Director of Payroll & Benefits Accounting - Atlanta, GA

The Director of Payroll & Benefits Accounting will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for all compensation and health/welfare programs. Reporting to the COO, this role is responsible for ensuring the financial integrity of payroll and benefits data for 800 employees across a multi-state footprint. This leader will leverage GL and HRIS software to automate workflows and ensure GAAP-compliant reporting. We are seeking a "Digital-First" leader—someone who possesses a traditional accounting foundation but is actively driven to integrate AI, automated agents, and emerging technologies into the payroll lifecycle to drive efficiency. This is a high-impact, in-person leadership position.

Primary Responsibilities:
Payroll & Benefits Financial Management

• General Ledger Integrity: Oversee the mapping and reconciliation of all payroll and benefits-related GL accounts within Sage.
• Benefits Accounting: Manage the financial side of employee benefits, including 401(k) funding, FSA reconciliations, and the audit of monthly carrier invoices (Medical, Dental, Vision, etc) to ensure billing accuracy.
• Accrual Management: Own the month-end accrual process for bonuses, commissions, PTO, and benefits liabilities, providing detailed variance analysis to the Finance team.
• Digital Transformation: Actively explore, pilot, and implement AI-driven solutions and automated agents to streamline repetitive tasks such as data entry, reconciliation, and employee inquiry responses 

II. Strategic Financial Planning & Budgeting

• Annual Personnel Budgeting: Lead the development and management of the annual personnel budget. Partner with department heads and the finance team to provide data-driven projections for base pay, variable compensation, and payroll taxes.
• Headcount Modeling: Build and maintain "What-If" models to simulate the financial impact of new hires, market adjustments, or geographic expansion into new tax jurisdictions.
• Budget vs. Actual (BVA) Analysis: Conduct monthly BVA reviews to identify and explain variances in labor spend, ensuring the leadership team has a clear narrative on personnel-related fiscal performance.

III. Benefits Administration & Strategy

• Program Oversight: Lead the administration of health and welfare plans, retirement programs, and leave-of-absence policies (FMLA, Disability).
• Open Enrollment: Direct the annual Open Enrollment process, partnering with HR and brokers to ensure smooth system implementation and employee communication.
• Vendor Management: Act as the primary point of contact for benefits brokers and third-party administrators, evaluating plan performance and cost-effectiveness annually.

IV. Compliance & Audit Leadership

• Regulatory Reporting: Ensure 100% compliance with federal and state regulations, including ACA (1095-C) filing, 5500 filings, and EEO-1 reporting.
• Audit Defense: Serve as the lead for the annual 401(k) audit and Workers’ Compensation audits, ensuring all data is audit-ready and internal controls are strictly maintained.
• Tax Nexus: Monitor multi-state tax implications for both pay and benefits, ensuring correct withholding and reporting in all active jurisdictions. Quarterly review of payroll tax returns. 

Candidate Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Human Resources.
• Technical Skills: 15 years of experience in Payroll & Benefits, with at least five years in a leadership role. Advanced proficiency in Sage, Excel, and Copilot is required.
• Expertise: Deep knowledge of the FLSA, ERISA, ACA, and COBRA, as well as federal and multi-state tax regulations.
• Attributes: A detail-oriented leader who thrives in an in-person, collaborative environment and can manage complex financial data with absolute discretion.