Sr. Manager, Payroll

Sr. Manager, Payroll

Compensation: $153,030 - $191,290 Annual Salary

Location: Hybrid, Din Tai Fung - Restaurant Support Center in Arcadia/Pasadena, California

About Us:

Din Tai Fung is a globally celebrated, family-owned restaurant brand founded in 1972 and internationally renowned for its iconic Xiao Long Bao. With more than 165 locations across 13 countries including 20 in North America. DTF is Michelin-recognized and admired for its uncompromising quality, authentic flavors, and warm, gracious hospitality. Each location delivers an elevated yet inviting cultural dining experience designed to delight guests on any occasion.

Benefits and Perks:

• Competitive Pay & Benefits
• Employer Contribution for individuals and eligible dependents' medical insurance
• Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Commuter Spending Accounts
• 401(k) Plan with company match
• Employee Assistance Program
• Discounts through BenefitHub
• Employee Meal Discounts
• Paid Time Off (PTO) to support work-life balance (accrued based on length of service)
• Paid Sick Leave (PSL) to care for your health or loved ones
• Quarterly Wellness Days - extra time off to recharge every season
• Bonus Eligible
• Opportunities for growth; we love promoting within

About the Role:

The Senior Manager, Payroll sets the strategy for and is accountable for payroll operations, compliance, and vendor performance across all Din Tai Fung restaurants in the US and Canada. Reporting to the People Operations Leader, the role owns the organization's payroll compliance posture, including multi-state minimum wage, tip-credit, and garnishment requirements, and the audit and control environment that protects it. The role leads the Payroll team, building the capacity, systems, and roadmap needed to scale through new restaurant openings and weekly-pay expansion. It partners with Finance, Accounting, PSC, Benefits Administration, Legal, and People Technology to keep payroll accurate, compliant, and aligned with the business.

Responsibilities:

• Payroll Strategy & Roadmap — Partner with leadership to set the multi-year payroll strategy and systems roadmap, including target operating model, centralization and build-vs.-buy decisions, and weekly-pay expansion. Lead the ops-efficiency and automation agenda (e.g., tip/payroll comparison report) and prioritize investments by risk reduction and cost to serve.
• Payroll Operations Accountability — Be accountable for accurate, timely payroll across all US and Canadian locations on bi-weekly and weekly cycles. Set service standards, and define and report KPIs (accuracy rate, on-time rate, off-cycle and manual check volume, cost per employee paid) to People Operations and Finance leadership.
• Compliance Posture & Regulatory Change — Own payroll's compliance posture and serve as final escalation point for multi-state minimum wage, tip-credit, and garnishment requirements. Monitor regulatory change across all jurisdictions, drive timely policy and system updates, and lead Payroll's response to wage-and-hour audits, inquiries, and claims in partnership with Legal.
• Controls, SOPs & Audit Program — Set standards for and govern payroll internal controls, segregation of duties, SOPs, and audit-readiness documentation. Lead the payroll audit program, track findings to remediation, and partner with Accounting on reconciliations, tax filings, and year-end reporting
• Team Leadership — Lead, coach, and develop the Payroll team (Supervisor, Specialist, Coordinators, Assistants). Own hiring, performance management, bench planning, and organizational design as the team scales.
• Vendor Governance & Systems Roadmap — Support governing the UKG WFA/Pro and Tiphaus relationships, including contract negotiation and renewals, SLAs, escalation, and performance review. Own release and upgrade readiness, integration priorities, and payroll system setup for new restaurant openings.
• Growth & Capacity Planning — Plan staffing, workload distribution, and capacity against the multi-year restaurant opening pace and weekly-pay expansion. Build opening readiness into payroll processes and staffing, and surface capacity risk early.
• Budget & Financial Accountability — Own the Payroll function budget and vendor spend. Partner with Finance to forecast payroll-related costs, explain variances, and manage costs to serve as the footprint grows.
• Cross-Functional Partnership & Executive Reporting — Represent Payroll in planning with Finance, Accounting, PSC, Benefits Administration, Legal, and People Technology, and report payroll performance, risk, and roadmap progress to senior leadership.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, Business, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 8+ years of progressive payroll experience, including 3+ years leading a payroll team, in a multi-state, multi-entity environment
• Advanced knowledge of multi-state wage and hour compliance, including tip credit, tip pooling, minimum wage, and garnishments; restaurant, hospitality, or other high-volume hourly experience strongly preferred
• Hands-on experience with UKG WFA/Pro or a comparable enterprise payroll and timekeeping system, including configuration, integrations, and vendor management
• Experience managing a team of 5+, including supervisors or managers, with accountability for hiring, performance management, and termination decisions
• Experience owning payroll controls, audit readiness, and responses to regulatory audits or wage-and-hour inquiries
• Experience managing a departmental budget

Preferred Requirements:

• Experience with tip-distribution platforms (e.g., Tiphuas or similar)
• Canadian payroll experience (T4, provincial requirements)
• CPP or FPC certification
• Experience supporting rapid unit growth or new location openings
• Experience building automation or process-efficiency tools.

Essential Functions:

• Perform sustained computer-based work. Work at a computer and use standard office equipment (keyboard, mouse, phone, scanner/printer) for extended periods to process, review, and analyze payroll data and reports.
• Maintain a stationary or seated position. Remain in a stationary position for a significant portion of the workday, and move about the office as needed to attend meetings or access files and equipment.
• Communicate effectively with others. Exchange accurate information with employees, vendors, and leaders in person, by phone, by video, and in writing.
• Review detailed information with sustained attention. Read, review, and reconcile detailed data on screen and in print (payroll registers, audit documentation, vendor contracts) with a high degree of accuracy.
• Occasionally lift or carry light items and travel. Lift or carry up to 10-15 lbs (laptop, files, supplies) and travel to restaurant locations or other sites as needed.

Note: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying the position. Employees will be required to perform any other job-related duties assigned by their supervisor.

Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and able to provide documentation to work in the United States legally.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Din Tai Fung North America is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment and welcome all qualified applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status, in accordance with applicable federal, state/provincial, and local laws.