What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Payroll position at Spectrum Search Group?
We are partnering with a large, nationally recognized hospitality organization on a highly visible Director of Payroll opportunity. This role sits at the center of a complex, high-volume payroll operation supporting 50,000 employees across nearly every U.S. state and select international locations. It is a true leadership role with significant operational, compliance, and systems responsibility—ideal for a payroll leader who thrives in scale, complexity, and impact.
This position offers the chance to own and shape enterprise-wide payroll strategy, lead a seasoned team, and drive continuous improvement across systems, controls, and processes within a well-capitalized, growth-oriented organization.
Why This Role Stands Out
- Enterprise ownership of payroll operations at national scale
- Strategic visibility and influence across Finance, HRIS, Tax, IT, and Leadership
- Opportunity to drive process optimization, automation, and system integration
- Stable, established organization with meaningful leadership runway
Key Role Highlights
- Lead all payroll operations for 50,000 associates
- Manage multi-state and limited international payrolls with significant tax/EIN complexity
- Oversee allocations, accruals, payroll liabilities, audits, and year-end processes (W-2s)
- Partner closely with HRIS and IT on system integrations, testing, and risk mitigation
- Drive short- and long-term payroll strategy focused on accuracy, efficiency, and compliance
- Develop, mentor, and lead a large, experienced payroll team
- Serve as the senior escalation point for complex payroll, tax, and compliance matters
Systems & Environment
- UKG (UltiPro), Dayforce and related payroll platforms
- High-volume, highly regulated payroll environment
- Emphasis on documentation, controls, and best practices
Qualifications
- Proven leadership in high-volume payroll environments (10,000 employees)
- Strong experience with high volume tax/EIN complexity, knowledge of multi-state payroll (all 50 states ideally), payroll tax, and compliance
- Bachelor’s degree required
- Payroll certification (CPP) a plus
- Comfortable operating in a hands-on, in-office leadership role
Role Details Candidates Care About
- Location: Plano / Frisco, TX
- Office Schedule: In-office 5 days per week
- Compensation: up to $160,000 base bonus (depending on experience)
- Reporting To: VP of Payroll & Accounts Payable
This is an outstanding opportunity for a senior payroll leader who wants real ownership, real scale, and real impact—not just oversight. If you’ve led complex payroll operations and want a seat at the table in a large, people-driven organization, this role offers both challenge and long-term opportunity.