Payroll Manager

JAS is an international, non-asset-based supply chain services and solutions company. Our services include air and ocean freight forwarding, contract logistics, customs brokerage, distribution, inbound logistics, truckload brokerage and other supply chain management services, including consulting, the coordination of purchase orders and customized management services. The Payroll Manager is responsible for overseeing the accurate, timely, and compliant processing of payroll for more than 900 employees. This position provides leadership and direction for the payroll function while serving as a subject‑matter expert in payroll processing, payroll taxation, Workday, ADP Smart Compliance, 401(k) administration, and HSA management. The Payroll Manager is responsible for ensuring payroll operations are efficient, well‑controlled, and compliant with federal, state, and local regulations. This role partners closely with Human Resources, Finance, Benefits, and external vendors to resolve complex payroll matters, strengthen processes and controls, and deliver a high‑quality payroll experience for employees. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on payroll leader who can effectively balance people leadership, payroll operations, technical expertise, compliance, and continuous process improvement. Essential Responsibilities: Payroll Operations & Oversight Oversee the accurate and timely processing of payroll for 900+ employees, including salaried and hourly employees. Provide direction, support, and oversight to payroll team members to ensure payroll deadlines and service expectations are consistently met. Review payroll for accuracy and completeness, including earnings, deductions, taxes, benefits, garnishments, reimbursements, and other payroll‑related transactions. Establish and maintain effective payroll controls, review procedures, and reconciliation processes. Conduct pre‑payroll and post‑payroll audits to identify and resolve discrepancies before and after payroll is finalized. Review and approve payroll adjustments, corrections, retroactive payments, off‑cycle payrolls, and other complex payroll transactions. Oversee the investigation and resolution of payroll discrepancies, including overpayments, underpayments, deduction issues, and employee data errors. Ensure payroll processes are documented and consistently followed. Serve as the escalation point for complex payroll issues and employee inquiries. Team Leadership Lead, coach, and develop payroll team members to ensure accurate, timely, and customer‑focused service. Establish clear expectations, priorities, and performance standards for the payroll team. Monitor workload, deadlines, and service levels to ensure payroll activities are completed accurately and on time. Provide ongoing training and guidance on payroll processes, systems, compliance requirements, and best practices. Review team processes and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and accountability. Foster a collaborative environment with strong communication and partnership across Payroll, HR, Benefits, Finance, and Accounting. Workday Payroll Serve as the Payroll subject‑matter expert and business lead for Workday payroll processes. Oversee payroll‑related transactions and ensure accurate employee, compensation, deduction, tax, and benefit data within Workday. Troubleshoot complex payroll and system issues and coordinate with HR, Finance, Benefits, and Workday support resources to resolve them. Review Workday payroll outputs and integrations for accuracy and completeness. Participate in Workday testing, system enhancements, releases, integrations, and process changes. Identify system opportunities and recommend improvements to enhance payroll efficiency and data integrity. Develop and maintain payroll‑related Workday procedures, job aids, and standard operating procedures. Payroll Tax & Compliance Oversee federal, state, and local payroll tax processes and compliance requirements. Ensure payroll tax calculations, filings, and payments are accurate and completed timely. Monitor changes in payroll tax laws and regulations and coordinate implementation of required changes. Review and resolve payroll tax notices, agency correspondence, discrepancies, and compliance issues. Partner with ADP and other payroll tax vendors to research and resolve tax‑related issues. Ensure accurate employee tax elections, work locations, and tax jurisdictions. Support year‑end payroll tax activities, including W‑2 processing and reconciliation. ADP Smart Compliance Oversee the use of ADP Smart Compliance for payroll tax filing, payments, notices, and compliance activities. Monitor tax filings, payments, notices, and agency correspondence to ensure timely resolution. Review and resolve tax filing exceptions and discrepancies. Partner with ADP to investigate and resolve complex payroll tax issues. Maintain accurate tax jurisdiction and employee tax information. Ensure payroll tax processes and vendor activities are properly monitored and documented. 401(k) Administration Oversee payroll‑related activities associated with the company's 401(k) retirement plan. Ensure employee contributions and employer matching contributions are accurately calculated and processed. Review payroll files and contribution data for accuracy and completeness. Oversee reconciliation of employee and employer contributions. Partner with the retirement plan administrator, Benefits, Finance, and Accounting teams to resolve contribution discrepancies. Support retirement plan audits, compliance activities, and annual plan requirements. Ensure payroll processes align with plan provisions and applicable regulatory requirements. HSA Administration Oversee payroll‑related HSA deductions and contributions. Ensure employee and employer HSA contributions are accurately processed through payroll. Review HSA contribution and funding files for accuracy. Reconcile payroll deductions and employer contributions to vendor records. Partner with Benefits, Finance, and the HSA administrator to resolve discrepancies and ensure timely funding. Ensure HSA payroll processes are documented and consistently followed. Reporting, Reconciliation & Internal Controls Oversee payroll reconciliations, reports, and audit documentation. Review payroll‑related accounts and deductions, including payroll taxes, benefits, 401(k), HSA, and voluntary deductions. Analyze payroll data to identify trends, discrepancies, and potential control weaknesses. Establish and maintain appropriate payroll controls to minimize errors and reduce compliance risk. Prepare and present payroll reports and analysis to HR and Finance leadership. Support internal and external payroll, tax, benefits, and financial audits. Maintain accurate documentation and audit trails for payroll transactions and processes. Cross‑Functional Partnership Partner with HR, Benefits, Finance, Accounting, and leadership to ensure payroll processes support broader organizational goals. Serve as a key point of contact for payroll‑related system implementations, process changes, and organizational initiatives. Collaborate with Benefits to ensure accurate payroll deductions and funding for benefit programs. Partner with Finance and Accounting to ensure accurate payroll accounting, funding, and reconciliations. Communicate payroll issues, risks, trends, and recommendations to leadership. Build strong relationships with payroll vendors and external partners. Employee Support & Customer Service Serve as an escalation point for complex employee payroll inquiries. Ensure employee questions and concerns are addressed accurately, professionally, and timely. Maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive employee, compensation, tax, and banking information. Identify opportunities to improve the employee payroll experience. Ensure payroll communications are clear, consistent, and aligned with company policies. Qualifications Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience. 8+ years of progressive payroll experience, including experience overseeing payroll operations. Demonstrated experience processing payroll for 900+ employees. Prior experience supervising, leading, or mentoring payroll professionals. Strong hands‑on experience with Workday. Experience with ADP Smart Compliance and payroll tax administration. Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements. Demonstrated experience with 401(k) administration and payroll contributions. Demonstrated experience with HSA administration and payroll contributions. Strong understanding of payroll reconciliations, audits, controls, and compliance requirements. Advanced Excel skills and experience working with large data sets. Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities. Exceptional attention to detail and ability to manage multiple deadlines. Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive employee information. Preferred Qualifications Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC). Experience with Workday Payroll implementation, configuration, integrations, or system enhancements. Experience managing multi‑state payroll. Experience with payroll tax audits and year‑end processing. Experience managing relationships with payroll, tax, benefits, and retirement plan vendors. Experience developing payroll SOPs, internal controls, and process improvement initiatives. Experience leading payroll system implementations or significant payroll process transformations. Core Competencies Leadership & Accountability Provides clear direction, establishes expectations, and holds the payroll team accountable for accuracy, timeliness, and service. Payroll Expertise Demonstrates advanced knowledge of payroll processing, taxation, deductions, benefits, retirement plans, and compliance. Systems Expertise Demonstrates strong technical proficiency with Workday, ADP Smart Compliance, Excel, and related payroll systems. Attention to Detail Maintains a high degree of accuracy and identifies discrepancies before they impact employees or the organization. Problem Solving Approaches complex payroll, tax, system, and employee issues with sound judgment and develops effective solutions. Communication Communicates clearly and professionally with employees, managers, leadership, vendors, and cross‑functional partners. Process Improvement Continuously evaluates payroll processes, controls, and technology to improve efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and the employee experience. Confidentiality & Integrity Demonstrates discretion and sound judgment when handling highly sensitive payroll, compensation, tax, and employee information. Success in This Role Accurate and timely payroll processing for 900+ employees. Strong payroll tax compliance and timely resolution of tax notices and discrepancies. Effective oversight and development of the payroll team. Accurate administration of 401(k), HSA, and other payroll‑related deductions and contributions. Strong Workday data integrity and effective use of payroll systems. Effective use and oversight of ADP Smart Compliance. Strong payroll controls, reconciliations, and audit readiness. Timely resolution of employee payroll issues. Effective cross‑functional partnership with HR, Benefits, Finance, and Accounting. Continuous improvement of payroll processes, systems, and the employee experience. This role typically involves tasks that may require sitting, standing, walking, using hands and fingers to handle materials, reaching with arms and hands, and communicating verbally. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions. JAS Forwarding (USA), Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, disability, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Where required by state law and/or city ordinance; this employer will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. NOTICE TO APPLICANTS JAS USA IS A CUSTOMS BROKER, GOVERNED BY FEDERAL REGULATION. FEDERAL REGULATIONS PROVIDE THAT JAS MAY HAVE IT BROKERAGE LICENSE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED IF IT “KNOWINGLY EMPLOYED, OR CONTINUES TO EMPLOY, ANY PERSON WHO HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY, WITHOUT WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THAT EMPLOYMENT FROM THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER.” JAS WILL PERFORM A BACKGROUND CHECK TO DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY AND IF SO, ABSENT SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU WILL NOT BE HIRED OR WILL BE TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY. JAS prides itself on its exceptional service and competitive pricing that comes about through the hard work and skill of the people who make up the JAS organization. The mission of JAS is to focus on innovation and maintain a commitment to deliver the product securely and on time. This mission flows through its vast global network of 38 subsidiaries, hundreds of official agent locations, and 4,200+ employees across more than 90 countries. JAS' commitment to innovation in the fields of shipping, 3PL, and freight forwarding puts it in a unique class of select companies which concentrate on specialized projects as well as commodity shipping initiatives. JAS is a premier “go-to” company for those wishing to move cargo from anywhere in the world to anywhere else in the world. Through the use of advanced tracking technologies, sophisticated global communications, and a large team of experts across a broad spectrum of specialties, JAS is able to cost effectively handle the shipping of everything from tiny camera parts up to the massive components required to build an oil rig. Transporting cargo is a complex endeavor. JAS is the brand you can trust to satisfy your most demanding requirements. #J-18808-Ljbffr USCOR JAS FORWARDING (USA), INC.