Payroll Manager

Compensation Type

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company with over $15 billion of assets under management and a global portfolio of more than 400 hotels spanning North America, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America. With a 30-year track record as an innovator in the hospitality industry, this forward-thinking company provides expert guidance through all stages of the property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate continues to demonstrate success in developing a diverse portfolio of bespoke lifestyle hotel brands, legacy brands, and independent hotels and resorts, featuring contemporary programming and digital acumen. The company utilizes industry-leading revenue management tools that efficiently identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive outperformance and maximize asset value. With an executive team of seasoned hospitality leaders and corporate offices worldwide, Highgate is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. 

Location

Discover more sun and more fun! Escape to a tropical beachfront paradise complete with everything you need for the perfect getaway, including delicious dining, beachfront bars, relaxing comforts, and endless activities. Here you’ll stay at one, play at two — with two connecting resorts right on the soft white sands of St. Pete Beach. Whether you’re looking for family fun, a romantic retreat, a group getaway, or anything in between, it’s all here at TradeWinds Island Resorts.

Overview

Follow your passion all the way to paradise at TradeWinds Resort, a Tampa Bay Times Top Workplace for seven years in a row! TradeWinds features two destination resorts just 200 flip flops from one another along the gorgeous Gulf Coast on St. Pete Beach, a Top-Ranked US Beach! 

The Payroll Manager leads the payroll process, strategy, communications, and knowledge management for Hotel, supporting and driving Payroll Operations and payroll system administration. This position leads the work performed by multiple teams across the organization, who are tasked with managing and executing payroll, providing analysis, and guidance on payroll initiatives/projects. The position will apply comprehensive knowledge / skills of payroll operations, payroll tax, systems, input processes and output gross-to-net and financial reporting requirements. The role collaborates with interdependent teams and Business Unit leaders to optimize the end-to-end process and system integration. He/She will provide strong leadership for a large team performing payroll operations and systems administration.

Responsibilities

• Maintain payroll best practices, ensure that high quality payroll and customer service is delivered.
• Ensure that the end payroll product and its processes are compliant with established internal controls and all state and federal regulations.
• Oversees annual preparation of W-2 income reporting.
• Defines and drives key requirements, projects and initiatives aimed at efficiency, quality, compliance, eliminating complexity and/or maximizing value of select functions and operations.
• Responsible for entering payroll data into the system.
• Responsible for auditing payroll data and maintaining files and records to produce accurate payroll period reports in accordance with hotel standards.
• Engages in ongoing auditing activities to verify the accuracy of payroll records and information.
• Check figures, postings, and documents for accuracy.
• Organize, secure, and maintain all files, records, cash and cash equivalents in accordance with policies and procedures.
• Record, store, and/or analyze computerized payroll information.
• Prepare, maintain, audit, and distribute statistical, auditing, or payroll reports and tables.
• Maintain, update, create, secure, and archive employee payroll records and files.
• Process and/or issue employee paychecks and statements of earnings and deductions.
• Understand basic payroll tax as it relates to the employee’s pay and their W2.
• Assist with benefits administration and compliance. Including, but not limited to, Healthcare and the verification of the weekly 401(k) wire confirmation for all properties and confirming that each property’s 401(k) contribution equal 25% 401(k) matches.
• Compute employee wages and deductions and enter wages and deductions into payroll system. 
• Provide information to employees and managers/supervisors on payroll matters and tax issues,
• Adjust basic settings in time clock system.
• Display strong ethics and ability to keep information confidential.
• Provide analysis and guidance on payroll related initiatives.
• Maintain relationship with 3rd party banking, tax, and garnishment providers.
• Responsible for administration of garnishments and tracking all returned or stopped garnishment payments.
• Responsible for security setup for new system users for payroll and removing access for terminated user’s, resetting passwords, and maintaining an internal audit spreadsheet.
• Must have the ability to research payroll or payroll related items with little direction and present finding to the group.
• Responsible for additional administrative duties as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Accounting/Business Degree preferred.
• Extensive leadership experience (process, people, and cross-functional teams).
• Solid understanding of Payroll, US tax, HR processes and timekeeping automation experience.
• 3rd party provider management experience
• 5+ years of payroll processing management experience in a large company is required
• Proven ability to manage numerous projects, as well as resources, remotely in a highly dispersed organization.
• Project Management Experience.
• Excellent written, analytical, and verbal communication skills, including a demonstrated ability to clearly articulate/summarize issues and present solutions to key stakeholders and senior leaders.
• Ability to influence and guide to achieve the best solution.
• Ability to analyze complex laws and regulations and apply them across Business Units and within corporate strategies.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong internal and external business relationships.
• Strong working knowledge of Ceridian Dayforce.

Benefits

We are pleased to offer to our full-time associates a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support your health, well-being, and financial future.

• Medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance401(k) Retirement Plan with employer matching contributions
• Paid holidays
• Paid vacation
• Paid sick leave (provided in accordance with applicable law)
• Employee assistance program (EAP)
• Educational opportunities / Tuition reimbursement
• Paid jury duty leave, personal leave, medical leave, and military leave in accordance with applicable law

For Employees Based in Washington:

• 8 paid holidays per year
• Up to 20 days of paid vacation per year, based on classification and length of service
• Paid Sick & Safe Time accrues at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, with up to 72 hours of unused time carried over from one anniversary year to the next.

For Employees Based in Colorado:

• 8 paid holidays per year; employees working in the City of Denver receive 64 hours of designated holiday time per calendar year
• Up to 20 days of paid vacation per year, based on classification and length of service
• 6 days or 48 hours of Paid Sick Leave per year, accrued at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked.

For Employees Based in California:

• 8 paid holidays per year
• Up to 20 days of paid vacation per year, based on classification and length of service, capped at 1.5x annual accrual rate; non-supervisory employees working in the City of Los Angeles accrue up to 22 days of Compensated Time Off, based on length of service capped at 192 hours of combined PST and CTO.
• Paid Sick Time accrues at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, unused time is carried over from one anniversary year to the next up to a maximum of 80 hours; employees working in the City of Los Angeles are provided 40 hours of Paid Sick Time annually on their anniversary, unused time is not carried over from one anniversary year to the next.

Please note that certain benefits described above for associates in Washington, Colorado, and California may vary for associates covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (“CBA”). For such associates, eligibility for and the terms and conditions of benefits are governed by the applicable CBA and any applicable plan documents, and may differ from the benefits described above. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency, the terms of the applicable CBA and governing plan documents will control, as applicable.

**The above-referenced benefits do not apply to part-time positions

Posting Date

This job opening was posted on September 1, 2026and will remain open for at least 75 days.