Payroll Manager

Payroll Manager

Location: Middlesex County, CT (On-Site)

Compensation: $100,000–$120,000

Schedule: Monday–Friday | 8:00 AM–4:30 PM

Payroll Manager | Lead, Improve & Scale a Growing Payroll Function

Our client, a rapidly growing private equity‑backed organization in the industrial and marine services sector, is seeking a Payroll Manager to oversee payroll operations for a multi‑state workforce of more than 200 employees. This is a highly visible opportunity reporting directly to the CFO. The position is open due to a planned retirement and offers the chance to take ownership of payroll operations, improve processes, enhance efficiencies, and help build a scalable payroll infrastructure to support continued growth through acquisition.

If you are a payroll professional who enjoys driving process improvements, ensuring compliance, and making a meaningful impact on the business, this role offers both challenge and opportunity.

• High‑visibility role with direct exposure to executive leadership
• Join a growing, acquisition‑focused organization backed by private equity
• Opportunity to take full ownership of the payroll function
• Lead process improvement and automation initiatives
• Play a key role in modernizing payroll operations
• Partner closely with Finance and Accounting leadership
• Strong organizational support for operational improvements and growth
• Stable company with an exciting future and long‑term career potential

• Process full‑cycle payroll for approximately 230–250 employees across multiple states
• Manage weekly payroll while ensuring accuracy and compliance
• Administer payroll for employees working across multiple states, projects, and locations
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local payroll regulations
• Reconcile payroll data and maintain reporting accuracy between ADP and Sage 300
• Partner with Accounting and Finance on payroll reporting and reconciliations
• Identify and implement payroll process improvements and efficiencies
• Develop and maintain payroll documentation, procedures, and internal controls
• Support payroll system upgrades, implementations, and enhancements
• Build scalable payroll processes to support continued growth and acquisitions

• 7+ years of progressive payroll experience
• Strong experience processing complex multi‑state payroll
• Deep understanding of payroll regulations, taxes, and compliance requirements
• Experience with job costing, labor allocations, multiple pay rates, or project‑based payroll environments preferred
• Payroll implementation, conversion, or system optimization experience highly desirable
• Experience with in construction, industrial services, manufacturing, engineering, marine services, field services, or other project‑based organizations is a plus
• ADP and/or Sage 300 experience preferred
• CPP certification is a plus
• Bachelor's degree preferred; equivalent experience will be considered