Payroll Manager

About Morales Group:

Morales Group is a nationally recognized Indianapolis based staffing and supply chain solutions company. We believe we are here for a purpose – building better futures, one story at a time. Being part of our story means making the world better. Learn more: moralesgroup.net

Why Morales Group?

We want you to be part of our mission to build better futures. We believe in the relentless pursuit of growth and development of all our teammates. We show courage by communicating candidly and sharing bold ideas. We work humbly to create an inclusive and trusting community. And we are relentless in our pursuit of being a light to our clients and teammates. We stay gritty by embracing perseverance, resilience, and determination to overcome challenges and achieve success together.

If you are ready to jump on board with a high growth organization, Morales Group is the place for you. Join our globally diverse culture filled with deep camaraderie and passion for a bolder future. We need hungry, humble, and people-smart leaders to help pave the way.

The Position:

The Payroll Manager is a critical leader within the Finance function, responsible for overseeing accurate, compliant, and scalable end-to-end payroll operations for a hybrid workforce. This role manages payroll for a growing workforce with approximately 115 internal employees paid bi-weekly as well as up to 2,000 weekly-paid teammates supported through our HRIS platforms

This position owns payroll accuracy, compliance, internal controls, and continuous process improvement across multiple systems, pay cycles, and jurisdictions. The Payroll Manager will also play a key role in the company’s transition to a new Applicant Tracking System partnering closely with Finance, Operations, and IT to ensure seamless integration, data integrity, and payroll readiness during and after implementation.

This role includes direct leadership of payroll staff and is responsible for ensuring the payroll function operates with accuracy, reliability, and efficiency. The ideal candidate brings experience in high-volume, weekly payroll environments, preferably within staffing or contingent labor, and thrives in cross-functional, fast-paced organizations.

The Duties:

Payroll Operations & Accuracy

• Own and execute end-to-end payroll processing for bi-weekly internal employees and weekly high-volume teammate payroll
• Ensure accurate, timely payroll execution across multiple pay cycles, pay types, and jurisdictions
• Review, approve, and reconcile payroll prior to submission, maintaining strong segregation of duties and internal controls
• Establish and enforce timekeeping and payroll input controls, including exception reporting and variance analysis

Compliance, Controls & Reporting

• Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, wage and hour laws, and reporting requirements
• Own payroll tax funding, payments, and reconciliations across all jurisdictions
• Oversee preparation, review, and filing of all quarterly and annual payroll tax forms (941, 940, W-2/W-3, and state/local filings)
• Lead all year-end payroll activities, including reconciliation, distribution, and audit readiness
• Administer employee garnishments (child support, tax levies, court orders), ensuring legal compliance, prioritization, and timely remittance
• Resolve payroll tax notices, discrepancies, amendments, and penalties in partnership with Finance and external vendors
• Oversee payroll-related benefit deductions and vendor remittances, ensuring accurate reconciliation and timely funding

Systems, Integrations & Process Design

• Serve as the payroll lead for system integrations, enhancements, and optimization initiatives
• Design, document, and implement scalable payroll and timekeeping processes

ATS Transition & Change Management

• Lead payroll-related workstreams for the transition to a new ATS, ensuring payroll readiness through implementation and go-live
• Partner with HR, Operations, IT, Finance, and external vendors to manage payroll dependencies and change impacts
• Validate end-to-end data flows between ATS, payroll systems, and downstream finance systems.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Lead, coach, and develop payroll team members and offshore resources, setting clear expectations and accountability
• Act as the primary payroll partner to Finance, HR, Operations, and external stakeholders

Risk Management & Continuous Improvement

• Identify payroll risks and implement mitigating controls to ensure compliance, accuracy, and audit readiness
• Develop, maintain, and update payroll policies, procedures, and documentation
• Support internal and external audits and respond to payroll-related findings
• Maintain controls over payroll master data changes, including approvals, documentation, and audit trails

Payroll Systems & Vendor Management

• Own and manage relationships with payroll vendors, service providers, and payroll technology partners
• Ensure payroll systems remain current and compliant with regulatory changes and software updates
• Partner with IT and Finance to test and validate system changes prior to deployment
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications & Experience

• Professional proficiency in written and verbal English; Spanish or additional language proficiency is a plus
• Minimum 5 years of progressive payroll experience, including high-volume, multi-state environments
• Lives out our core values daily: Be Humble, Be Courageous, Be a Light and Be Gritty.
• Proven experience managing weekly and bi-weekly payroll for internal and contingent or staffing populations
• Strong working knowledge of payroll tax compliance, garnishments, and year-end reporting
• Experience with payroll systems, ATS/HRIS platforms, and general ledger integrations
• Advanced Excel proficiency, including reconciliations, analysis, and reporting
• Strong understanding of payroll controls, reconciliations, and audit requirements
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to meet tight deadlines
• Proven change leadership experience, including system implementations or process redesign
• High level of discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field preferred (or equivalent experience)
• CPP certification preferred; FPC or similar payroll certification a plus

Morales Group Benefits:

• Competitive health insurance (medical, dental, vision, life)
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Paid baby bonding time
• Paid Volunteer Time Off (VTO)
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Generous PTO policy
• Professional development opportunities including, tuition reimbursement, and leadership workshops
• Passport Program for team engagement and culture-building

What we value:

Be Humble

Show up with no Ego and serve others.

Be Courageous

Be willing to step out for what is right and use your voice.

Be a Light

Shine bright when there is darkness.

Be Gritty

Stay hungry, overcome challenges, produce results

Morales Group provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.