Vice President, Payroll Operations

Responsibilities

• Direct all aspects of payroll administration, including timekeeping, scheduling systems, taxes, and garnishments, in a multi-state environment supporting 45,000+ employees across 25+ entities.
• Partner with Human Resources and Employee Relations to develop and support work rules for 13+ union contracts, ensuring compliance with both union and non-union requirements.
• Lead, mentor, and manage a distributed payroll team of 20+ professionals, establishing performance standards and development plans.
• Plan, coordinate, and oversee payroll cycles, including adjustments, interfaces, deductions, tax reporting, and funding activities to ensure accuracy and timeliness.
• Manage departmental budgets and expenses in alignment with organizational goals.
• Oversee payroll system upgrades, ensuring data integrity through audits, testing, and implementation of tax updates and system enhancements.
• Oversee the configuration of PeopleSoft Time and Labor and North American Payroll systems to ensure accuracy and data integrity.
• Drive customer service excellence within payroll operations to enhance employee and management satisfaction.
• Partner with business units to identify training needs and operational improvements; translate requirements into system and process solutions.
• Plan and coordinate payroll resources, including departmental communications, forms, and training materials.
• Implement proactive audit processes to identify and resolve data discrepancies prior to payroll processing.
• Ensure all payroll transactions comply with federal wage and hour laws and organizational policies.
• Collaborate with HR and IT to streamline cross-functional processes and resolve system issues.
• Manage third-party vendor relationships and integrations, including ADP, Smart Square, KABA, and benefits providers.
• Develop reporting solutions, templates, and functional specifications to support operational efficiency and system enhancements.
• Oversee physician time study reporting and ensure compliance with Medicare requirements in collaboration with Legal, Finance, and Medical Staff offices.
• Partner with Accounting on payroll funding, reconciliations, audits, and general ledger interface processes.
• Support HRIS, Benefits, and Employee Relations initiatives, including investigations and system-related projects.
• Lead recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of payroll staff.
• Collaborate with Compensation to implement pay practices and configure payroll systems accordingly.
• Maintain documentation and ensure readiness for federal and state labor audits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Business Management or other relevant area of study.
• Fifteen or more years of leadership experience spanning recruitment, performance management, and budget oversight, including work in multi-state environments with deep functional expertise in payroll processing across multiple entities and complex pay structures.
• Comprehensive knowledge of federal and state regulations to ensure accurate wage and tax reporting.
• Advanced proficiency in Workday, with the ability to configure systems, drive enhancements, and effectively test and implement system upgrades, patches, and tax updates.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient computer skills including but not limited to Microsoft Office and Google Suite platforms.