Corporate Payroll Manager (Union)

Overview

This role leads and oversees corporate payroll operations across multiple business units and geographic regions, with a primary focus on complex union payroll administration.

The position ensures payroll consistency and operational excellence by developing, implementing, and maintaining standardized payroll processes across diverse business units. It serves as a strategic partner to Finance, Accounting, Operations, and Human Resources to support payroll compliance, process efficiency, and scalability.

Responsibilities

Payroll Operations & Administration

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for multiple business units across various states, ensuring compliance with federal, state, local, and collective bargaining agreement requirements.
• Administer complex multi-union payroll functions, including:
  • Union dues deductions
  • Fringe benefit calculations
  • Pension contributions
  • Health and welfare remittances
  • Apprenticeship contributions
  • Prevailing wage requirements and certified payroll reporting
• Ensure compliance with multiple collective bargaining agreements and union-specific wage schedules, work rules, overtime requirements, and jurisdictional requirements.
• Review and approve payroll transactions, including regular weekly payrolls, tax adjustments, bonus payments, off-cycle payrolls, and ACH payments.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex payroll, tax, and union-related issues.
• Research, resolve, and document payroll discrepancies prior to final payroll approval.

Systems Management & Process Improvement

• Act as a subject matter expert for union payroll processes and systems, including payroll processing, HRIS, field services, and ERP systems.
• Develop and implement standardized payroll policies, procedures, workflows, and best practices across multiple business units.
• Create consistent payroll controls and operating procedures that improve compliance and efficiency while supporting organizational growth and acquisitions.
• Support payroll system implementations, integrations, upgrades, conversions, and automation initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to streamline payroll processes and improve reporting accuracy through system enhancements and process redesign.
• Develop and maintain payroll process documentation, workflow maps, training materials, and standard operating procedures.

Compliance & Audits

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, local, and union payroll regulations.
• Monitor changing payroll tax laws, labor regulations, prevailing wage requirements, and collective bargaining agreement provisions.
• Manage state payroll tax registrations, agency correspondence, audits, notices, and Power of Attorney filings.
• Oversee preparation and review of quarterly and annual tax filings, W-2 reporting, union reporting requirements, certified payroll reports, and labor compliance documentation.
• Coordinate and manage internal and external payroll audits.
• Ensure payroll records are maintained accurately and in accordance with company policies and regulatory requirements.

Financial Reporting & Reconciliation

• Partner with Accounting and Finance to complete payroll reconciliations, journal entries, accruals, general ledger balancing, and month-end close activities.
• Reconcile payroll data between payroll systems and ERP platforms.
• Prepare and distribute payroll reports, labor analytics, compliance metrics, and management reporting.
• Support annual compliance testing and audit requirements.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop payroll team members across multiple business units and locations.
• Manage payroll department performance, workload allocation, training, and succession planning.
• Promote accountability, continuous improvement, and customer service.

Organizational Support

• Support mergers, acquisitions, organizational restructuring, and business expansions from a payroll perspective.
• Evaluate payroll impacts of new business opportunities and operational changes.
• Participate in cross-functional projects involving workforce management, compensation, benefits, and HRIS initiatives.

Requirements

Required

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive payroll experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership role managing multi-state payroll operations.
• Minimum of 7 years administering complex union payrolls with multiple collective bargaining agreements.
• Demonstrated experience managing payroll across multiple states and business units.
• Extensive experience with payroll systems. Experience with the following systems preferred: ADP, Paylocity, Foundations, UKG Pro, QuickBooks and Microsoft Dynamics.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including advanced formulas, pivot tables, data analysis, and reporting.

Preferred

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
• Experience with construction, utility, energy, infrastructure, field services/storm, or project-based workforce environments.
• Experience with certified payroll reporting and prevailing wage compliance.
• Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions, and payroll system conversions.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Extensive knowledge of union payroll administration and collective bargaining agreements.
• Strong understanding of federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, including (but not limited to) the state laws of California, Colorado, Indiana and Florida.
• Working knowledge of prevailing wage requirements, certified payroll reporting, and labor compliance regulations.
• Expertise in multi-state payroll compliance and payroll taxation.
• Proven ability to create and implement standardized processes across diverse business units and operating environments.
• Strong analytical, auditing, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated experience handling highly confidential and sensitive information.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills.
• Continuous improvement mindset focused on process optimization, automation, and scalability.

Compensation & Benefits

Not specified in the job description.

Location

• Primarily remote from a dedicated home office environment.
• May require occasional travel to support regional business unit operations and payroll initiatives.

Working Conditions

• Work is primarily performed remotely using standard office equipment.
• Extended periods of sitting and computer use.
• Ability to lift up to 10 pounds occasionally.
• Close visual acuity for reviewing payroll records, reports, and system data.
• Occasional travel may be required.

Additional Information

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Other duties may be assigned as needed to support organizational operations. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.