Director, Payroll

Location: Kingston

Position Information

Posting Number SF02156 Job Title Director, Payroll Position Number (Job Code #101912) FTE 1.00 FLSA Exempt Position Type Professional Staff Union Non-Union Classified Staff Pay Grade Level Grade Level: 17 Pay Grade Range Anticipated Hiring Salary: $140,000 - $145,000 Status Calendar Year, Full-time, Permanent

Department Information

Department Payroll Office Contact(s)

Please note:

Job applications must be submitted directly online only at: ((Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).)

Contact Phone/Extension Contact Email Physical Demands

Campus Location Kingston Grant Funded No Extension Contingency Notes

Job Description Summary

The search will remain open until the position has been filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by July 10, 2026. Applications received after July 10, 2026 may be reviewed depending on search progress and needs but are not guaranteed full consideration.

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About URI:
The University of Rhode Island enrolls approximately 17,000 students across its graduate and undergraduate programs and is the State's flagship public research university, as well as the land grant and sea grant university, for the state of Rhode Island. The main campus is located in the historic village of Kingston, and the Bay Campus is located in Narragansett. Both campuses are near major beaches in a beautiful coastal community.

URI is just 30 minutes from Providence, RI and within easy reach of Newport, Boston, and New York City.

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POSITION SUMMARY:

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.

OTHER

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

* 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:

1. Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or a related field.

2. Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible payroll leadership experience in a complex organization; higher education experience preferred.

3. Demonstrated expertise in multi-state…