Director, Payroll

The Director, Payroll is the network leader responsible for establishing and evolving how payroll and time and attendance are governed, processed, and controlled across the UConn Health Community Network. This role leads the definition and oversight of payroll standards, controls, and operating expectations to support accurate, timely, and compliant pay outcomes as the network grows. Operating within a networked HR environment, the Director, Payroll sets standards, controls, and ways of working for payroll and timekeeping activities, enabling local resources to execute effectively within defined guardrails while retaining accountability for network ‑ level governance, escalation, and overall payroll integrity. This position is well suited for a senior payroll leader with strong technical judgment who can balance accuracy, compliance, and scalability, and who can partner closely with Finance, HR Technology, peer network HR leaders, and local teams to deliver reliable payroll and timekeeping outcomes in a complex healthcare environment. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree required (Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field). 10+ years of progressive experience across payroll operations and governance in complex organizations. 5+ years of experience in enterprise ‑ level or multi ‑ site roles, including responsibility for designing, stabilizing, or governing payroll processes (not solely processing payroll). Demonstrated experience overseeing time & attendance administration and its payroll impacts (e.g., overtime, differentials, premiums, exception handling). Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll taxation, including multi ‑ state payroll tax setup, ongoing tax obligations, and regulatory updates affecting payroll operations. Demonstrated experience ensuring payroll and time & attendance compliance, including wage and hour requirements, recordkeeping, and audit readiness. Demonstrated experience applying collective bargaining agreement provisions that affect pay rules, differentials, premiums, and timekeeping practices. Proven ability to identify payroll/T&A risks, control weaknesses, and error patterns, and implement practical mitigation strategies. Experience reviewing and approving payroll registers, including establishing review standards, thresholds, and escalation paths. Strong analytical and problem ‑ solving skills, with experience using payroll and timekeeping data to monitor accuracy, trends, and operational performance. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Master’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or related field. Experience in healthcare, academic medical centers, or other highly regulated, labor ‑ intensive environments. Professional certification (e.g., CPP). Experience with enterprise payroll and timekeeping systems, such as Oracle Payroll and UKG Timekeeping. Experience operating within shared services, managed services, or hybrid payroll delivery models. Experience supporting organizational integration, scaling, or system transitions affecting payroll and timekeeping. COMPETENCIES: Enterprise Payroll & Timekeeping Leadership: Thinks across the system; understands payroll and timekeeping as critical control functions within HR. Accuracy & Control Orientation: Brings rigor, discipline, and attention to detail to payroll register approval, controls, and execution. Judgment & Compliance Awareness: Identifies compliance risk early and applies sound judgment in complex scenarios. Process Discipline: Establishes clear standards, controls, and escalation paths that support reliable outcomes. Vendor & Service Oversight: Holds service providers accountable to expectations, SLAs, and performance outcomes. Collaborative Partnership: Builds strong working relationships with peer network HR leaders, Finance, HR Technology, and local HR teams. Scale & Stability Focus: Adapts payroll and timekeeping practices to increasing volume, complexity, and organizational growth. ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES: Disclaimer: Job descriptions are not intended, nor should they be construed to be, exhaustive lists of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with the job. They are intended to be accurate reflections of the principal duties and responsibilities of this position. These responsibilities and competencies listed below may change from time to time. Network Payroll & Timekeeping Governance Establish and maintain network ‑ wide standards, controls, and expectations for payroll and time & attendance to support accurate and compliant outcomes. Define clear roles, responsibilities, and escalation paths across network, local, and service provider payroll/timekeeping activities. Set guardrails for payroll and timekeeping execution that balance network consistency with site ‑ specific requirements. Payroll Register Approval & Pay Accuracy Provide network ‑ level oversight of payroll cycle execution, including review standards, reconciliation expectations, and exception handling. Serve as the final approver of payroll registers, including establishing documentation requirements and sign ‑ off thresholds prior to payroll finalization. Monitor payroll errors, adjustments, and retroactivity patterns to identify root causes and systemic issues. Partner with local payroll resources to strengthen execution discipline, reduce recurring errors, and improve cycle stability. Define network expectations for timekeeping controls, exception management, and auditability (e.g., missed punches, approvals, overtime triggers). Oversee alignment of timekeeping rules with payroll calculations, including premiums, differentials, and overtime. Partner with operational leaders and local teams to clarify timekeeping expectations and reduce payroll corrections and retroactive adjustments. Compliance, Union Alignment & Operational Risk Oversee multi ‑ state payroll tax configuration, compliance obligations, and coordination with tax authorities and vendors as requirements evolve. Maintain alignment of payroll and timekeeping practices with wage and hour laws, payroll tax requirements, and applicable collective bargaining agreements. Partner with Labor Relations, Legal, and HR leaders on interpretation and application of CBA provisions that affect payroll and timekeeping. Identify payroll and timekeeping ‑ related compliance risks and implement mitigation strategies to reduce exposure. Oversee performance of payroll and timekeeping service providers and partners, including service expectations, issue resolution, and operational accountability. Monitor service performance trends and recurring issues, escalating and driving remediation as needed to protect payroll accuracy and employee trust. Use payroll and timekeeping data and control metrics to monitor accuracy, timeliness, corrections, and operational performance. Identify opportunities to strengthen controls, simplify workflows, and reduce manual workarounds. Provide regular insights to network HR and Finance leadership to support informed decision ‑ making, prioritization, and readiness. Partnership & Readiness for Scale Partner closely with peer network HR leaders (HR Operations, Total Rewards, HR Technology) to support integrated people processes without duplicating accountability. Support readiness for new sites and major changes that affect payroll/timekeeping complexity, including cutover considerations and stabilization requirements. Coordinate with HR Technology on payroll/timekeeping system adoption needs, testing readiness, and integration dependencies across Oracle and UKG. #J-18808-Ljbffr