisory or management experience highly preferred.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamentals of Payroll Certification (FCP) preferred.
• Strong expertise in payroll procedures, process governance, internal controls, and continuous improvement practices.
• Solid knowledge of multi-state tax, accounting principles, and reciprocity rules across state, federal, and local jurisdictions.
• Proficiency in Paylocity, UKG, or similar Payroll and T&A systems; advanced expertise in Microsoft Excel and Word required.
• Ability to evaluate existing processes, identify root causes and control gaps, develop practical solutions, and lead sustainable process improvements across payroll, time and attendance, and related cross-functional processes.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.