Director, Payroll

Job Description

Job Summary:


The Director of Payroll oversees daily operations and leads the strategic transformation of payroll processes to support rapid organizational growth. The role is responsible for the design, implementation, and governance of full-cycle payroll, including complex certified payroll and prevailing wage reporting. By developing forward-looking procedures, the Director ensures continuous improvement in accuracy and efficiency while maintaining strict alignment with company financial objectives. Additionally, the position guarantees total compliance with internal policies, employment taxes, and all applicable state and federal labor laws through robust internal controls.


Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Establish and execute department strategy and goals in alignment with senior leadership and organizational objectives.
• • Lead project activities and system implementations, collaborating with IT, HR, and Legal to drive value through process streamlining and automation.
• • Identify and recommend technology solutions and system upgrades to enhance payroll operations and meet strategic needs.
• • Serve as the subject matter expert for the payroll system platform, certified payroll, and labor compliance.
• • Direct full-cycle payroll processing to ensure accurate and timely payments in compliance with federal, state, and local laws, as well as Collective Bargaining Agreements.
• • Maintain and update payroll guidelines, policies, and procedures to reflect current legislative requirements and company standards.
• • Oversee tax reconciliation and reporting, including the timely filing of returns, W-2 issuance, and the accurate payment of deductions and benefits.
• • Manage garnishments, tax withholdings, and pay integrations with state agencies.
• • Develop and oversee internal controls to ensure data security, confidentiality of employee information, and accurate financial reconciliations.
• • Function as the primary contact for audits, overseeing internal, state, and federal reviews and managing any necessary corrective action plans.
• • Monitor and report on key performance metrics and accuracy targets to ensure operational excellence.
• • Develop strong working relationships with internal and external partners to facilitate change initiatives and drive buy-in across the organization.
• • Partner with Finance and Legal to research reconciling items and ensure accounting records are accurate and balanced.

Position Requirements (Work Experience, Skills, Licenses, etc.):

• • Extensive knowledge of full-cycle in-house payroll management, multi-state/multi-site operations, and labor legislation.
• • Expert understanding of State and Federal prevailing wage, certified payroll reporting, and project labor compliance.
• • Fundamental knowledge of accounting (General Ledger/accruals) and extensive experience in compensation, benefit management, and job analysis.
• • Highly proficient in utilizing HRIS for program administration, with advanced skills in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace.
• • A big-picture thinker capable of formulating concepts to improve processing efficiency and executing tactical plans to meet organizational goals.
• • Decisive leader who thrives in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments while maintaining a creative and flexible perspective under pressure.
• • Ability to collaborate across the organization to drive consensus, improve workflows, and integrate resources in a timely manner.
• • Superior written and oral communication skills, including the ability to present formally and listen effectively to determine appropriate courses of action.
• • High degree of professionalism and emotional intelligence when dealing with sensitive information, Union representation, and government agencies.
• • Proven ability to foster trusting, long-term business relationships with both internal and external stakeholders through exceptional customer service.
• • Strong commitment to organizational values, high ethical standards, and proactive support for diversity and inclusion.

Education and Experience :


Required :

• • Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, or Accounting
• • 8 years supervisory/management experience
• • 10 years Payroll operations experience, including experience with Union Payroll
• • 10 years of related experience developing and managing full-cycle Payroll

Desired :

• • Master's degree in Business, Finance, or Accounting
• • JDE Enterprise 1, Peoplesoft and/or Oracle system experience
• • Experience with ESOPs, Smartsheets, and/or Construction/Commercial Contracting
• • Understanding of wage an hour laws in several states including CA, NV, WA, ID, OR, UT, AZ, and TX

ACCO Competencies:

• • Proactivity/Initiative : Recognizes what needs to be done and accomplishes it in a manner appropriate for one's level/position and with minimal supervision.
• • Perseverance : Shows wherewithal to fight for difficult goals despite challenges and to bounce back from adversity.
• • Motivation/Dedication : Commits to excellence in pursuing unselfish goals. Initiates action with collective goals, takes responsibility, and shows personal humility.
• • Technical Curiosity/Willingness to Learn : Interest in seeking out new experiences, knowledge, and candid feedback; demonstrating an openness to learning and change.
• • Insight : The ability to gather and make sense of information that suggests new possibilities.
• • Engagement : Shows a knack for using emotion and logic to communicate a persuasive vision and connect with people.
• • People Skills : Is approachable and gains the mutual trust and respect of others. Understands people's strengths & weaknesses and actively seeks to understand other perspectives.
• • Communication : Fosters open, honest, candid and respectful communication. Effectively assesses, defines and communicates issues in a timely manner, both written and verbal.
• • Teamwork : The ability to effectively work toward common goals with others by supporting, encouraging, and sharing information in an authentic and approachable manner.
• • Big Picture : Understands and contributes to the organizations' short- and long-term business strategy. On a personal level has independently developed a vision for short- and long-term career success.
• • Problem-Solver : Ability to identify, analyze, and solve problems in support of personnel, group, department, or organizational objectives.
• • Execution : Effectively takes a vision and translates into action by including the right people. Identify and remove barriers, when possible, to achieve results. Demonstrates appropriate compromise, effective time management, prioritization practices and holds team members (including themselves) accountable for their performance/conduct.
• • Professionalism : Respectfully observes and challenges the status quo with intent for improvement. Can take direction, accept feedback, and take full responsibility for their actions. Lead by example through positive influence and ethical leadership with consideration of the entire organization.

Job Responsibility Level:


People manager with direct reports


Travel Requirements:


Travel required 0-15% of the time to other office locations.


Hours:


This is an exempt position. Workdays are scheduled from Monday through Friday. Typically, work hours begin and end between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm as scheduled with the position's supervisor. Work outside of regular hours may occasionally be necessary to meet business needs.


Physical Demands:


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

• • Must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.
• • Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
• • Prolonged sitting.
• • Frequently required to reach with hands and arms.
• • Occasionally required to stand; walk and stoop, kneel, crouch.
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