Payroll Manager

Job Description

Position Summary

The Payroll Manager is responsible for the overall management and administration of payroll operations. The position provides leadership and direction to the payroll team and ensures payroll is processed accurately, timely, efficiently, and in compliance with applicable requirements.

The Payroll Manager oversees payroll operations across multiple legal entities and jurisdictions and serves as a key subject matter expert for payroll processes, systems, reconciliations, controls, and operational compliance.

The position identifies operational risks, resolves complex payroll issues, strengthens internal controls, and drives continuous improvement and automation within Payroll.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Champions The Layton Way by delivering predictable outcomes for internal teams, external teams, and customers.
• Ensures that Constructing with Integrity is delivered by working with honesty, unity, safety, and quality of work.

Payroll Operations

• Manage and oversee end-to-end payroll processing for assigned legal entities and employee populations.
• Ensure payrolls are processed accurately and within established calendars and deadlines.
• Establish payroll procedures, controls, checklists, and approval processes.
• Review payroll results and exception reporting.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex payroll issues.
• Maintain appropriate segregation of duties and payroll controls.

Union & Certified Payroll

• Oversee union payroll processing to ensure wages, deductions, benefits, and employer contributions are calculated and reported in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements.
• Ensure union wage rates, classifications, fringes, dues, and other payroll requirements are accurately maintained and applied.
• Oversee certified payroll and prevailing wage compliance, including accurate employee classifications, wage and fringe requirements, and timely reporting.
• Ensure certified payroll reports and supporting documentation are accurate, complete, and retained in accordance with contract and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with project teams, HR, Legal, and union representatives to research and resolve union, prevailing wage, and certified payroll issues.
• Support audits, inquiries, and compliance reviews related to union and certified payroll.

Team Leadership

• Lead Payroll Clerks, Payroll Specialists, Senior Payroll Specialists, Payroll Administrators, and Senior Payroll Administrators.
• Assign responsibilities and establish process ownership.
• Monitor workload, deadlines, performance, and coverage.
• Coach and develop payroll employees.
• Establish cross-training and succession plans.
• Develop future payroll leaders.

Payroll Tax & Regulatory Partnership

• Ensure payroll transactions and tax-driving employee data are accurate.
• Maintain sufficient federal, state, and local payroll tax knowledge to identify potential risks.
• Partner with the Payroll Tax Manager on taxation issues requiring specialized review.
• Coordinate payroll corrections necessary to support accurate tax reporting.
• Ensure employee residence, work location, earnings, and deductions are appropriately maintained for payroll processing.

Payroll Systems & Integrations

• Serve as business owner and subject matter expert for payroll systems.
• Partner with HRIS, IT, Finance, and vendors on payroll integrations.
• Oversee payroll testing and validation.
• Identify and resolve system and integration issues.
• Lead system improvements and automation initiatives.

Payroll Accounting & Reconciliation

• Oversee payroll reconciliations.
• Partner with Accounting and Finance on payroll expenses, liabilities, benefits, taxes, and general ledger activity.
• Establish appropriate reconciliation controls.
• Support quarterly and year-end payroll reconciliation.
• Support internal and external audits.

Decision-Making & Authority

• Direct daily payroll activities.
• Establish payroll procedures and controls within approved policies.
• Approve or recommend payroll corrections.
• Recommend system and process changes.
• Escalate payroll, financial, compliance, or system risks.
• Stop or escalate payroll processing when a material error or compliance risk exists.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Required

• Strong knowledge of payroll administration and payroll processes.
• Strong understanding of federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements.
• Experience managing multi-state payroll operations.
• Working knowledge of union payroll, collective bargaining agreements, prevailing wage requirements, and certified payroll reporting.
• Strong knowledge of payroll reconciliations, controls, and audit requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to research and resolve complex payroll issues.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to identify root causes and develop sustainable solutions.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidential employee and payroll information.
• Ability to lead, coach, and develop payroll professionals.
• Strong understanding of payroll systems and data integrations.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive payroll experience.
• Previous supervisory or management experience

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, Human Resources, or a related field.
• CPP certification.
• Experience with enterprise payroll systems.
• Experience with CMiC or similar construction payroll systems.
• Experience with payroll tax engines such as Vertex.
• Experience with HRIS/payroll integrations.
• Experience with payroll system implementations, conversions, or major upgrades.
• Experience supporting payroll tax audits and multi-state compliance.
• Construction industry payroll experience.
• Experience with union payroll, prevailing wage, and certified payroll reporting in the construction industry.

This position is based in Sandy, Utah, and is fully in-office. Remote and hybrid work arrangements are not available.

Benefits : Layton Construction offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements: Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Health Savings Account, Healthcare Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, 401(k) retirement plan with employer match, Life & AD&D Insurance, Long-term Disability Insurance, Short-term Disability Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance, Accident Insurance, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Home & Auto Insurance, Family Support, Pre-tax Paid Parking/Public Transportation, Paid time off, Time Away Benefits, Paid Holidays, Group Legal, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Identity Theft Protection, Group Legal, Pet Insurance, Employee Assistance Program.

About Us

Layton Construction is a privately held national general contractor, delivering predictable outcomes in commercial construction since 1953. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Layton operates from 16 strategic offices across the United States, employing more than 1,500 construction professionals who serve diverse markets including healthcare, education, commercial office, industrial, hospitality, and multi-unit residential.

Founded on the core values of honesty, unity, safety, and quality, Layton has built a reputation for excellence in complex project delivery while maintaining strong partnerships with clients, architects, and trade partners nationwide.

The STO Building Group family of companies -Structure Tone, Structure Tone Southwest, Pavarini Construction Co., Pavarini McGovern, LF Driscoll, Govan Brown, Ajax Building Company, BCCI Construction, Layton Construction, Abbott Construction, and RC Andersen-includes over 4,000 employees located in offices throughout the US, Canada, UK, and Ireland. We provide a complete range of construction services, from site selection analysis, design constructability review and aesthetic enhancements to interior fit-outs, new building construction, and building infrastructure upgrades and modernization. Learn more about how we partner with our clients to imagine, execute, and realize their vision at stobuildinggroup.com.

EEO Statement: Layton Construction is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.