Payroll Manager

1.   Job Summary: 

The Payroll Manager is responsible for overseeing all aspects of payroll administration, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, tax compliance, and adherence to applicable federal, state, and local regulations. This role is accountable for the preparation, reconciliation, distribution, and auditing of bi-weekly payroll for all team members. Partners closely with People & Culture, Finance, and operational leaders to maintain data integrity, ensure compliance, and drive continuous improvement of payroll systems and processes. 

The Payroll Manager serves as a steward of payroll and employee data, establishing controls and practices that support accuracy, security, audit readiness, and effective integration across payroll, HRIS, benefits, timekeeping, and financial systems. Provide work direction to the Payroll & HR Operations Coordinator to ensure operational excellence, continuity, and exceptional service delivery. 

2.   Essential Functions:

Payroll

·        Ensure timely bi-weekly payroll processing for all team members, consistent with federal and state wage and hour laws.

·        Collaborate with team to evaluate payroll processing timeline when adjustments are needed due to holidays.  Ensure timely communication to people and culture and finance teams as appropriate.  Collaborate with communications to communicate any timeline changes to leaders and team members.

·        Process payroll adjustments, including additional pay, retro pay, and special items related to taxes and benefits in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

·        Support Payroll and HR Operations Coordinator to verify and process involuntary deductions, including but not limited to wage garnishments, child support orders, and tax levies. 

·        Oversee accurate and timely transmission of third-party interfaces related to payroll processing. These include retirement plan contributions, spending accounts, wage payments, taxes, garnishments, and employment data.

·        Partner with team members and leaders to investigate and resolve payroll issues, including corrections on subsequent payrolls, manual checks, and off-cycle pay runs, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

·        Document and maintain internal payroll documentation processes. Ensure Payroll and HR Operations Coordinator is trained as a back-up for efficient payroll processing, tax calculations and supported year-end processes.

·        Maintain current knowledge of applicable payroll laws and regulations and implement necessary process and system updates to ensure compliance.

·        Monitor and/or support resolution of payroll-related service requests, ensuring inquiries are resolved or escalated within established service level agreements. 

Tax

·        Prepare, reconcile, and approve all quarterly tax filings within UKG.

·        Ensure accurate financial, tax, and payroll reports for both internal and external requests.

·        Ensure employee wages are paid in accordance with all applicable local, state, federal regulations.  Respond to correspondence and inquiries from federal, state, and local tax authorities.

·        Ensure employee benefits and deductions are properly taxed.

·        Research multi-state payroll requirements and provide recommendations regarding tax, wage, and compliance implications of operating in additional states.

·        Lead payroll year-end activities, including planning, execution, reconciliation, and required reporting.

·        Keep current with federal and state wage and tax laws and request or initiate applicable system changes. 

Data Integrity, Audit & System Governance

·        Establish and maintain payroll data quality standards to ensure employee, compensation, deduction, tax, and timekeeping information is accurate, complete, and compliant.

·        Develop and execute payroll audits, reconciliations, and validation processes to identify and resolve discrepancies, ensuring payroll accuracy and audit readiness.

·        Partner with HR Operations, Benefits, Talent, Finance, and other stakeholders to maintain data consistency across UKG and integrated systems.

·        Monitor payroll-related system interfaces to ensure accurate transmission, reconciliation, and reporting of employee and payroll data.

·        Lead payroll compliance reviews and support internal and external audits by providing required documentation, reports, reconciliations, and process evidence.

·        Identify trends, root causes, and recurring issues; implement corrective actions and process improvements to strengthen data quality, compliance, and operational efficiency.

·        Develop and maintain payroll procedures, internal controls, system security standards, and user access protocols that support accuracy, confidentiality, compliance, and segregation of duties.

·        Support payroll and HRIS system testing, upgrades, implementations, and enhancements to ensure data integrity and business continuity.

·        Produce and analyze payroll metrics, dashboards, and audit findings to monitor payroll performance, compliance, and service delivery. 

3.   Relationships: 

This position reports to the Vice President of People Operations and Total Rewards who reports to the Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer.  The individual will also provide work direction to payroll and HR operations coordinator to ensure efficient business continuity for payroll and tax purposes.  The incumbent also interacts closely with the Finance and Accounting department, People and Culture team members across all levels as well as external service providers including federal/state authorities. 

4.   Qualifications: 

Required

·        Associates degree; demonstrated experience may be considered in lieu of degree.

·        Minimum five (5) years of experience with payroll processing, tax processing and filing, including knowledge of federal and state wage and hour laws.

·        Experience performing payroll audits, reconciliations, and data validation processes.

·        Demonstrated ability to analyze large data sets and identify data quality issues.

·        Understanding of HRIS data governance, system integrations, and internal controls.

·        Ability to work extended hours to ensure timely and accurately payroll processing, specifically Monday and Tuesday of payroll processing weeks.

·        Demonstrated knowledge of HRIS/Payroll systems, such as Kronos and UKG.

·        Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel, including data analysis, reconciliation, reporting, and audit support.

·        Ability to maintain highest level of confidentiality.

·        Strong organizational skills and attention to detail

·        Ability to prioritize and systematize own work independently to meet deadlines.

·        Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, with individuals at all levels of the organization. 

Preferred

·        Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or human resources.

·        Experience with UKG Ready.

·        Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) designation.

·        Multi-state payroll processing experience for 3000 employees.

·        Experience leading payroll system implementations, upgrades, or testing initiatives.

·        Experience supporting internal or external financial, payroll, or compliance audits.

·        Bi/multilingual. 

5.   Physical Demands:

·        Ability to work on a computer for extended periods of time.

·        Ability to work extended hours on occasion to ensure timely payroll processing.

·        Ability to communicate to team members and volunteers via telephone, email or in person.

·        Ability to operate office equipment: copier, printer, fax machine, and computer.

·        Ability to travel to various locations for meetings and trainings. 

6.   Additional Notes: 

This job description represents the major functions of the position but is not intended to be all-inclusive. The incumbent is also responsible for taking direction from People and Culture leaders or their representative in completing projects or performing duties deemed necessary for the Association’s success.

Salary : $65,000 - $80,000