Payroll Manager

About Us

Self-Help started in 1980 with a focus on economic inequality, especially in communities that have faced systemic barriers to building wealth. At the core of what Self-Help does is a drive to create and protect ownership and economic opportunity. We’re committed to economic justice, ensuring all communities have the basic infrastructure they need to thrive—from high-quality schools to grocery stores selling fresh food—regardless of demographics, income, or wealth. Since our founding, we’ve sought new ways to pursue greater economic justice, from providing fair and affordable loans to advocating for policy changes that address unjust systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight of multi-state payroll operations across assigned regions, ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local payroll laws, including complex state-specific requirements such as California wage and hour regulations.
• Ensure payroll is processed and delivered accurately, timely, and compliantly for over 1,000 staff members, adhering to federal and state wage and hour laws for both hourly and salaried employees.
• Process statutory reporting and compliance filings, including garnishments, payroll taxes, W-2s, and ACA filings, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Ensure the organization’s pay practices comply with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
• Serve as a point of escalation and assist team members in resolving payroll-related problems.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve payroll policies, procedures, and internal controls to ensure operational excellence.
• Establish payroll calendars, service level expectations, and quality standards for the payroll team.
• Monitor payroll metrics and identify opportunities to improve accuracy, efficiency, and customer service.
• Recommend and implement process improvements, automation, and system enhancements.
• Support organizational initiatives involving compensation changes, mergers, acquisitions, organizational restructures, and system implementations.
• Oversee year-end payroll activities, including W-2 processing, tax reconciliation, annual reporting, and related audits.
• Manage a team of payroll administrators, including developing goals, providing regular feedback, and fostering staff development.
• Develop and maintain payroll procedures, documentation, and cross-training to ensure business continuity.
• Act as a change agent to drive Self-Help’s economic inclusion initiatives by integrating supplier diversity and the use of businesses owned by women and people of color in third-party contracting and vendor management.
• Serve as project manager on assigned HR projects.
• Serve as the Payroll Subject Matter Expert for Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence modules.
• Collaborate on system testing, upgrades, enhancements, and release management.
• Develop payroll reporting and dashboards to support operational and leadership decision-making.
• Perform other duties as deemed necessary.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field OR equivalent related experience.
• 4 years of related experience, including handling payroll and managing an organization’s payroll function.
• Experience working in Workday preferred.
• Appropriate HR certifications preferred.
• Comprehensive knowledge of multi-state payroll administration.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state wage and hour laws.
• Experience managing payroll tax filings and compliance.
• Experience leading payroll system implementations or upgrades.
• Experience with payroll reporting, analytics, and data reconciliation.
• Strong commitment to our mission—creating economic opportunity for traditionally underserved communities.
• Preference for working in organizations that prioritize teamwork and collaboration.
• Strong knowledge of payroll and benefit principles, laws, and regulations, and technical knowledge of benefit functional areas.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Products, with a strong focus on Excel.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and support other areas of HR as needed.
• Ability to lead, hire, and mentor staff.
• Ability to analyze data related to payroll, timecards, and reporting, and troubleshoot payroll processing systems and transactions.
• Ability to create and present presentations to staff and leadership regarding payroll procedures.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and keen attention to detail.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and multitask.
• Ability to lead projects and direct the activities of others.
• Interest and willingness to pursue appropriate certifications and continue career growth.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability and willingness to travel and work overtime as needed.
• Ability to demonstrate Self-Help's Core Values:
  • Mission Before Self
  • Service With Excellence
  • Embracing & Promoting Change
  • Results Not Credit
  • Diversity as a Strength
  • Financial Sustainability for Mission Impact

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Close vision is required.
• Employee is regularly required to: sit; talk and hear; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms.
• Employee is frequently required to type and use a keyboard.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 to 40 pounds.