Payroll Manager

We are seeking a highly skilled and strategic Payroll Manager to lead and oversee all payroll operations while ensuring compliance, accuracy, and operational excellence. This hands-on role is responsible for managing the end-to-end payroll process, driving continuous process improvements, maintaining strong internal controls, and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations.

Location: Bear, DE (100% onsite)

Salary: $100,000 - $130,000

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and process multi-state payroll accurately and timely for all employee populations.
• Oversee payroll activities including earnings, deductions, taxes, garnishments, benefits, bonuses, commissions, and off-cycle payrolls.
• Ensure payroll records are maintained accurately and confidentially.
• Review payroll data and reports to identify discrepancies and resolve issues proactively.
• Manage payroll calendars, deadlines, and year-end payroll activities.
• Evaluate current payroll processes and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, scalability, and employee experience.
• Lead payroll transformation initiatives, system enhancements, automation projects, and workflow improvements.
• Develop and document standardized payroll procedures and best practices.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local wage and hour laws, tax regulations, and reporting requirements.
• Stay current on changing payroll legislation and implement necessary updates to policies, procedures, and systems.
• Lead internal payroll audits and support external audits, including SOX compliance where applicable.
• Develop and maintain strong payroll controls to minimize risk and ensure data integrity.
• Manage payroll tax reporting, reconciliations, W-2 processing, and regulatory filings.
• Partner with HR and Legal teams to address compliance matters and employee inquiries.
• Establish key performance metrics and reporting to measure payroll effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for payroll systems and process optimization efforts.
• Partner closely with Human Resources to ensure accurate employee data, benefits administration, and policy implementation.
• Collaborate with Accounting and Finance teams on payroll reconciliations, journal entries, accruals, month-end close activities, and financial reporting.
• Work with Information Technology to manage payroll system integrations, upgrades, security controls, data integrity, and troubleshooting efforts.
• Support organizational initiatives involving HRIS, payroll system implementations, and process automation projects.
• Lead, mentor, and develop payroll team members.
• Establish clear performance expectations and provide ongoing coaching and support.
• Foster a culture of accountability, customer service, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Manage vendor relationships and ensure service level expectations are met.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• 5 years of progressive payroll experience, including leadership responsibilities.
• Extensive knowledge of multi-state payroll processing, payroll tax regulations, wage and hour laws, and compliance requirements.
• Strong experience with payroll auditing, controls, reconciliations, and regulatory reporting.
• Demonstrated success leading process improvement and payroll optimization initiatives.
• Experience partnering cross-functionally with HR, Accounting, Finance, and IT teams.
• Advanced proficiency with payroll systems, HRIS platforms, and Microsoft Excel.