Payroll Supervisor/Manager/Director

About the role

We are looking for a hands-on Payroll Manager to lead complex, multi-entity payroll operations in Charlotte, North Carolina. This role is ideal for a payroll specialist who can balance day-to-day execution with team leadership, while partnering closely with operations to address union pay rules, certified payroll requirements, and process improvements. You will play a key role in supporting a fast-growing organization, strengthening payroll practices, and helping shape a more scalable payroll function.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end payroll processing across multiple entities, ensuring accurate and timely pay for both hourly and salaried employees on a weekly schedule.
• Manage payroll activity involving union and non-union workforces, including interpreting labor agreement provisions and applying pay rules correctly.
• Handle certified payroll requirements and help maintain compliance with applicable reporting and documentation standards.
• Supervise and support a direct report while providing guidance on complex payroll issues and helping prioritize workload across entities.
• Partner with operations leaders to resolve payroll questions, address discrepancies, and provide informed recommendations when pay practices require review.
• Evaluate current payroll workflows, identify gaps in procedures, and recommend practical improvements to increase consistency and control.
• Contribute to payroll system implementation efforts, including supporting staggered go-live activities and helping ensure business readiness.
• Assist with onboarding additional entities into the payroll function and adapt processes to support organizational growth and increased headcount.

Requirements

• Proven experience managing full-cycle payroll in a complex, multi-entity environment.
• Strong knowledge of payroll practices for both union and non-union employee populations, including the ability to interpret labor agreement terms.
• Experience processing payroll for organizations with more than 500 employees.
• Familiarity with certified payroll requirements and related compliance expectations.
• Advanced Excel skills, including the use of pivot tables and VLOOKUPs for payroll analysis and validation.
• Background working with multi-state payroll and payroll systems such as ADP Workforce Now or similar platforms.
• Prior experience in a payroll leadership role with responsibility for reviewing work, guiding staff, and improving processes.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical payroll experience.