Vice President, US Payroll Operations

Vice President, Us Payroll Operations

UnitedHealth Group is a health care and well-being company that's dedicated to improving the health outcomes of millions around the world. Here, your contributions matter as they will help transform health care for years to come. Make an impact with a team that shares your passion for helping others. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

UnitedHealth Group (UHG) is seeking a Vice President, US Payroll Operations to provide enterprise leadership for U.S. payroll delivery with a sharp focus on stability, operational rigor, compliance, and employee experience. This executive is ultimately accountable for end-to-end payroll outcomes for a large, complex, multi-state population and sets the operating model, governance, controls, and performance management framework required to ensure payroll is consistently accurate, compliant, and on time.

This role leads through senior operational leaders, who own day-to-day payroll cycle execution and issue resolution. The VP establishes decision rights, chairs key go/no-go governance, sponsors modernization and transformation, and ensures performance outcomes through a disciplined, data-driven operating cadence. Oracle HCM experience is strongly preferred. A proven track record in large-scale HR transformation and/or building or maturing an HR shared services model is required.

You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Hybrid in MN/DC: This position follows a hybrid schedule with four in-office days per week.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Enterprise Payroll Strategy and Operating Model
• Payroll Delivery Accountability, Stability, and Risk Governance
• Payroll Tax and Regulatory Compliance
• Shared Services, Vendor Strategy, and Global Enablement
• Data, Performance Management, and Operational Visibility
• Employee Experience and Service Delivery Partnership
• Systems Enablement and Transformation (Oracle HCM Preferred)
• Workforce Leadership and Talent Development

Decision Rights and Interfaces

• Final approval of the U.S. payroll operating model, governance routines, and decision rights framework
• Final approval of payroll service delivery model changes that impact employee support channels (service catalog, SLAs, tiering, escalation paths)
• Final risk acceptance and go/no-go decision-making for payroll processing during elevated-risk cycles or material issues.
• Approval of global/offshore enablement scope expansions and transition plans, including required controls and KPI targets

Day-to-day payroll cycle execution, ticket/case operations, runbooks, and per-cycle operational reporting are owned by the leaders on the team, with escalation to the VP for enterprise risk decisions, policy exceptions, cross-functional blockers, and material changes.

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• Extensive progressive leadership experience in U.S. payroll operations within a large, complex, multi-state environment (enterprise scale, high volume)
• Demonstrated expertise in U.S. payroll tax compliance, reconciliations, agency notice management, and year-end processes
• Proven experience leading large-scale HR transformation initiatives and/or building, scaling, or maturing an HR shared services model (including governance, service delivery design, SLAs, and operational performance management)
• Proven track record of improving operational stability, reducing defects/off-cycle payroll, strengthening controls, and building repeatable processes
• Executive-level ability to operate in a matrixed environment, influencing across HR, Finance, Tax, Legal/Compliance, and Technology
• Solid vendor governance experience with measurable SLA oversight and escalation management
• Demonstrated ability to lead leaders: building strong management routines, developing talent, and driving accountability through metrics

Preferred Qualifications:

• Oracle HCM experience strongly preferred (Payroll/HR), including optimization of configuration, workflows, reporting, and integrations
• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) and/or other relevant certifications
• Experience in a regulated and controlled environment (e.g., SOX-aligned controls, audit-intensive operations)

Leadership Competencies:

• Operational excellence and disciplined execution
• Risk-based decision making; strong controls mindset
• Data-driven leadership (scorecards, dashboards, trend-based management)
• Executive communication and stakeholder management
• Continuous improvement orientation (standardization, automation, simplification)
• High integrity, discretion, and commitment to confidentiality
• Employee-centric service mindset

*All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy.

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). The salary for this role will range from $200,400 to $343,500 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug - free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.