Director, Payroll

Job Details:
Title: Director - Payroll
Location: White Plains NY 10601
Duration: Direct Hire/FTE
Pay range: : $150,000 - $180,000 Annually
Hybrid: onsite 3 days/week; 2 days/remote

Summary
We are seeking an experienced, highly skilled and collaborative Director of Payroll to lead our critical Payroll function to ensure employees across multiple sites and union groups throughout New York State are paid accurately, timely, and in full compliance with all regulatory requirements. In this management role, he/she will oversee a team of payroll professionals, providing clear direction, balancing workloads, and fostering a high performance culture rooted in precision, accountability, and continuous improvement, while continually developing your staff. This leader will guide the team through evolving priorities, oversee data validation and quality checks, and uphold organization's standards for compliance, union contract interpretation, and data accuracy.


This role offers the opportunity to shape processes, strengthen team capabilities, and build on an established foundation of operational excellence. The Director will maintain and optimize payroll systems, as well as oversee integrations between Workday, SAP, and ADP, troubleshoot issues with internal and external partners, and ensure rigorous controls that support accurate biweekly payroll processing and tax reporting.


Successful candidate will bring strong leadership skills with people management experience directly supervising teams of at least 3+ people, supervising workload, assignments and providing employee development, support and coaching. Experience working within organizations with at least 1,000 employees, including union employees, with deep expertise in multi union, multi-site payroll operations, and the ability to manage complex workflows consistently. They will need experience with ERP systems, ADP, and system integrations.


Their stewardship of payroll operations will directly contribute to organization's financial integrity and the employee experience at every level of the organization. Joining organization in this role means influencing enterprise-wide outcomes, enhancing operational reliability, and leading a team that plays a vital role in supporting organization's mission and future vision.


Responsibilities

• Focus on tactical and operational plans within organization and Canal with short to mid-term focus.
• Influence others outside of their own team regarding policies, practices, and procedures.
• Manage experienced professionals and supervisors who exercise latitude and independence in assignments.
• Maintain the payroll system in good working condition by coordinating updates and fixes & troubleshooting payroll-related problems at headquarters & sites by working with IT staff, outside vendors, and HR.
• Oversee the operation of the time entry system to ensure compliance with Department of Labor wage and hour laws and to adhere to organization and Canal policies.
• Interact with IRS, SS Administration, NYS Tax Authority, NYS Employees retirement system, labor unions, financial firms, and credit unions to ensure accurate reporting requirements and payments.
• Ensure the production of timely & accurate biweekly pay checks by monitoring the current control systems & establishing new controls as necessary.
• Monitor organization and Canal tax payments & reporting processes to ensure accuracy & timely compliance of federal, state & local tax laws by working with outside vendors and legal.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Expert knowledge of payroll processing procedures & applicable tax laws.
• Expert knowledge of Microsoft Excel,
• Expert knowledge of SAP
• Expert knowledge of Federal, NY State and local employment laws (401(k), IRA Cafeteria plans, etc.) and discrimination testing.
• Familiar with best practices in payroll profession and demonstrated ability to implement practices in daily payroll processing routine.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to effectively manage and prioritize multiple projects within varying deadlines.
• Expert knowledge of organization and Canal policies and Union contracts preferred.
• Strong managerial, communication and interpersonal relationship skills with the ability to work with various functional groups.

Education, Experience and Certifications

• Bachelors degree required, in Accounting, Finance or related field preferred
• Minimum 7 - 10 years' experience in automated payroll processing for organization with over 1,000 employees including union employees.
• Minimum 3 - 5 years of direct people management experience, managing a team of at least 3+ payroll professionals to include workload assignment and employee development
• Must have experience processing payroll within New York State, with extensive knowledge of applicable laws and regulations
• Must have experience with automated payroll processing using ADP
• Must have ERP experience (SAP preferred)
• Payroll professional certification (CPP) or equivalent required