Payroll Manager

The Payroll Manager owns the accuracy, integrity, and control environment of payroll operations across a multi-entity, multi-state organization with an active growth and acquisition pipeline. This is a controls-first role: the Payroll Manager designs, documents, and enforces the checks and balances that ensure every cycle is accurate, every filing is timely, every payment is appropriately authorized, and every account reconciles.This is both a working manager and ownership role. The Payroll Manager leads a small payroll team while personally executing and reviewing the most complex, highest-risk portions of each cycle. The expectation is to anticipate risk, surface issues early, bring solutions rather than escalations, and take accountability for outcomes while operating as an integrated partner to Finance, Human Resources, and Operations.POSITION SCOPEApproximately 3,000 employees across multiple locations, states, legal entities, and FEINs.Full ownership of the payroll calendar, including regular cycles, off-cycles, bonus and incentive runs, and year-end.Ownership of the payroll internal control framework and supporting documentation.Primary payroll contact for internal audit, external financial statement audit, retirement plan and workers' compensation audits, and agency examinations.Accountability for payroll as a trusted, reconcilable source of data for financial reporting, budgeting, workforce analytics, and leadership reporting.EXPERIENCE & EDUCATIONBachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Human Resources, or a related field required; equivalent payroll experience with an Associate's degree considered.Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) required, or eligibility to obtain certification within 18 months of hire; FPC considered for otherwise strongly qualified candidates.8–10 years of progressive payroll experience, including at least 3 years of multi-state payroll experience at comparable scale (2,000+ employees) and 2+ years of direct people leadership.Demonstrated experience designing and operating payroll internal controls, including segregation of duties and documented approval frameworks.Experience supporting external financial statement and retirement plan audits; experience with multi-entity structures and post-acquisition payroll integration strongly preferred.Hands-on experience with a major payroll/HCM platform and time and attendance system; implementation or conversion experience preferred.TRAVEL / WORK LOCATIONThis position requires regular in-person presence at the organization's designated office location.