Payroll Manager

Overview

This role provides operational leadership and day-to-day administration of payroll. The position ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing for employees and faculty, including regular, off-cycle, and executive payroll. The Manager directly supervises the payroll team and serves as a hands-on Workday Payroll subject matter expert.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end payroll production and processing, including collection, calculation, entry, validation, and updating of payroll data.
• Ensure accurate and timely processing of regular, off-cycle, employee, faculty, and executive payroll, including resolution of payroll exceptions.
• Oversee issuance of paychecks and electronic payments; manage payroll reconciliations, payroll and tax accounting, and bank account funding in partnership with vendors and Finance.
• Serve as a Workday Payroll subject matter expert; maintain payroll system and data integrity.
• Support hands-on payroll processing, troubleshooting, testing, configuration changes, integrations, releases, enhancements, and issue resolution with HRIS and technical teams.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll and tax regulations, including multi-state payroll, wage and hour requirements, tax levies, garnishments, and other involuntary deductions.
• Oversee payroll managed services vendors for payroll processing, payroll tax, and garnishments; monitor deliverables and service levels, manage escalations, and coordinate adjustments and service issues.
• Audit and approve reconciliations of quarterly and annual payroll tax returns, W-2s, and third-party sick pay; oversee year-end activities and maintain effective approval and payroll control procedures.
• Select, mentor, coach, and evaluate payroll staff; establish and monitor performance objectives; conduct performance discussions and implement development or corrective plans.
• Directly supervise the payroll team and provide day-to-day operational direction and oversight of payroll managed service providers.
• Perform other duties as required or apparent.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible payroll experience, including complex payroll operations and multi-state payroll.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with Workday Payroll, including payroll processing, troubleshooting, testing, and supporting system changes.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll requirements, including payroll taxes, garnishments, and compliance obligations.
• Experience leading payroll operations, projects, and/or employees.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage competing deadlines and resolve complex payroll issues accurately.
• Effective written and verbal communication and collaboration skills across HR, Compensation, HRIS, Finance, Benefits, and external providers.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of payroll and employee information and exercise sound judgment.
• Experience with Workday Payroll reporting, calculated fields, business processes, configuration, integrations, releases, enhancements, and automation.
• Experience managing third-party payroll, payroll tax, and garnishment service providers and monitoring vendor service levels.
• Experience in a large, complex, multi-state organization, including executive payroll and complex compensation arrangements.
• Experience developing payroll reporting, metrics, reconciliations, internal controls, audit documentation, and process improvements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Seven (7) or more years of progressively responsible payroll experience preferred, with previous direct supervision and development of payroll employees.

Compensation & Benefits

• Annual bonus award eligibility.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).
• Life and disability insurance coverage.
• Wellness incentive program.
• Competitive 401(k) employer match program.
• Substantial tuition discounts for employees and eligible dependents.
• Generous paid time off package including vacation, sick time, and company holidays.
• Robust learning and development tools and tuition vouchers.

Location

Fully remote / work-from-home environment (nationwide).