Payroll Manager

Payroll Manager

LOCATION: Huntsville, AL

JOB STATUS: Full-time

TRAVEL: Less than 5%

We are seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead and manage payroll operations for our organization. This role ensures accurate and timely payroll processing while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. The ideal candidate will have strong leadership skills and a proven ability to maintain accuracy and efficiency in a complex payroll environment.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS / SKILLS

• 5 years of progressive payroll experience, including experience managing payroll for a large, multi-state workforce.
• 2 years of experience managing, supervising, or mentoring payroll staff.
• Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Experience processing and reviewing biweekly payroll for 3,000 employees, including regular, off-cycle, and final payments.
• Experience with payroll systems, preferably UKG Pro or a comparable enterprise payroll platform.
• Experience with payroll reconciliations, audits, reporting, year-end processing, and tax filings.
• Working knowledge of benefits, deductions, garnishments, wage assignments, and other payroll-related transactions.
• Strong Excel skills, including the ability to analyze payroll data and identify discrepancies.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• High level of discretion and ability to safeguard confidential employee and payroll information.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet strict payroll deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience supporting government contracting, SCA, union, or certified payroll requirements is preferred. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for more than 4,000 employees across multiple states, pay groups, contracts, and employee classifications.
• Oversee off-cycle payrolls, including final pay, corrections, and urgent payroll requests.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local tax laws; wage and hour requirements; garnishments; deductions; company policies; and contractual obligations.
• Oversee payroll reconciliations, audits, variance reviews, and discrepancy resolution.
• Maintain effective payroll controls, approval workflows, segregation of duties, and audit documentation.
• Collaborate with Human Resources, Benefits, and Timekeeping to resolve issues and ensure accurate reporting.
• Maintain compliance with Service Contract Act (SCA) wage determinations, fringe benefit requirements, union agreements, and other contract-specific rules, as applicable.
• Prepare and analyze payroll reports for management, Finance, auditors, regulatory agencies, and contract compliance.
• Support quarterly and year-end activities, including tax filings, W-2 processing, amendments, reconciliations, and audit responses.
• Manage, lead, mentor, and develop payroll team members; assign workloads, monitor performance, provide coaching, and ensure appropriate coverage.
• Identify and implement improvements that increase payroll accuracy, efficiency, compliance, and system integration.
• Provide analytical support to the Payroll Director, including trend analysis, risk assessment, and process improvement recommendations.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex payroll inquiries from employees, managers, HR, and business stakeholders.