Vice President, US Payroll Operations

Requisition number: 2344015

Job category: People Team

UnitedHealth Group is a health care and well-being company that's dedicated to improving the health outcomes of millions around the world. We are comprised of two distinct and complementary businesses, UnitedHealthcare and Optum , working to build a better health system for all. Here, your contributions matter as they will help transform health care for years to come. Make an impact with a team that shares your passion for helping others. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

UnitedHealth Group (UHG) is seeking a Vice President, US Payroll Operations to provide enterprise leadership for U.S. payroll delivery with a sharp focus on stability, operational rigor, compliance, and employee experience. This executive is ultimately accountable for end-to-end payroll outcomes for a large, complex, multi-state population and sets the operating model, governance, controls, and performance management framework required to ensure payroll is consistently accurate, compliant, and on time.

This role leads through senior operational leaders, who own day-to-day payroll cycle execution and issue resolution. The VP establishes decision rights, chairs key go/no-go governance, sponsors modernization and transformation, and ensures performance outcomes through a disciplined, data-driven operating cadence. Oracle HCM experience is strongly preferred. A proven track record in large-scale HR transformation and/or building or maturing an HR shared services model is required.

You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Hybrid in MN/DC: This position follows a hybrid schedule with four in-office days per week.

Primary Responsibilities:

1. Enterprise Payroll Strategy and Operating Model

• Define and evolve the enterprise operating model for U.S. payroll operations across UHG, ensuring scalability, consistency, and control

• Establish governance routines, decision rights, and clear accountability across payroll execution, upstream inputs (e.g., time/HR transactions), and downstream financial impacts

• Design and govern the payroll service delivery model (service catalog, tiering, SLAs, escalation pathways) in partnership with the Employee Center and HR Operations

• Sponsor and prioritize a multi-year roadmap that improves stability, reduces manual effort, and strengthens controls and transparency

1. Payroll Delivery Accountability, Stability, and Risk Governance

• Hold ultimate accountability for on-time, accurate, and compliant biweekly U.S. payroll outcomes for 200,000+ employees, ensuring delivery through the payroll operational leaders

• Chair pre-payroll risk and readiness reviews; define go/no-go criteria and serve as the senior risk acceptance decision-maker for payroll processing

• Ensure a stability-first approach that reduces defect rates, preventable off-cycles, manual workarounds, and cycle-to-cycle variability

• Establish the standard controls framework, quality gates, and operating cadence (pre-cycle readiness, cycle checkpoints, post-cycle health checks) and ensure consistent adoption

• Institutionalize incident governance: require timely root-cause analysis (RCA) and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and drive cross-functional accountability for repeat drivers

1. Payroll Tax and Regulatory Compliance

• Serve as the senior accountable leader for U.S. payroll tax compliance (federal/state/local), including filings, reconciliations, agency notice oversight, and year-end obligations

• Partner with internal Tax, Finance, Legal/Compliance, and external vendors to strengthen compliance posture and ensure rapid resolution of issues

• Lead audit readiness and executive oversight (internal/external audits, control testing), ensuring strong documentation and sustainable remediation plans

1. Shared Services, Vendor Strategy, and Global Enablement

• Lead and/or support large-scale HR transformation initiatives impacting payroll operations, including operating model redesign, process re-engineering, and service delivery modernization

• Build, mature, or optimize an HR shared services model (or equivalent) for payroll support, including governance routines, service catalog/SLAs, tiering, and measurable performance management

• Set the strategy and guardrails for global/offshore enablement where applicable (work segmentation, controls, QA requirements, data access governance, segregation of duties, escalation pathways)

• Approve scope transitions and scaling decisions based on operational readiness, compliance/privacy controls, and demonstrated performance outcomes (quality, timeliness, employee experience)

• Own vendor strategy and governance for payroll-related partners, including measurable SLA oversight, escalation management, and performance improvement plans

1. Data, Performance Management, and Operational Visibility

• Define enterprise KPI standards and targets and establish a comprehensive Payroll Operations Scorecard (definitions, thresholds, trend reporting)

• Chair monthly/quarterly performance reviews and risk reviews using measurable outcomes (accuracy, timeliness, service levels, backlog aging, tax notice trends, cost-to-serve)

• Ensure operational dashboards and per-cycle narratives exist to proactively identify risks, prevent issues, and drive cross-functional improvements (produced by operational leaders as part of standard cadence)

1. Employee Experience and Service Delivery Partnership

• Set employee experience standards for payroll issue support (responsiveness, transparency, and predictable resolution timelines)

• Partner with the Employee Center and HR Operations to define clear intake, triage, handoffs, escalation pathways, and governance routines for payroll-related cases

• Ensure a disciplined ticket management mechanism exists and meets SLAs (intake through closure), and hold operational leaders accountable for day-to-day execution, employee status updates, and backlog health

1. Systems Enablement and Transformation (Oracle HCM Preferred)

• Partner with HRIS/IT to optimize payroll platforms, data, and integrations (timekeeping, benefits, HR, finance/GL) with strong change control and testing discipline

• Sponsor initiatives such as M&A integrations, automation, controls enhancements, and reporting improvements; ensure changes have risk assessments, rollback plans, and post-implementation validation

• Leverage Oracle HCM capabilities to improve configuration, workflow, reporting, audit trails, and self-service outcomes

1. Workforce Leadership and Talent Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a large payroll organization, including senior leaders; drive succession planning, capability building, and a culture of operational excellence

• Align organizational structure, capacity, and budget to ensure coverage, resilience, and consistent delivery without reliance on heroics

• Drive accountable execution through standard work, clear ownership, measurable performance expectations, and continuous improvement routines

Decision Rights and Interfaces

This role is the enterprise owner of U.S. payroll strategy, governance, and risk decisions. Key decision rights include:

• Final approval of the U.S. payroll operating model, governance routines, and decision rights framework

• Final approval of payroll service delivery model changes that impact employee support channels (service catalog, SLAs, tiering, escalation paths)

• Final risk acceptance and go/no-go decision-making for payroll processing during elevated-risk cycles or material issues.

• Approval of global/offshore enablement scope expansions and transition plans, including required controls and KPI targets

Day-to-day payroll cycle execution, ticket/case operations, runbooks, and per-cycle operational reporting are owned by the leaders on the team, with escalation to the VP for enterprise risk decisions, policy exceptions, cross-functional blockers, and material changes.

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• Extensive progressive leadership experience in U.S. payroll operations within a large, complex, multi-state environment (enterprise scale, high volume)

• Demonstrated expertise in U.S. payroll tax compliance, reconciliations, agency notice management, and year-end processes

• Proven experience leading large-scale HR transformation initiatives and/or building, scaling, or maturing an HR shared services model (including governance, service delivery design, SLAs, and operational performance management)

• Proven track record of improving operational stability, reducing defects/off-cycle payroll, strengthening controls, and building repeatable processes

• Executive-level ability to operate in a matrixed environment, influencing across HR, Finance, Tax, Legal/Compliance, and Technology

• Solid vendor governance experience with measurable SLA oversight and escalation management

• Demonstrated ability to lead leaders: building strong management routines, developing talent, and driving accountability through metrics

Preferred Qualifications:

• Oracle HCM experience strongly preferred (Payroll/HR), including optimization of configuration, workflows, reporting, and integrations

• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) and/or other relevant certifications

• Experience in a regulated and controlled environment (e.g., SOX-aligned controls, audit-intensive operations)

Leadership Competencies

• Operational excellence and disciplined execution

• Risk-based decision making; strong controls mindset

• Data-driven leadership (scorecards, dashboards, trend-based management)

• Executive communication and stakeholder management

• Continuous improvement orientation (standardization, automation, simplification)

• High integrity, discretion, and commitment to confidentiality

• Employee-centric service mindset

*All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy.

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you'll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $200,400 to $343,500 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug - free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.