Senior Director - Global Payroll and Time

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life‑changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve.

This is hard, urgent, self‑less work— but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

Eli Lilly and Company is seeking a Senior Director, Payroll, Time Tracking & Absence (PATT) to lead one of the most operationally critical functions within our global HR Technology & Operations organization. This role owns end‑to‑end payroll for the US and is the process owner for global time management and absence. Additionally, the role will be a key influencer of shaping payroll strategies globally.

Lilly PATT primarily operates within Workday as our core HCM platform.

This is a leadership role that will work at the intersection of people, technology, and financial integrity — partnering closely with Finance, Legal, Global Mobility, and our broader HR leadership team to transform, streamline and automate PATT capabilities. The Senior Director will implement an AI‑forward payroll capability, drive Workday PATT product excellence, govern third‑party vendor relationships and ensure full SOX compliance for all payroll cycles.

The ideal candidate brings Workday PATT expertise, a track record of transforming business operations at scale, and the leadership presence to continuously elevate team performance.

• Own end‑to‑end payroll operations for Lilly US ensuring payroll is processed accurately, compliantly, and on time.
• Oversee equity‑related payroll events including the management of KPMG (our mobile taxation processor), award processing, and special, limited scope payments.
• Lead payroll readiness and execution for new country and acquired company launches. Manage entity changes including regulatory setup, vendor selection, and integration into Lilly's global payroll framework.
• Serve as the senior escalation point for complex cross‑border, multi‑jurisdictional, and executive‑level payroll matters.
• Maintain and continuously improve payroll governance, controls, and audit readiness — including full SOX compliance payroll accounting practices.

• Own the strategic product roadmap for Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence — including feature adoption, configuration governance, release planning, and enhancements.
• Lead the marketplace in the use of HR technology, agentic AI, and the digital employee experience to aggressively streamline operations while maintaining or improving accuracy.
• Own and simplify the PATT technology portfolio — reducing vendor complexity, retiring legacy tools, and enabling best practices across regions.
• Partner to optimise integrations between Workday and downstream payroll, finance, benefits, equity administration, and reporting systems.

• Develop and drive strategic vendor relationships (example PWC) — set clear SLAs, conduct performance reviews, and hold partners accountable to quality standards.
• Consult on outsourced payroll service agreements, ensuring cost‑effectiveness and service excellence for all Lilly markets.
• Partner with Procurement and Legal on contract renewals, escalation frameworks, and vendor risk management.

• Ensure compliance with employment tax regulations, labour laws, and data privacy requirements in the US — maintaining active awareness of regulatory changes.
• Lead payroll's contribution to year‑end financial close and external reporting, including MD&A readiness, 401(k) audit support, and payroll‑driven disclosures.
• Oversee payroll for stock compensation that incorporates multi‑jurisdictional tax requirements.
• Maintain robust internal controls and coordinate with…