Payroll Manager

Corp. Payroll Manager

GS Foods Group is the leading food distributor to K-12 schools in the United States. We are a company devoted to providing our customers with incredible customer service. We know that it is our teammates who make the difference! Join our team and find out what it is like to work somewhere where you enjoy getting up for work every day!

The Corporate Payroll Manager provides leadership, oversight, and coordination of payroll operations across GS Foods Group and its business entities. This role is responsible for establishing consistent payroll practices and controls and ensuring payroll is processed accurately, timely, and in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements across the organization.

While payroll processing may be performed by multiple payroll resources across the organization, the Corporate Payroll Manager provides corporate-level oversight, guidance, and support to promote consistent processes, appropriate controls, timely issue resolution, and payroll accuracy.

The Corporate Payroll Manager is also responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of payroll-related employee data within the HRIS and works closely with HRIS stakeholders on system configuration, enhancements, integrations, testing, and issue resolution. This role is not the owner of the HRIS platform but serves as a key payroll functional stakeholder and subject-matter expert.

The role partners closely with Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Operations, and business-unit payroll resources to support payroll compliance, reconciliations, audits, reporting, process improvements, and an effective teammate experience

Principal Responsibilities:

• Provide corporate oversight and leadership for multi-state payroll operations across GS Foods Group, including payrolls processed by corporate and business-unit payroll resources.
• Establish payroll standards, controls, calendars, procedures, and audit practices to promote accurate and timely payroll processing across all entities.
• Review payroll processes and reporting to identify discrepancies, control gaps, compliance concerns, and opportunities for standardization and improvement.
• Ensure the accuracy and integrity of payroll-related teammate data maintained within the HRIS, including compensation, tax, deduction, organizational, and other data impacting payroll.
• Serve as the primary payroll functional stakeholder for HRIS and payroll-related system changes, partnering with the appropriate system owner on configuration, testing, upgrades, integrations, and issue resolution.
• Provide guidance and subject-matter expertise to payroll and HR resources throughout the organization regarding payroll practices, taxation, wage-and-hour requirements, corrections, and complex payroll matters.
• Oversee payroll tax compliance and coordinate resolution of federal, state, and local tax notices, filings, discrepancies, amendments, and agency matters.
• Partner with Finance and Accounting to ensure payroll-related GL data, labor allocations, funding, reconciliations, and reporting are accurate.
• Support and oversee payroll-related year-end activities, including W-2 processing, taxable fringe benefits, reconciliations, corrections, and year-end readiness.
• Support retirement plan, workers' compensation, financial statement, and other payroll-related audits and reconciliations.
• Lead payroll process improvements and standardization across GS Foods Group while recognizing legitimate business-unit or jurisdictional differences.
• Provide payroll leadership and support during acquisitions, integrations, entity changes, system conversions, and organizational changes.
• Develop and maintain payroll procedures, documentation, controls, and appropriate backup/cross-training processes.
• Escalate significant payroll discrepancies, compliance risks, control deficiencies, or recurring processing issues and drive them through resolution.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Extensive knowledge of the payroll function including system setup, preparation, balancing, internal control, and payroll taxes
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite
• Proficient with payroll software
• Proven experience as a payroll manager or similar role
• Current knowledge of multistate payroll procedures and related laws
• Business proficiency in Payroll Systems (ADP WorkForce Now) a MUST
• A keen eye for detail
• An analytical mind and good math skills
• Outstanding communication skills (written and oral)

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Human Resources, or related field
• At least 5 years of payroll management experience
• Deep knowledge of payroll practices, procedures, and payroll compliance laws both on a federal and multistate level
• Strong level of experience with payroll system implementation

Travel Requirements:

• This position may require travel up to 0-10% of the time

Working Conditions and Physical Demands:

Professional office environment. Primary office environment is ambient room temperatures, lighting and traditional office equipment as found in a typical office environment. This position may also have a fully remote or hybrid remote component.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Individuals may need to sit or stand as needed. May require walking primarily on a level surface for periods throughout the day. Reaching above shoulder heights, below the waist, or lifting as required to file documents or store materials throughout the workday. Proper lifting techniques are required. May include lifting up to 25 pounds on occasion.

The above duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. All job requirements listed indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills and/or ability deemed necessary to perform the job proficiently. This job description is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements as the employee may be required to perform any other duties as assigned. In the event of an absence where the Payroll Manager cannot perform these duties, the Manager will determine who shall perform these duties.