Payroll Manager

This position is open to locations in Grand Rapids, MI, Schaumburg, IL, Naperville, IL or Chicago, IL.

About Acrisure

A global Fintech leader, Acrisure empowers millions of ambitious businesses and individuals with the right solutions to grow boldly forward. Bringing cutting-edge technology and top-tier human support together, we connect clients with customized solutions across a range of insurance, reinsurance, payroll, benefits, cybersecurity, mortgage services – and more.

In the last twelve years, Acrisure has grown in revenue from $38 million to almost $5 billion and employs over 19,000 colleagues in more than 20 countries. Acrisure was built on entrepreneurial spirit. Prioritizing leadership, accountability, and collaboration, we equip our teams to work at the highest levels possible.

Job Summary:

The Payroll Manager is responsible for leading and managing payroll operations across a complex, multi-state and multi-entity organization. This role ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll while providing day-to-day leadership, coaching, and support to the payroll team.

The Payroll Manager oversees payroll processing across multiple employee populations and pay frequencies, serves as a senior payroll subject matter expert, and provides support for complex payroll activities and escalations. The role also leads new payroll implementations, supports acquisitions, oversees payroll tax activities, drives process improvements, and partners closely with HR, Finance, Compliance, Enterprise Applications, business leaders, vendors, and employees to deliver high-quality payroll services.

Responsibilities:

Payroll Operations & Team Leadership

• Lead and participate in the day-to-day processing of payroll across multiple pay frequencies, states, entities, and employee populations.
• Manage, review, and execute regular and off-cycle payrolls, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
• Oversee and perform complex payroll calculations, reconciliations, adjustments, commissions, and other payroll transactions as needed.
• Coordinate team workload and priorities to ensure payroll deadlines and service expectations are consistently met.
• Supervise, coach, and develop Payroll Team, establishing clear expectations for accuracy, accountability, service, and performance.
• Identify skill gaps and provide ongoing training, coaching, and cross-training to strengthen team capability and continuity.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex payroll issues and provide hands-on guidance to the team.

Payroll Compliance & Tax

• Oversee end-to-end payroll tax processing and compliance across applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
• Monitor regulatory changes and ensure appropriate payroll practices, controls, and procedures are implemented.
• Oversee payroll reconciliations, audits, year-end activities, reporting, and related compliance requirements.
• Identify and mitigate payroll risks and ensure appropriate documentation and controls are maintained.

Implementations & Business Support

• Lead and/or directly participate in new agency payroll implementations, acquisitions, integrations, and transitions into ongoing payroll operations.
• Coordinate payroll onboarding activities, ensuring employee data, systems, processes, and payroll requirements are accurately established.
• Partner with HR, Finance, Compensation, Benefits, Compliance, and business leaders to resolve complex payroll matters and support business needs with proactive communication and collaboration.
• Provide concierge-level service to Agency Partners, employees, HR Associates, HR Business Partners, and other stakeholders.

Systems, Reporting & Process Improvement

• Own and maintain payroll processes within Workday, ADP, ServiceNow, and other payroll-related technologies.
• Coordinate system testing for upgrades, enhancements, integrations, and configuration changes.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, controls, efficiency, and automation while maintaining appropriate risk mitigation.
• Develop, maintain, and utilize payroll metrics and reporting to monitor accuracy, service levels, workload, and operational performance.
• Partner with HR Operations Enablement and Enterprise Applications to implement system and process improvements.
• Maintain accurate procedures, documentation, and operating standards.

Vendor & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Manage relationships with payroll tax, technology, and other external vendors to ensure service, data connectivity, and issue resolution.
• Partner closely with HR Operations, Human Resources, Finance, Compliance, Enterprise Applications, and other stakeholders to ensure payroll practices support business objectives.
• Exercise sound judgment regarding issue resolution and escalation, particularly for sensitive, high-risk, or compliance-related matters.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll requirements, controls, and compliance practices.
• Experience supporting multiple legal entities and/or complex organizational structures.
• Demonstrated experience with full-cycle payroll processing, payroll tax, reconciliations, audits, year-end activities, and reporting.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, organizational, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and critical payroll deadlines.
• High level of discretion and confidentiality.
• Experience with Workday, ADP, UKG, or another enterprise HCM/payroll platform.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, particularly Excel.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting payroll in a centralized function serving distributed business units.
• Experience with payroll implementations, acquisitions, integrations, or significant organizational change.
• Experience with payroll process automation, system enhancements, and data/reporting solutions.
• Experience with international payroll or exposure to global payroll operations.

Education and Experience:

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive payroll experience, including experience leading complex, high-volume, multi-state payroll operations.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience, with demonstrated success developing and retaining payroll talent.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.

Pay Details:

The base compensation range for this position is $103,000 - $140,000. This range reflects Acrisure's good faith estimate at the time of this posting. Placement within the range will be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to skills, experience, qualifications, location, and internal equity.

Candidates should be comfortable with an on-site presence to support collaboration, team leadership, and cross-functional partnership.

Why Join Us:

At Acrisure, we’re building more than a business, we’re building a community where people can grow, thrive, and make an impact. Our benefits are designed to support every dimension of your life, from your health and finances to your family and future.

Making a lasting impact on the communities it serves, Acrisure has pledged more than $22 million through its partnerships with Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, UPMC Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Blythedale Children's Hospital in Valhalla, New York.

Employee Benefits

We also offer our employees a comprehensive suite of benefits and perks, including:

• Physical Wellness: Comprehensive medical insurance, dental insurance, and vision insurance; life and disability insurance; fertility benefits; wellness resources; and paid sick time.
• Mental Wellness: Generous paid time off and holidays; Employee Assistance Program (EAP); and a complimentary Calm app subscription.
• Financial Wellness: Immediate vesting in a 401(k) plan; Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options; commuter benefits; and employee discount programs.
• Family Care: Paid maternity leave and paid paternity leave (including for adoptive parents); legal plan options; and pet insurance coverage.
• … and so much more!

This list is not exhaustive of all available benefits. Eligibility and waiting periods may apply to certain offerings. Benefits may vary based on subsidiary entity and geographic location.

Acrisure is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. Applicants may request reasonable accommodation by contacting View email address on click.appcast.io .

Final candidates will be required to complete post-offer verification processes related to the role and in accordance with applicable laws.

California Residents: Learn more about our privacy practices for applicants by visiting the Acrisure California Applicant Privacy Policy .

Recruitment Fraud: Please visit here to learn more about our Recruitment Fraud Notice .

Welcome, your new opportunity awaits you.