Experienced Payroll Manager

Description

The Payroll Manager is responsible for the accurate, timely, and compliant execution of payroll across all company entities. This role owns end-to-end payroll processing, reconciliation, reporting, and controls, and serves as a key partner to Finance and Human Resources to ensure payroll, benefits, and labor cost data align seamlessly across systems.

This role is ideal for someone who genuinely enjoys forensic accounting, root-cause analysis, and proactively identifying issues before they surface. The Payroll Manager will be deeply fluent in payroll systems, earnings and deduction structures, and tax impacts. They are comfortable working independently, resolving discrepancies directly with vendors, and building durable reporting frameworks that support finance and cost accounting.

Payroll Operations & Reconciliation

• Own and process multi-entity, multi-state payrolls with a high degree of accuracy and timeliness
• Serve as the in-house subject matter expert for Paycor, including configuration, auditing, reconciliation, and system optimization
• Reconcile payroll registers, earnings reports, deductions, tax filings, general ledger postings, and cash funding each pay cycle
• Maintain deep working knowledge of payroll earning codes and deduction codes (e.g., regular, overtime, PTO, pre-tax and post-tax deductions) and their downstream financial impacts
• Independently identify inconsistencies, anomalies, and variances; investigate and resolve root causes using strong analytical and forensic methods
• Review payroll results through a tax-aware lens to ensure appropriate taxation, jurisdictional compliance, and deduction treatment

Benefits & HR Systems Partnership

• Partner closely with HR to process, reconcile, and audit employee benefit deductions and employer contributions, including:
  • 401(k) plans and employer match calculations
  • FSA and HSA contributions
  • Voluntary and statutory benefit deductions 
• Reconcile payroll deductions to third-party vendor reports and funding confirmations
• Support benefit plan implementations, payroll mapping, and system transitions in coordination with HR and vendors
• Assist with payroll and benefits audits, compliance reporting, and plan testing

Reporting & Cost Accounting Support

• Build, maintain, and continuously improve payroll, tax, and benefits reporting to support Finance and cost accounting
• Support labor cost allocations, departmental reporting, intercompany payroll analysis, and accrual accuracy
• Deliver audit-ready reporting for month-end close and financial review processes
• Proactively identify trends, risks, or data integrity issues impacting payroll or labor costs

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as a primary payroll contact for vendors, benefits providers, and banking partners
• Proactively engage vendors by phone and email to resolve discrepancies and obtain detailed reporting
• Collaborate cross-functionally with HR, Finance, and leadership to strengthen payroll controls and processes
• Support internal and external payroll-related audits and inquiries  

Requirements

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience in a multi-entity and/or multi-state environment
• Extensive, hands-on experience with Paycor strongly preferred
• Proven payroll experience in at least one additional payroll system (e.g., Paylocity, Gusto, Paycom, or similar)
• Demonstrated expertise in payroll earnings, deductions, and taxation, with the ability to identify anomalies independently
• Strong understanding of payroll accounting, reconciliations, and benefit funding flows
• Advanced Excel skills and experience building structured, repeatable reporting templates
• Confident communicator comfortable contacting vendors and cross-functional partners to resolve issues

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting payroll for organizations with complex entity structures or cost allocation needs
• Prior involvement in payroll audits, tax reconciliations, or benefit plan testing
• Experience partnering closely with Finance and Cost Accounting teams
• Familiarity with payroll system implementations or migrations

Key Attributes for Success:

• Exceptionally detail-oriented with strong independent judgment
• Naturally inquisitive and driven to reconcile discrepancies fully
• Comfortable operating without step-by-step direction
• Process-oriented and motivated to build scalable payroll infrastructure
• Collaborative, pragmatic, and service-oriented in cross-functional partnerships