The Senior Manager of Payroll Compliance/Operations leads payroll operations for a complex, international and multi-state organization. Reporting directly to the Director of Payroll, this role is responsible for ensuring the accurate and compliant processing of payroll while providing leadership to a team of approximately 10 payroll professionals. The ideal candidate is a subject matter expert in full-cycle payroll administration, payroll compliance, payroll accounting, and internal controls. This leader will partner closely with Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Internal Audit, and senior business leaders to ensure payroll operations support organizational goals, financial reporting requirements, and SOX compliance standards. This position offers the opportunity to influence payroll strategy, lead process improvements, develop talent, and drive operational excellence across the payroll function. Supervisory responsibility: 2-5 direct reports. Budget responsibility: Yes.
Responsibilities
Leads all aspects of full-cycle, international and multi-state payroll processing for exempt and non-exempt employees; Ensures payroll is processed accurately, timely, and in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations; Oversees payroll-related activities including earnings, deductions, taxation, garnishments, benefits, direct deposits, and year-end processing; Manages payroll calendars, processing schedules, quality controls, and service level expectations; Reviews payroll audits, exception reports, reconciliations, and data validation processes; Leads, coaches, and develops a team of payroll professionals; Establishes performance expectations and drives accountability across the department; Conducts performance reviews, succession planning, and career development activities; Supports onboarding and training initiatives for new payroll team members; Fosters a culture of continuous improvement, customer service, collaboration, and compliance; Partners closely with Finance and Accounting teams to ensure payroll transactions are accurately reflected in the general ledger; Oversees payroll accruals, journal entries, and month-end close activities; Ensures payroll data supports accurate financial reporting and forecasting; Analyzes payroll trends and provides reporting and recommendations to leadership; Maintains and strengthens payroll controls within a SOX-compliant environment; Ensures adherence to payroll regulations, wage and hour laws, tax requirements, and company policies; Develops, monitors, and improves payroll policies, procedures, and internal controls; Partners with Internal Audit and Compliance teams to evaluate and mitigate payroll-related risks; Maintains documentation and evidence supporting payroll control activities; Serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external payroll audits; Coordinates audit requests while ensuring timely delivery of supporting documentation; Manages complex payroll issues and escalations, providing resolution and guidance; Identifies root causes and implements corrective actions to prevent recurring issues; Serves as the Payroll functional lead for Workday Absence, Payroll, and Time and Scheduling; Oversees payroll-related Workday configuration, testing, validation, and release management; Leads payroll participation in Workday enhancements, upgrades, integrations, and new functionality deployments; Ensures data integrity between Workday Payroll, HCM, Benefits, Time Tracking, Finance, and third-party systems; Develops and maintains payroll reporting, dashboards, and analytics within Workday; Identifies opportunities to leverage Workday functionality to improve efficiency, strengthen controls, and enhance employee experience
Requirements
Typically requires a bachelor's in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; Ten (10) or more years of progressive payroll experience, including significant experience managing multi-state payroll operations; Five (5) or more years of leadership experience managing payroll teams; Experience with Workday Payroll and Workday HCM; Extensive knowledge of full-cycle payroll processing and administration; Strong understanding of payroll tax regulations, wage and hour laws, and payroll compliance requirements; Experience supporting payroll accounting functions, including journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, and month-end close processes; Demonstrated experience working within a SOX-controlled environment; Experience supporting internal and external audit activities; Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills; Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and experience utilizing payroll reporting tools; Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation
Nice to have
Master's degree preferred
Benefits
Healthcare coverage; 401(k); Tuition reimbursement; Vacation pay; Sick pay; Holiday pay
Stany Zjednoczone · Atlanta
