What are the responsibilities and job description for the Payroll Manager position at Clark Construction Group?
Location: McLean, VA
Reports To: Payroll Director
Direct Reports: 2 Payroll Supervisors
Position Overview
Clark Construction is seeking a high-caliber Payroll Manager to lead our complex, multi-state payroll operations. This role is pivotal in ensuring the accurate and timely compensation of our most valuable asset: our people. You will oversee two distinct payroll streams—a bi-weekly salaried cycle and a high-volume, weekly craft worker cycle.
As a key leader within the Finance/HR pillar, you will manage two direct reports (Payroll Supervisors) and drive process improvements that uphold our reputation for operational excellence.
Key Responsibilities
"You are someone who thrives in the details but never loses sight of the big picture. You understand that for a craft worker, a weekly paycheck is a matter of trust and livelihood. You are a steady hand for your team and a strategic partner to the Director."
Reports To: Payroll Director
Direct Reports: 2 Payroll Supervisors
Position Overview
Clark Construction is seeking a high-caliber Payroll Manager to lead our complex, multi-state payroll operations. This role is pivotal in ensuring the accurate and timely compensation of our most valuable asset: our people. You will oversee two distinct payroll streams—a bi-weekly salaried cycle and a high-volume, weekly craft worker cycle.
As a key leader within the Finance/HR pillar, you will manage two direct reports (Payroll Supervisors) and drive process improvements that uphold our reputation for operational excellence.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Oversight: Direct the end-to-end processing of multi-state payroll for 5,000 employees, balancing the nuances of bi-weekly corporate cycles and weekly craft/hourly cycles.
- Leadership & Mentorship: Provide direct leadership to two Payroll Managers, fostering a culture of professional growth, accountability, and technical precision.
- Compliance & Labor Relations: Ensure strict adherence to federal and state labor laws, tax regulations, and—crucially—union collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and prevailing wage requirements (Davis-Bacon Act).
- Process Optimization: Partner with the Payroll Director to identify and implement "best-in-class" systems and workflows to reduce manual entry and enhance data integrity.
- Reporting & Analytics: Serve as the subject matter expert for payroll tax filings, year-end processing (W-2s), and internal audits.
- Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate with HR, IT, and Legal to ensure seamless integration between timekeeping systems and payroll platforms.
- Experience: 7 years of progressive payroll experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership or people-management capacity.
- Industry Knowledge: Previous experience in Construction, Engineering, or Manufacturing is highly preferred. Must have a deep understanding of hourly craft worker payroll.
- Complexity Management: Proven ability to manage diverse payroll schedules (weekly vs. bi-weekly) and complex tax jurisdictions.
- Technical Proficiency: Advanced expertise in enterprise-level HCM/Payroll systems (e.g., Workday, SAP, Oracle) and sophisticated Excel modeling.
- Education/Certification: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business. CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) designation is a significant plus.
"You are someone who thrives in the details but never loses sight of the big picture. You understand that for a craft worker, a weekly paycheck is a matter of trust and livelihood. You are a steady hand for your team and a strategic partner to the Director."