Director of Payroll

Director of Payroll

Location: Brentwood, TN (Hybrid) Travel: Up to 20% Level: Senior Leadership

Overview: We are seeking an experienced Director of Payroll to lead enterprise-wide payroll operations for a large, complex organization. This leader will be responsible for ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll processing across multiple states while driving operational excellence, system optimization, and continuous process improvement. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in payroll operations, strong leadership experience, and hands-on knowledge of Oracle Payroll (Oracle Fusion Payroll / Oracle Payroll Cloud). This individual will serve as the payroll subject matter expert, partnering closely with HR, Finance, Accounting, and IT to support business objectives and enhance payroll performance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and oversee all payroll operations for a multi-state enterprise environment.
• Ensure accurate and timely payroll processing while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Manage, mentor, and develop payroll team members to drive high performance and operational excellence.
• Serve as the primary payroll business lead and subject matter expert for cross-functional initiatives involving HRIS, Finance, Accounting, and IT.
• Support Oracle Payroll post-go-live activities, including system testing, troubleshooting, payroll validation, enhancements, and process optimization.
• Develop and implement payroll process improvements, automation initiatives, and best practices to increase efficiency and accuracy.
• Partner with Accounting and Finance teams on payroll accounting activities, reconciliations, audits, and reporting requirements.
• Monitor payroll controls and compliance standards to mitigate risk and ensure audit readiness.
• Analyze payroll metrics and operational performance to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Lead payroll-related projects, system upgrades, and strategic initiatives.

What You'll Bring:

• Strategic leadership combined with hands-on payroll expertise.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive organizational change.
• Passion for continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Proven ability to manage complex payroll operations while maintaining exceptional accuracy and compliance.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced payroll leader looking to make a significant impact within a large enterprise organization while helping shape the future of payroll operations and technology.

Requirements:

• Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or related field preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive payroll leadership experience within a large, complex organization.
• Strong payroll operations background with experience leading payroll teams.
• Hands-on experience with Oracle Payroll, including Oracle Fusion Payroll and/or Oracle Payroll Cloud.
• Experience supporting Oracle post-implementation activities, including testing, troubleshooting, validation, and system enhancements.
• Experience serving as a payroll business lead or payroll subject matter expert working closely with HRIS and IT teams.
• Multi-state payroll leadership experience in an enterprise environment.
• Strong knowledge of payroll compliance, tax regulations, and payroll controls.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Preferred Qualifications:
• Oracle Payroll implementation experience.
• Experience working in a shared services environment.
• Background leading payroll process improvement and automation initiatives.
• Payroll accounting and general ledger reconciliation experience.
• Healthcare industry experience strongly preferred.