Payroll Manager

Payroll Manager

Position Summary

The Payroll Manager will oversee payroll operations across all CIG legal entities, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timeliness in a multi-company, multi-industry environment. This role will serve as the primary administrator for Paychex within a PEO structure and is responsible for validating time and attendance, processing payrolls, managing payroll tax oversight, and ensuring strong internal controls. The Payroll Manager will also provide financial analysis and forecasting for salary, benefits, and labor-related costs as CIG scales rapidly in 2026 and beyond.

As CIG launches and expands new business units – including a manufacturing operation – the Payroll Manager will design and lead an evolving payroll function, implementing structure, policies, and automation to support a higher-volume, higher-complexity payroll environment. This position requires exceptional attention to detail, strong communication skills, and the ability to train employees on self-service payroll functions while reducing legacy manual, high-touch processes.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Administration & Processing

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for all CIG legal entities within the Paychex/PEO environment.
• Validate time and attendance data; ensure accurate transfer of hours, overtime, PTO, and leave into payroll.
• Review payroll registers for accuracy prior to submission, ensuring correct wages, deductions, benefits, and tax withholdings.
• Maintain payroll schedules, ensure timely processing for all pay periods, and support off-cycle payrolls when required.
• Maintain payroll records in accordance with internal policies and applicable laws. 

PEO & Paychex System Management

• Serve as the primary administrator for Paychex and associated modules (time tracking, benefits, employee self-service).
• Train employees and managers on system use, including time entry, viewing paystubs, updating withholdings, and managing benefit elections.
• Identify and resolve system-related issues; coordinate with Paychex support to ensure accurate configurations and workflows.
• Champion self-service adoption and process efficiency as CIG scales its workforce.

Manufacturing Payroll Operations

Support payroll needs for CIG’s manufacturing operations, including:

• Managing higher-volume hourly payroll with complex scheduling and shift structures.
• Ensuring accurate scheduling and time entry within the OTX timekeeping system.
• Processing overtime, shift differentials, weekend premiums, and other variable pay components.
• Ensuring compliance with federal and state wage-and-hour requirements specific to manufacturing environments.
• Monitoring 24/7 operations, ensuring shifts, breaks, and labor laws are adhered to in accordance with timekeeping data.
• Partnering with plant leadership to validate accurate timecard approvals and investigate discrepancies promptly.
• Reinforcing strict adherence to accurate timekeeping and timeclock usage across manufacturing teams.

Team Leadership & Development

• Build, lead, and mentor a growing payroll team as CIG expands its headcount and multi-entity operations.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and training materials to support standardization across the payroll function.
• Implement scalable payroll processes and internal controls designed for higher volume and complexity.
• Provide coaching and development opportunities to support employee performance and retention.

Payroll Tax Oversight & Compliance

• Review payroll tax filings, W-2s, amended returns, and other compliance deliverables prepared by Paychex.
• Monitor federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements to ensure alignment with regulatory changes.
• Ensure proper tax setup for new entities, new states, and evolving workforce locations.
• Maintain documentation and audit trails for payroll tax activities.

Internal Controls, Policies & Audit Support

• Develop and maintain payroll policies, procedures, and internal control frameworks for multi-entity payroll administration.
• Conduct regular audits of payroll data, deductions, timekeeping, and employee classifications to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Support corporate audits (internal and external) by preparing payroll documentation, reconciliations, and reports.

Employee Support & Communication

• Serve as the primary point of contact for payroll-related questions, balancing responsiveness with reinforcing employee self-service responsibilities.
• Communicate payroll processes clearly and professionally across the organization.
• Provide guidance on complex payroll inquiries while promoting employee ownership of personal payroll, withholding, and benefit information.

Financial Analysis & Forecasting

• Partner with corporate finance to analyze labor costs, benefits, employer taxes, and headcount trends.
• Develop projections and dashboards for payroll-related expenses to support budgeting, hiring plans, and long-term workforce growth.
• Support cost modeling for new business units, expansions, and organizational restructuring.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Accounting or Payroll certifications preferred (e.g., CPP, FPC).

Experience

• 7 years of payroll experience, preferably in a corporate environment with multi-entity, multi-state, and multi-industry payroll structures.
• Experience running payroll within a PEO environment, specifically Paychex, strongly preferred.
• Experience with time and attendance systems, payroll tax oversight, and payroll auditing.
• Experience supporting high-volume hourly or manufacturing payroll strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting workforce scaling and high-volume hiring environments is a plus. 

Skills & Abilities

• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy due to the critical nature of employee wage data.
• Strong knowledge of payroll laws, regulations, tax requirements, and best practices.
• Excellent communication skills; able to train and support employees across diverse business units.
• Ability to manage confidential information with discretion and integrity.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to analyze trends in labor costs and payroll expenses.
• High proficiency with payroll systems (Paychex), Excel, and related tools.
• Highly organized, process-driven, and capable of managing multiple pay cycles and priorities.
• Adaptable and capable of thriving in a growing, fast-paced environment with evolving processes.

We offer a competitive salary, robust benefits, paid time off and growth opportunities.