Payroll Manager

Honigman is a premier business law firm, based in Michigan with an international practice. Honigman is consistently recognized as one of the 101 Best and Brightest Places to Work, we earned this recognition by recruiting attorneys and staff members with outstanding credentials. Currently, we are looking for a Payroll Manager in our Detroit Office. In addition to our Detroit Office, we have offices in Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Bloomfield Hills, Kalamazoo, Chicago, I.L., and Washington D.C. With more than 350 attorneys working in 60 different areas of concentration, Honigman provides timely and cost-effective counsel to clients in numerous industries.

The Payroll Manager, in conjunction with the Partner Accounting & Payroll Manager will be responsible for day-to-day staff payroll activities, staff compensation planning and reporting, and will handle audits and account reconciliations related to the payroll process. The Payroll Manager will also support the partner payroll process, accounting for all aspects of partner capital, partner shares, and partner tax accounts. This position will work closely with the tax department, general ledger group, and financial planning and analysis group.

The Payroll Manager should have excellent communications skills, organizational skills, have a positive attitude and be highly detail oriented.

Payroll Management

• Responsible for end-to-end payroll operations for employees and attorney partners, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant payroll processing in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Administer and govern partner compensation programs, including monthly draws, guaranteed payments, periodic distributions, and special compensation arrangements
• Ensure ongoing compliance with partner compensation agreements, monitoring guaranteed payments, bonus structures, and contractual obligations
• Serve as the subject-matter expert and escalation point for all payroll-related matters, including complex compensation arrangements and regulatory issues
• Assist with international compensation analysis and payroll administration. Develop understanding of local compensation, benefit and tax structure
• Oversee the processing and validation of all payroll changes, including new hires, terminations, compensation adjustments, and benefit deductions
• Manage and execute off-cycle and mid-month contract payments with a high degree of accuracy and control
• Establish, maintain, and continuously enhance robust audit trails, internal controls, and documentation for all payroll and compensation transactions
• Partner cross-functionally with Tax, Retirement, Benefits, Accounts Payable, and HR to ensure accurate with holdings, proper accounting treatment, and seamless data integration
• Lead payroll compliance efforts, including audits, regulatory inquiries, and year-end activities (e.g., W-2s, K-1 coordination, and related filings)

• Lead the development of compensation budgets and forecasts, incorporating headcount planning, compensation changes, and strategic initiatives
• Collaborate closely with FP&A to integrate compensation forecasting into enterprise-wide budgeting and long-range planning processes
• Prepare and present monthly and periodic variance analyses, clearly explaining deviations from budget and forecast to Finance and leadership stakeholders
• Analyze historical and current compensation data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities related to pay practices, promotions, and compensation growth
• Perform monthly reconciliations between payroll systems, general ledger accounts, and tax liability accounts to ensure accuracy and financial integrity
• Develop, implement, and maintain payroll and compensation policies, procedures, and controls to support consistency, compliance, and scalability
• Provide guidance, training, and mentorship to payroll team members and cross-functional partners as needed
• Drive process improvements and automation initiatives to increase efficiency, reduce risk, and support organizational growth
• Stay current on payroll, tax, and compensation regulations and best practices, advising leadership on potential impacts…