Payroll Director job description

A Payroll Director oversees all aspects of payroll operations, ensuring accurate and timely compensation for employees while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. This role is critical for organizational financial integrity, employee satisfaction, and mitigating legal risks associated with payroll processing.

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What is a Payroll Director?

A Payroll Director is a senior-level executive responsible for managing and directing an organization's payroll department. This role involves strategic oversight of payroll systems, processes, and teams to ensure all employees are paid accurately and on time. The Payroll Director ensures compliance with complex tax laws and labor regulations, implements payroll best practices, and leverages technology to optimize payroll operations. They serve as the primary point of contact for payroll-related issues and collaborate with HR, finance, and legal departments to align payroll strategies with organizational goals.

What does a Payroll Director do?

A Payroll Director manages the end-to-end payroll process, including system administration, tax filings, and compliance reporting. They lead a team of payroll professionals, set performance standards, and provide training and development. Key responsibilities include overseeing payroll calculations, deductions, and garnishments; resolving discrepancies; implementing and upgrading payroll software; ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local regulations; and conducting audits to prevent errors and fraud. They also analyze payroll data to inform budgeting and financial planning, and stay updated on regulatory changes to mitigate risks.

Job Overview

The Payroll Director will lead and oversee all aspects of the payroll function for our organization, ensuring accurate and timely processing of multi-state payroll for all employees. This strategic role requires deep expertise in payroll compliance, tax regulations, and system management while providing leadership to the payroll team. The ideal candidate will optimize payroll processes, implement best practices, and serve as the subject matter expert for all payroll-related matters.

Payroll Director responsibilities include:

1. Manage end-to-end payroll processing for 5,000+ employees across multiple states and jurisdictions 2. Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations and wage/hour laws 3. Lead and develop a team of payroll professionals, providing coaching and performance management 4. Oversee payroll system implementation, upgrades, and maintenance (ADP Workforce Now, Workday, or similar) 5. Develop and enforce payroll policies, procedures, and internal controls 6. Manage year-end processing including W-2s, 1099s, and tax filings 7. Coordinate with HR, Finance, and Accounting departments on payroll-related matters 8. Resolve complex payroll discrepancies and employee inquiries 9. Prepare and analyze payroll reports for management and audit purposes 10. Stay current with changing regulations and implement necessary process changes
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Must-Have Requirements

1. Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field 2. 10+ years of progressive payroll experience with 5+ years in a leadership role 3. Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation 4. Expert knowledge of multi-state payroll tax regulations and compliance requirements 5. Extensive experience with enterprise payroll systems (ADP, Workday, Oracle, or similar) 6. Proven experience managing payroll for 3,000+ employees 7. Strong understanding of accounting principles and payroll general ledger 8. Excellent knowledge of FLSA, wage and hour laws, and payroll best practices 9. Experience with payroll system implementations and integrations 10. Advanced Excel skills including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and complex formulas

Preferred Qualifications

1. Master's degree in Business Administration or related field 2. Experience with international payroll processing 3. Background in public accounting or Big 4 firm experience 4. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license 5. Experience in mergers and acquisitions payroll integration 6. Knowledge of SOX compliance requirements for payroll 7. Experience with union payroll and collective bargaining agreements 8. Background in healthcare, manufacturing, or retail industries with complex payroll needs 9. Proficiency with advanced payroll analytics and reporting tools 10. Experience managing payroll through organizational growth or restructuring

Bonus Skills

1. Certified Global Payroll Professional (CGPP) designation 2. Experience with payroll in all 50 states and international jurisdictions 3. Six Sigma or process improvement certification 4. Expertise in payroll automation and robotic process implementation 5. Background in payroll consulting or advisory services 6. Experience with equity compensation payroll processing 7. Knowledge of expatriate payroll and tax equalization 8. Proficiency in multiple ERP systems integration 9. Published articles or speaking engagements on payroll topics 10. Experience with payroll in highly regulated industries (banking, government contracting)

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