Payroll Supervisor​/Manager​/Director

Payroll Leader

We are looking for an experienced payroll leader to oversee accurate and timely payroll operations for a manufacturing organization in Dane County, Wisconsin. This role supports a multi-entity workforce across several states and combines payroll ownership with benefits administration and limited HR support. The ideal candidate brings strong knowledge of union payroll, wage and hour compliance, and payroll tax requirements while guiding a team-oriented, service-focused payroll function.

Responsibilities:

• Direct end-to-end payroll processing for approximately 400 employees on weekly and biweekly schedules across four business divisions.

• Manage payroll activities for employees in multiple states, ensuring proper handling of state and federal tax with holdings, filings, and compliance obligations.

• Administer union and non-union payroll for both exempt and non-exempt employees, applying contract terms, pay rules, and attendance-related inputs accurately.

• Oversee benefit-related payroll deductions and coordinate with internal partners to support employee benefit administration and related inquiries.

• Provide day-to-day leadership for payroll operations, establish priorities, and maintain strong internal controls that support accuracy and confidentiality.

• Review payroll records, reconciliations, and reporting to identify discrepancies, resolve issues promptly, and support audit readiness.

• Serve as a key contributor to payroll system implementation and onboarding activities, including testing, process alignment, and go-live support.

• Partner with HR and finance stakeholders on employee pay changes, compliance matters, and ongoing payroll process improvements.