Senior Payroll Manager

Department: People Operations FLSA Status: Exempt Employment Status: Full-Time

As the Senior Payroll Manager, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for all payroll functions, ensuring accurate, compliant, and efficient payroll operations while delivering an exceptional employee and client experience. This role combines deep payroll expertise with strong people leadership and process improvement capabilities to build scalable payroll solutions that support organizational growth.

• Lead, coach, and develop a high‑performing team of payroll professionals by establishing clear expectations, accountability, and ongoing development opportunities.
• Foster a collaborative, customer‑focused culture centered on service excellence, continuous improvement, and professional growth.
• Effectively lead and engage team members while promoting communication, collaboration, and strong performance.
• Serve as a trusted leader and mentor, providing guidance on complex payroll matters and supporting cross‑functional initiatives.

• Oversee end‑to‑end payroll operations, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing across multiple payroll environments.
• Ensure adherence to all applicable federal, state, and local payroll regulations and maintain the highest standards of payroll accuracy and compliance.
• Monitor service delivery metrics and implement improvements that enhance operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex payroll issues, ensuring timely resolution and proactive communication.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders by providing consultative guidance on payroll operations, compliance, and best practices.
• Drive a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and exceptional customer service.
• Develop & monitor payroll KPIs, service‑level metrics, compliance reporting, and operational dashboards to drive continuous improvement and inform executive decision‑making.

• Design, document, and continuously improve scalable payroll processes and operational workflows.
• Lead payroll system implementations, upgrades, and enhancements, including configuration, testing, data migration, validation, and go‑live support.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes, reduce risk, and improve operational efficiency through technology and process optimization.
• Partner with HR, Finance, IT, and external vendors to ensure seamless integration between payroll, HRIS, benefits, timekeeping, and financial systems.

• Maximize the capabilities of payroll technologies, including ADP Workforce Now (preferred), to deliver efficient and scalable payroll operations.
• Evaluate and implement emerging technologies, including AI‑enabled tools, to improve payroll accuracy, operational efficiency, reporting, and decision‑making.
• Ensure payroll systems remain aligned with organizational needs, compliance requirements, and future growth objectives.
• Stay informed on industry trends, regulatory changes, and payroll technology innovations to continuously enhance payroll operations.

• Support organizational initiatives and strategic projects as assigned.
• Perform other duties as needed to support business objectives.

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Human Resources, Accounting, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification strongly preferred.
• Five (5) or more years of progressive payroll leadership experience.
• Three (3) or more years of direct people management experience.
• Extensive knowledge of payroll operations, payroll tax regulations, wage and hour laws, and multi-state payroll compliance.
• Demonstrated success leading payroll teams within complex or high growth organizations.
• Experience designing and implementing scalable payroll processes and operational infrastructure.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills with the ability to operate…