Payroll & Compliance Manager

LHH is partnering with a well-established, mission-driven nonprofit organization in Essex County that is seeking a Payroll & Compliance Manager to join its growing finance team. This is a highly visible leadership role responsible for overseeing payroll operations, payroll accounting, regulatory compliance, union reporting, benefits administration support, and cross-functional collaboration with Finance and Human Resources. The ideal candidate brings a hands-on approach to payroll management, a strong understanding of labor and employment regulations, and the ability to drive process improvements within a complex, multi-employee environment.

The experience expected from applicants, as well as additional skills and qualifications needed for this job are listed below.

Position Overview

The Payroll & Compliance Manager will oversee the accurate and timely processing of payroll while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. This individual will partner closely with Finance and Human Resources to maintain the integrity of payroll data, support audits, manage union reporting requirements, and strengthen internal payroll controls and processes.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Management & Compliance

• Lead the end-to-end processing of weekly and biweekly payrolls for a diverse employee population, including salaried, hourly, and union staff.
• Ensure payroll activities comply with applicable federal, New Jersey, and New York wage and hour regulations, tax requirements, and organizational policies.
• Review payroll registers, garnishments, deductions, tax withholdings, and final disbursements to ensure accuracy prior to processing.
• Monitor regulatory updates and implement necessary payroll and compliance-related changes.

Payroll Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Oversee payroll-related journal entries and ensure proper labor allocations across departments and funding sources.
• Review payroll expense reporting and ensure alignment between payroll records, budgets, and the general ledger.
• Perform and review reconciliations of payroll liability accounts, benefits accruals, and withholding balances.
• Serve as the primary payroll liaison during annual financial statement audits and assist with year-end accruals, testing, and audit requests.

Benefits & Human Resources Partnership

• Collaborate closely with Human Resources to review employee benefit elections, deductions, and enrollment information for accuracy.
• Support the implementation and ongoing administration of new benefit programs, compensation changes, and employee perks.
• Establish and maintain best practices for payroll and HR data integration, ensuring accurate information flow between systems.
• Participate in periodic audits of employee records and payroll-related benefits data.

Union Payroll & Retirement Plan Administration

• Manage union payroll compliance, including reporting, remittance payments, fringe benefit submissions, and related documentation.
• Interpret collective bargaining agreements to ensure proper wage rates, benefit contributions, and payroll system configurations.
• Oversee retirement plan contribution processing and ensure timely funding in accordance with plan requirements and regulatory guidelines.
• Ensure all union and retirement-related reporting deadlines are consistently met.

Audits, Reporting & Process Improvement

• Coordinate annual workers' compensation audits, including payroll reporting, classification reviews, and external auditor support.
• Lead preparation and documentation for retirement plan audits and ensure accurate reconciliation of employee deductions and employer contributions.
• Analyze quarterly payroll tax filings and reconcile Form 941 reporting to payroll records and financial statements.
• Identify opportunities to automate processes, improve controls, and enhance payroll system functionality.
• Partner with Finance leadership on budgeting, labor analysis, forecasting, compliance initiatives, and other special projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive payroll management and payroll accounting experience.
• At least 2 years of direct supervisory or people management experience.
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax regulations, wage and hour laws, and employment-related compliance requirements.
• Experience working closely with Human Resources on benefits administration, payroll reconciliations, and employee data management.
• Prior experience managing union payrolls, collective bargaining agreement requirements, and union remittance reporting is highly preferred.
• Advanced proficiency with payroll systems and ERP platforms, including experience with systems such as ADP, UKG, Ceridian, or comparable solutions.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data analysis, and reconciliation reporting.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation is a plus. xhyhwjd
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with a continuous improvement mindset.

Benefits: Medical/Dental/Vision (PPO & HRA) - VSP & FSA, Unlimited PTO for salaried employees, Pet Insurance, Life Insurance, 401K plan

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

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• The California Fair Chance Act

• Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance

• Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers

• San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance