Payroll Manager

Grand Rapids, MI (Hybrid)

Salary: $105,000-$115,000

Work Arrangement: Hybrid. Team members are eligible for a hybrid schedule after successful onboarding and training.

Join Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital and lead payroll operations for approximately 2,500 employees across a multi-state healthcare organization. This role offers the opportunity to combine payroll expertise, leadership, process improvement, and cross-functional partnership while supporting an organization dedicated to restoring hope and freedom through rehabilitation.

What you'll love about this opportunity:

• Lead payroll operations for a large, complex organization
• Opportunity to drive process improvements and system enhancements
• Mission-driven healthcare environment
• Collaborate closely with Finance, HR, Benefits, IT, and operational leaders
• Competitive salary and benefits offerings

What You'll Do

• Lead payroll operations for a complex, multi-state workforce
• Manage bi-weekly and monthly payroll processing
• Ensure compliance with payroll tax, wage/hour, and regulatory requirements
• Oversee payroll audits, reconciliations, reporting, and year-end processing
• Drive payroll system enhancements and process improvements
• Partner with HR, Benefits, IT, and Finance leaders to solve challenges and improve the employee experience
• Lead and develop payroll team members

What We're Looking For

• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience
• Previous payroll leadership or supervisory experience
• Experience supporting large, multi-state payroll operations
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax, compliance, and reporting requirements
• Excellence in relationship building and cross-functional collaboration
• Experience with payroll systems such as Workday, ADP, UKG, or similar platforms

Mission Statement

Restoring hope and freedom through rehabilitation.

Employment Value Proposition

At Mary Free Bed, we take pride in our values-based culture:

• Focus on Patient Care. A selfless drive to serve and heal connects all MFB employees.
• Clinical Variety and Challenge. An inter-disciplinary approach and a top team of professionals create ever-changing opportunities and activities.
• Family Culture. We offer the stability of a large organization while nurturing the family/team atmosphere of a small organization.
• Trust in Each Other. Each employee knows that co-workers can be trusted to make the right decision for our family, patients, staff, and community.
• A Proud Tradition . Years of dedicated, quality service to our patients and community have yielded a reputation that fills our employees with pride.

Summary

The Payroll Manager is responsible for the overall administration, accuracy, compliance, and continuous improvement of payroll and time management services for Mary Free Bed. This role provides leadership and oversight for payroll processing, timekeeping, reconciliations, payroll tax and reporting requirements, employee and manager support, payroll systems, audits, and related processes. The Payroll Manager serves as a subject matter expert on payroll practices and regulations, leads process and system improvements, and partners with Finance, Human Resources, Benefits, Information Technology, managers, employees, and payroll vendors to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant payroll services.

Essential Job Responsibilities


Payroll & Timekeeping Leadership

• Oversees biweekly and monthly payroll processing, ensuring payroll is accurate, timely, complete, and compliant with established procedures.
• Provides leadership and direction for payroll staff and coordinates work assignments, priorities, training, and performance expectations.
• Reviews and approves payroll inputs, including regular and overtime hours, shift differentials, leave balances, bonuses, incentives, retroactive pay, stipends, paid time off adjustments, and other special payments.
• Oversees timekeeping and time management processes, including monitoring time collection, approvals, exceptions, and system-related issues.
• Ensures employee payroll records are accurately maintained, including direct deposits, tax withholdings, voluntary deductions, garnishments, retirement contributions, and other payroll-related information.
• Serves as a subject matter expert and escalation point for complex payroll, timekeeping, policy, and regulatory questions.

Reconciliations, Tax & Compliance

• Oversees payroll reconciliations for wages, deductions, benefit premiums, PTO, garnishments, retirement contributions, taxes, and other payroll-related accounts.
• Ensures compliance with federal, state, and local payroll and employment requirements, including applicable wage and hour, tax, withholding, reporting, and regulatory requirements.
• Oversees payroll tax reporting and payment processes, including quarterly, annual, and other required filings and reconciliations.
• Coordinates calendar year-end and fiscal year-end payroll activities, including W-2 preparation, balancing, and reconciliation.
• Coordinates responses to internal and external audits and ensures payroll documentation is accurate, complete, secure, and available when requested.
• Identifies payroll discrepancies, trends, control issues, and compliance risks and ensures timely resolution.

Payroll Systems & Process Improvement

• Oversees payroll and time management system configuration, maintenance, testing, and implementation activities in partnership with appropriate internal teams and vendors.
• Establishes, maintains, and updates payroll, time and attendance, reconciliation, reporting, and control procedures.
• Identifies opportunities to streamline payroll processes, improve controls, increase efficiency, and automate manual activities while maintaining accuracy and compliance.
• Coordinates system updates, enhancements, testing, and implementation of new payroll or timekeeping functionality.
• Maintains appropriate access, security, and confidentiality for payroll systems and employee payroll information.
• Monitors payroll metrics and develops reports and analyses to identify trends, support decision-making, and improve payroll operations.

Employee & Manager Support

• Ensures timely and professional responses to employee and manager payroll and timekeeping inquiries, escalating complex matters as appropriate.
• Consults with managers and employees regarding payroll practices, policies, procedures, and applicable legal or regulatory requirements.
• Oversees training and support for managers, supervisors, editors, and approvers in the effective use of time management systems.
• Partners with Human Resources, Benefits, Finance, Information Technology, and other departments to resolve payroll-related issues and improve the employee experience.
• Manages relationships with payroll and related service vendors and coordinates issue resolution and required notifications.

Administrative & Leadership Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains appropriate payroll controls, documentation, procedures, and operational calendars.
• Promotes a culture of accountability, accuracy, confidentiality, customer service, and continuous improvement within payroll operations.
• Assists with organizational projects and initiatives that have payroll, timekeeping, HRIS, financial, or reporting impacts.
• Performs similar and related job duties as assigned.

Leadership Must-Haves will be followed for patient and staff interactions:

• We'll embrace all people by:
  • T reating everyone with dignity and respect.
  • O pening more doors to opportunity for others to succeed.
  • G rowing talent and people.
  • E nsuring a welcoming experience for all we serve, regardless of origin, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status.
  • T aking action against discrimination.
  • H onoring our differences and how we collaborate.
  • E ducating staff, patients and the communities we care for.
  • R estoring hope and freedom, together.
• Rounding
• Thank You Notes
• Employee Selection/Peer Interviewing
• Key Words at Key Times
• AIDET® + Promise
• Standards of Behavior

Essential Job Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Accounting, Human Resources, or a related field preferred; equivalent payroll experience may be considered.
• Five or more years of progressive payroll experience, including experience with payroll processing, payroll tax, reconciliations, and timekeeping.
• Prior supervisory or management experience with the ability to lead, develop, and hold team members accountable.
• Demonstrated experience managing or administering payroll and time management systems, including system setup, testing, troubleshooting, and process improvements.
• Strong knowledge of payroll processes, wage and hour practices, payroll taxes, deductions, reporting, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and process improvement skills.
• Ability to communicate, explain, interpret, and present payroll information effectively and efficiently.
• High-level verbal and written communication skills and ability to multi-task and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to build professional relationships and effectively collaborate with employees, managers, leaders, vendors, and cross-functional partners.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive employee and payroll information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel.
• Experience with Workday, ADP, or similar payroll/time management systems preferred.

Preferred Job Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or related payroll designation.
• Experience in a healthcare or similarly complex, multi-department organization.
• Report writing and data analysis experience.

Physical Requirements for Essential Job Qualification

Levels :

• None (No specific requirements)
• Occasionally (Less than 1/3)
• Frequently (1/3 to 2/3)
• Majority (More than 2/3)

Remain in a stationary position: Frequently

Traverse or move around work location: Occasionally

Use keyboard: Majority

Operate or use department specific equipment: None

Ascend/Descend equipment or ladder: None

Position self to accomplish the Essential Functions of the role: None

Receive and communicate information and ideas for understanding: Frequently

Transport, position, and/or exert force:

Up to 10 pounds: Occasionally

Up to 25 pounds: None

Up to 50 pounds: None

Up to 75 pounds: None

More than 100 pounds: None

Other weight: Up to___ pounds None

Other: None

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the Talent Acquisition team at View email address on click.appcast.io.


Mary Free Bed is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status, disability or other legally protected characteristic.