Director, Payroll

Director, Payroll

Provides strategic and operational leadership for all payroll operations, ensuring compliant, efficient, and customer-focused payroll services. Oversees multi-state payroll governance, regulatory compliance, taxation, and year-end reporting for a complex higher education environment, while driving process improvement, system optimization, and continuous enhancement of payroll operations.

Duties and Responsibilities - KEY

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Payroll Operations
• Lead, manage, and develop payroll staff to ensure timely, accurate processing of multi-state payrolls (State and In-House).
• Oversee end-to-end payroll operations, including validation, calculation, reconciliation, and disbursement.
• Ensure seamless coordination between Workday Payroll and legacy People Soft systems, including data integrity and payroll balancing.
• Compliance, Taxation & Year-End Processing
• Ensure compliance with all federal, multi-state, and local payroll tax regulations, union agreements, and institutional policies.
• Oversee preparation, review, and submission of payroll tax filings, including Forms 941, 1042, W-2, W-2C, and 1099, as applicable.
• Lead year-end payroll processing, including W-2 production and reconciliation, tax balancing, and audit reporting.
• Manage taxation complexities related to non-U.S. citizens, multi-state employees, and higher education-specific payroll scenarios.
• Systems, Transformation & Integration
• Serve as the Payroll Subject Matter Expert for Workday Payroll implementation, configuration, enhancements, and releases.
• Partner with University Computing Services, Human Resources, Finance, and external consultants to troubleshoot payroll issues, conduct testing, and implement upgrades and enhancements.
• Conduct fit/gap analyses across Workday and People Soft Payroll and Financial systems to align capabilities with business requirements.
• Drive automation, reporting, and process improvements leveraging ERP and reporting frameworks.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
• Serve as the primary payroll liaison to the Controller's Office, Human Resources, Finance, and the University community.
• Provide guidance on payroll processing, tax regulations, and compliance matters.
• Support audits, internal controls, executive reporting, and payroll change management initiatives.
• Leadership & Continuous Improvement
• Provide strategic leadership to enhance payroll service delivery, accuracy, and operational efficiency.
• Develop and implement process improvements, standard operating procedures, and best practices aligned with modern payroll operations in higher education.
• Ensure staff training and development in payroll systems, compliance, and customer service.
• Stay current on legislative and regulatory changes impacting payroll operations.
• Implement case management tools and service level agreements (SLAs).
• Support broader financial and human resources transformation initiatives, including ERP modernization efforts.

Required Qualifications
- QUALIFICATIONS:

• REQUIRED:
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible payroll leadership experience in a complex organization; higher education experience preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise in multi-state payroll processing and compliance, and year-end payroll processing.
• Experience with enterprise payroll systems, including Workday, People Soft (legacy or integration exposure).
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax regulations, including nonresident taxation.
• Advanced analytical, problem-solving, and Microsoft Excel skills.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to interpret policies and regulations and translate them into operational processes.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations and cross-functional teams.
• Preferred Qualifications - PREFERRED:
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
• Knowledge of union payroll environments and collective bargaining agreements.
• Experience in public sector or state-operated higher education institutions.
• Experience supporting Workday implementations, conversions, or post-go-live optimization.

EEO Statement: URI is unwavering in its commitment to equal opportunity, community, equity, and diversity. In furtherance of its mission to serve and support all learners as the state's public flagship university, URI continues to expand efforts to recruit and retain a broadly representative workforce as well as to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of those efforts. All employment decisions, including hiring, are made without regard to protected status.

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