Payroll Systems & Tax Director

Overview

The organization is hiring a Payroll Systems & Tax Director to lead payroll operations from the Philippines. This senior role serves as the ultimate authority on US multi-state payroll and tax compliance while also leading and scaling a dedicated Philippines-based payroll team.

You will report directly to the VP of Human Resources and act as a key advisor to the C-suite.

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership: Supervise, mentor, and develop a Philippines-based payroll team. Build and structure the function from the ground up, including hiring, coaching, and performance management.
• End-to-End Payroll Oversight: Manage the full payroll lifecycle across 15+ US states, serving as the final escalation point for complex tax and systems issues.
• Multi-State Tax Compliance: Lead withholding, filing, and reconciliation across all state jurisdictions, including SUTA/FUTA, FICA, and local tax nexus management.
• Payroll Systems Ownership: Own payroll systems as a Subject Matter Expert for ADP Workforce Now (or equivalent platform), ensuring system integrity, integrations, and continuous optimization.
• Tax Registration & Filings: Manage registration of new state tax IDs and oversee compliance obligations across a growing US footprint.
• Audit & Notice Management: Lead responses to federal and state tax notices, garnishments, and year-end reconciliations, including W-2/W-3 processing.
• Executive Reporting: Provide accurate, timely payroll and compliance reporting to the C-suite, including 401(k) contributions, audit status, and trend analysis.
• Process Improvement: Transition payroll from manual, reactive processing to automated, scalable, audit-ready operations.

Requirements

• 8+ years of US multi-state payroll experience, including at least 3 years in a people leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience building, structuring, or scaling a Philippines-based payroll team.
• Deep expertise in US multi-state tax compliance including SUTA/FUTA, FICA, W-2/W-3, and state nexus (multi-state experience is non-negotiable).
• Advanced Excel proficiency, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs, Macros, Power Query, and large-dataset modeling.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills, with the ability to translate complex tax topics for US-based stakeholders.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Ability and commitment to work 10:00 PM – 7:00 AM PHST to align with US Eastern/Central business hours.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ADP Workforce Now, Kronos/UKG, or comparable enterprise payroll platforms.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
• Experience managing 401(k) reporting, garnishments, and multi-entity payroll environments.

Compensation & Benefits

• 100% Remote: Work from anywhere in the Philippines
• Night Shift Premium: Competitive night shift differential for 10:00 PM – 7:00 AM PHST
• HMO Coverage: Premium health insurance with options to add dependents
• Paid Time Off: 15 accrued PTO days + Philippine public holidays
• Career Growth: Clear advancement path within a scaling US organization
• Stability: Full-time employment with a US-based company operating across 15+ states

Location

• Remote (Philippines)
• Required working hours alignment: 10:00 PM – 7:00 AM PHST

Reporting & Collaboration

• Reports to the VP of Human Resources
• Leads a dedicated Philippines-based payroll team and collaborates closely with US-based Finance, HR, and Operations leadership

Equal Opportunity & Background Check

• Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check (including criminal, prior employment, and education verification). Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect application status or continued employment.