Demo

Payroll Manager

J2T Recruiting
Rapids, IA Full Time
POSTED ON 9/16/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 10/15/2026

Payroll Manager


What's Awesome About Our Client?

  • Trusted, long-term construction lifecycle partner supporting critical infrastructure across the U.S.
  • Fast-paced, project-based environment where you are empowered to truly own your function and step out of silos.
  • A newly created seat in a region that's growing fast, with a team of your own to lead.
  • A collaborative culture grounded in integrity, teamwork, excellence and purpose.


Why This Job - Payroll Manager

This isn't a straightforward corporate payroll gig. It's a complex, multi-state operation where you will partner with corporate leaders and lead a dedicated regional team of timekeepers and specialists. The company has grown from 1,000 people to 8,700 in under two years and just took its finance team regional, and this seat is new.


We need a hands-on leader to manage salaried and hourly field employees, certified payrolls and prevailing wages. You'll bridge the gap between Operations, HR and Accounting, driving process improvements and automation to support continuous growth. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and have a history of owning your processes from start to finish, this is the perfect role for you.


What You'll Actually Do:

  • Oversee end-to-end payroll processing for a complex multi-state workforce of hourly craft, field and salaried employees.
  • Lead, mentor and develop a regional team of timekeepers and payroll specialists.
  • Manage certified payroll setup, reporting and compliance for government-funded and prevailing wage projects, including Davis-Bacon requirements.
  • Partner directly with Accounting to handle payroll-related journal entries, accruals, reconciliations and month-end close.
  • Analyze current payroll systems to identify and implement process improvements, automation and stronger internal controls.
  • Collaborate across Operations, HR and project teams to ensure accurate timekeeping, job coding and labor allocations.
  • Manage payroll-related audits and ensure internal, external and government audit readiness.


To Be Successful in This Role, You Will Need:

  • 5 years of progressive, multi-state payroll experience in a complex environment (heavy hourly or field workforce preferred).
  • 2 years of experience supervising or leading a payroll team.
  • Hands-on expertise with certified payroll, prevailing wage, union payrolls and multi-rate pay structures.
  • Strong foundational knowledge of the accounting side of payroll, including reconciliations, accruals and internal controls.
  • A history of independently owning your function, rather than relying on other departments to handle the heavy lifting.
  • Experience driving process improvements, system enhancements or payroll automation initiatives.
  • Proficiency with payroll systems such as Viewpoint, ADP, UKG or Workday.
  • Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, HR or a related field (or equivalent experience).


Where and How Much:

  • Target Compensation: $100,000 to $120,000 base plus a 10% discretionary bonus
  • Location: Cedar Rapids, IA. In office
  • Benefits: 401(k) with a 4% match, unlimited PTO, medical, dental and vision, life and disability coverage


Salary : $100,000 - $120,000

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Payroll Manager?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Payroll Manager career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$112,995 - $149,749
Income Estimation: 
$154,065 - $210,068
Income Estimation: 
$112,995 - $149,749
Income Estimation: 
$154,065 - $210,068
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at J2T Recruiting

  • J2T Recruiting Westminster, CO
  • What's Awesome About Our Client? Massive Growth Trajectory: Join a private equity-backed leader scaling rapidly through organic growth and aggressive M&A e... more
  • Just Posted

  • J2T Recruiting Greeley, CO
  • What's Awesome About Our Client? Join a high-growth, dynamic industry leader where you have direct visibility and the opportunity to build systems and proc... more
  • 1 Day Ago

  • J2T Recruiting Rapids, IA
  • Regional Accounting Manager What's Awesome About Our Client? Total ownership: step into a true leadership position where you own the regional accounting fu... more
  • 2 Days Ago

  • J2T Recruiting Bozeman, MT
  • What's Awesome About Our Client? Rapid Growth & Multi-Office Expansion: Join an established, fast-growing engineering and architecture firm with a strong p... more
  • 6 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Payroll Manager jobs in the Rapids, IA area that may be a better fit.

  • Care Initiatives Rapids, IA
  • Heritage Specialty Care , a 171-bed long-term care skilled nursing community located in Cedar Rapids, IA, is now hiring! Benefits & Payroll Manager Schedul... more
  • 1 Day Ago

  • Care Initiatives West Branch, IA
  • Crestview Specialty Care , a 65-bed long-term care skilled nursing community located in West Branch, IA, is now hiring! Benefits & Payroll Manager Schedule... more
  • 1 Day Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!