Director of Payroll

Prestige School Solutions Remote | Occasional Travel About Prestige School Solutions Prestige School Solutions provides financial, payroll, human resources, and operational support to charter schools across the Southeast and is actively growing into a nationwide provider. We are committed to helping schools focus on student success by delivering exceptional back‑office services and trusted expertise. Our culture is built on integrity, accountability, continuous improvement, and collaboration. We seek professionals who take ownership of results, value relationships, and are dedicated to building scalable, high‑performing organizations. We are seeking candidates who want to win at work and succeed in life. If you are the type of person who always reaches for what is next and gives it your all when you’re on the clock, we’d like to see if you have what it takes to succeed on our team. To support our growth, we are seeking a Director of Payroll to lead payroll operations and expand our capacity to serve clients across the country. Position Overview The Director of Payroll is responsible for leading Prestige's Payroll Value Stream, including payroll team members and payroll service delivery for a growing portfolio of charter school clients. This role ensures the accurate, timely, and compliant processing of payroll while driving process standardization, operational excellence, client satisfaction, and team development. The Director of Payroll partners closely with Financial Consulting, Human Resources, Accounts Payable, Audit, and school leadership teams to ensure payroll processes support organizational growth and exceptional client outcomes. Key Responsibilities Payroll Operations Leadership Oversee all payroll operations for client schools and internal staff payroll activities across the entire portfolio of clients, managing growth and delivery as it evolves into a nationwide client base. Ensure timely and accurate processing of payrolls across multiple frequencies, entities, and states. Establish and maintain payroll quality controls, review procedures, and audit processes. Monitor payroll performance metrics and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations. Develop and execute a scalable payroll service delivery strategy capable of supporting significant client growth across multiple states and jurisdictions. Provide strategic oversight of complex payroll matters involving multi-state taxation, compliance requirements, and payroll system integrations. Team Leadership & Development Lead, coach, and develop payroll leaders and team members. Establish clear performance standards, accountability measures, and coaching practices. Create professional development opportunities and succession planning initiatives. Foster a culture of teamwork, collaboration, customer service, and continuous learning. Lead organizational change initiatives affecting payroll operations and service delivery models. Client Service & Relationship Management Serve as a strategic payroll advisor and subject matter expert for clients. Develop and maintain executive-level relationships with clients that position Prestige as a trusted strategic partner rather than solely a service provider. Resolve escalated client concerns and complex payroll issues. Support client onboarding, implementation, and business development efforts. Performance Oversight Monitor team performance and service delivery outcomes. Address performance gaps through coaching, accountability, and corrective action when necessary. Use operational metrics to identify trends, forecast capacity needs, and improve performance. Build management systems that support scalable operational oversight. Process Improvement & Compliance Standardize payroll workflows, documentation, and best practices. Identify and implement process improvements that increase accuracy, efficiency, and scalability. Develop and maintain payroll SOPs, training materials, audit readiness, and internal knowledge resources. Cross-Functional Collaboration Partner with other departments and leadership teams. Represent payroll in strategic planning and organizational initiatives. Support growth initiatives, including client onboarding, acquisitions, and system implementations. Qualifications Required 10+ years of progressive payroll leadership experience, including responsibility for multi-state payroll operations and leading teams through periods of growth. Strong knowledge of payroll tax regulations, wage and hour laws, and compliance requirements. Strong proficiency with payroll systems, reporting tools, workflow management platforms, and business intelligence dashboards. Demonstrated success leading teams through growth, organizational change, technology implementations, acquisitions, or integrations. Experience leading leaders, including managers, supervisors, or team leads. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Preferred Master’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field. Human Resources experience, including employee onboarding, benefits coordination, or HR compliance support. Experience leading payroll operations within a professional services, outsourced services, or business process outsourcing environment. Experience integrating acquired teams, systems, or client portfolios. Experience serving K-12 schools, charter schools, educational organizations, or professional service firms. Experience leading operational improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies. Personal Characteristics High degree of integrity and personal accountability. Strong customer service mindset. Ability to build trust and credibility with clients and team members. The discipline to listen and understand first, then respond thoughtfully and strategically. Strategic thinker with hands‑on leadership style. Comfortable navigating conflict. Commitment to continuous improvement. Work Environment Fully remote position. Occasional travel for client meetings, team events, conferences, and training. Collaborative, growth-oriented professional environment. This position reports to the Chief Operations Officer. Compensation & Benefits Competitive salary commensurate with experience. Performance-based bonus opportunities. Comprehensive benefits package. Professional development and leadership growth opportunities. #J-18808-Ljbffr PRESTIGE SCHOOL SOLUTIONS LLC