Payroll Manager at The Planet Group in Lincoln, Massachusetts

Payroll Manager

Direct hire, full time (can start at 7, 7:30, 8 or 8:30am) Waltham (right off Route 128) Onsite daily for 3 months to train. Once settled, it is 4 days onsite 90-115k+ bonus

Must Haves:

-5+ years of payroll processing experience -Strong communicator (can work collaboratively with Finance and IT) -Good Excel

Preferred:

-Construction industry -Union payroll -Bachelor degree -Supervisory experience (has 1 report)

Job Description:

The Payroll Manager is responsible for leading the accurate, timely, and compliant administration of payroll and related accounting activities for a large mechanical contractor. The role oversees high-volume weekly payroll in a union construction environment and is accountable for the controls, reconciliations, reporting, and cross-functional coordination required to support field and office employees across multiple jurisdictions. This position works closely with the Controller, Operations, Human Resources, Legal, and union benefit funds. The manager must understand certified payroll, prevailing-wage requirements, collective bargaining agreements, labor classifications, job costing, labor burden, multi-state taxation, and the operational realities of a large, complex mechanical contractor.

Responsibilities

Payroll Operations & Team Leadership

• Oversee all daily payroll activities and supervise the payroll team.
• Supervise, develop, and cross-train payroll staff; establish clear responsibilities, review standards, backup coverage, and documented procedures.
• Maintain a strong service orientation while enforcing payroll cutoffs, documentation requirements, and internal controls.

Compliance & Certified Reporting

• Collaborate with Operations and Legal teams, ensuring accurate and timely compliance with weekly certified payroll requirements.
• Manage federal and multi-state payroll tax filings-weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually-ensuring accurate calculations and timely submissions.
• Coordinate responses to IRS notices and collaborate with external auditors on payroll audits.
• Conduct weekly reviews of tax payments to ensure accuracy and compliance.

System Integration & Reconciliation

• Reconcile payroll bank accounts monthly and resolve any variances.
• Perform monthly reconciliation of payroll-related GL accounts to guarantee accuracy.

Year-End & Annual Activities

• Lead year-end payroll close, including W-2 generation and delivery.
• Manage 1099 issuance in partnership with the Accounting team.
• Oversee preparation for the annual 401(k) audit and coordinate with plan providers.

Benefits & Union Coordination

• Process 401(k) contributions and loan repayments in compliance with plan deadlines.
• Assist HR with open-enrollment changes, updating payroll deductions accordingly.
• Calculate, reconcile, and remit monthly union benefit contributions and reports.
• Implement union labor rate increases through system updates and audit verifications.

Systems, Controls & Process Improvement

• Serve as a subject-matter expert for payroll functionality in CMiC and related timekeeping, reporting, banking, and benefit systems.
• Maintain payroll configuration, earning and deduction codes, tax settings, union tables, labor rates, approval workflows, and system access controls.
• Develop and maintain written procedures, payroll calendars, reconciliation templates, control checklists, and audit-ready documentation.
• Evaluate opportunities to automate manual work, improve data quality, strengthen controls, and reduce payroll-cycle risk.
• Participate in system upgrades, testing, integrations, acquisitions, new-jurisdiction setup, and other cross-functional initiatives affecting payroll.