Payroll Manager (Westmont)

PJW Restaurant Group is NOW HIRING a Payroll Manager in Westmont, NJ!!!

Department: Accounting

Reports To: Controller

Position Summary

The Payroll Manager is responsible for the accurate, timely, and compliant administration of payroll, payroll taxes, and related employee records across all company locations. This position oversees the full payroll lifecycle, including payroll processing, tax reporting and payments, wage-and-hour compliance, payroll reconciliations, and resolution of payroll discrepancies.

In addition to payroll responsibilities, the Payroll Manager serves as the primary manager of the company's payroll system, ensuring employee data integrity, reporting accuracy, and effective system utilization. The role partners with Human Resources, Finance, and Operations to maintain compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, improve processes, and deliver reliable payroll and HR administration.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Payroll Administration and Processing

• Manage the complete weekly multi-state payroll process for all company employees, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, regulatory compliance, and adherence to established payroll schedules across all locations.
• Oversee payroll processing for hourly, salaried, tipped, part-time, and full-time employees across multiple restaurant locations and applicable jurisdictions.
• Review timekeeping records, employee hours, overtime, tip-related payroll information, pay adjustments, bonuses, commissions, and other earnings for accuracy.
• Reconcile payroll registers and payroll-related accounts, coordinating with Finance on payroll liabilities, funding, and general ledger entries.

2. Payroll Tax Administration and Compliance

• Oversee payroll tax administration, including applicable federal, state, and local tax withholding, deposits, filings, and reporting.
• Manage quarterly and annual payroll tax reporting, including Forms 941 and 940, applicable state unemployment and withholding filings, and annual wage and tax statements such as Forms W-2 and W-3.
• Partner with the payroll processor to establish expectations, coordinate year-end timelines, and ensure the accurate, compliant, and timely preparation, distribution, and filing of Forms W-2 and related year-end payroll reporting requirements.
• Monitor changes in payroll tax laws, withholding requirements, unemployment insurance rates, and other regulatory requirements that affect payroll operations.

3. Wage-and-Hour Compliance

• Maintain payroll practices consistent with applicable federal, state, and local wage-and-hour laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act and relevant state requirements.
• Monitor compliance with minimum wage, overtime, regular-rate calculations, recordkeeping, pay frequency, and final-pay requirements.
• Support compliance with restaurant-specific pay practices, including tipped employees, tip-credit requirements where applicable, tip-pooling arrangements, and related recordkeeping.
• Support internal and external wage-and-hour audits, agency inquiries, and corrective action efforts.

4. Payroll System Management

• Serve as a primary manager for the company's payroll and HR systems, including the employee database, timekeeping, payroll processing, and related system integrations.
• Maintain system configuration, payroll calendars, pay codes, earning and deduction codes, tax settings, and job codes.
• Ensure accurate and timely integrations of employee, timekeeping, payroll, benefits, and accounting data between systems.
• Develop and maintain system procedures as applicable in partnership with HR, to include user instructions, process documentation, and internal controls.

5. Reporting, Reconciliation, and Internal Controls

• Prepare and distribute payroll reports, labor cost reports, payroll summaries, tax reports, and other recurring or ad hoc reporting for authorized stakeholders.
• Partner with Finance to reconcile payroll expenses, liabilities, tax accounts, and payroll-related general ledger entries.
• Prepare and review payroll journal entries, performing weekly reconciliations to ensure payroll transactions accurately tie to company bank accounts and financial records
• Support month-end close activities, perform weekly analysis of payroll expenses and variances, and provide timely explanations for unexpected changes

6. Employee and Cross-Functional Support

• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex payroll questions and employee pay concerns.
• Provide timely, professional responses to employees, manager, and HR inquiries related to payroll, tax withholding, pay statements, and system access.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Five or more years of progressive payroll administration experience, including responsibility for multi-location payroll operations.
• Demonstrated experience administering payroll taxes, wage-and-hour compliance, payroll reconciliations, and year-end payroll reporting.
• Experience with payroll, and timekeeping systems; Paycor experience is a plus.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements and wage-and-hour regulations.
• Experience with hourly workforces and tipped employees in the restaurant, hospitality, retail, or another multi-location operating environment strongly preferred.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Proficiency in payroll reporting, spreadsheets, data analysis, and reconciliation processes.
• Ability to manage recurring deadlines, protect confidential information, and resolve sensitive employee issues professionally.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with HR, Finance, Operations, and external vendors.
• Payroll certification, such as the Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP), is preferred.

Work Environment

This position supports a multi-location restaurant operation with a significant hourly workforce and recurring payroll deadlines. The role requires regular collaboration with restaurant management, Human Resources, Finance, and external service providers. Occasional additional hours may be necessary to meet payroll processing deadlines, resolve urgent issues, or complete year-end reporting.

About PJW Restaurant Group

PJW Restaurant Group has been successful for more than three decades by striving for more. Our energy manifests itself in every concept we create, dish we develop, and drink we serve. We are dedicated to providing experiences that our guests look forward to.

We draw inspiration - and sustenance - from both the neighborhoods we are rooted in and our more than 1,800 employees. Nothing makes us happier than seeing a serving job get passed down from sibling to sibling or watching a line cook grow into a manager.

PJW Restaurant Group creates community destinations. We never stop pushing ourselves to elevate all we offer our guests, and we never settle for less than our best.

Nothing moves forward by standing still, so we will continue growing, continue innovating, and continue raising the bar.

Pay: $95,000- $105,000 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) & 401(k) matching
• Annual bonus
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Paid training
• Referral program
• Weekly pay
• Employee perks program