Payroll Lead, North America

Position Title : Payroll Leader North America

Location: New York

Reports to: Senior Director, PSC

Direct Reports: 3

Scope: US and Canada

ABOUT THE WELLA COMPANY

Together, WE enable individuals to look, feel, and be their true selves.

Wella Company is one of the world’s leading beauty companies, comprised of a family of iconic brands such as Wella Professionals, Clairol, OPI, Nioxin, Briogeo and ghd. With 6,500 employees globally, presence in over 100 countries, Wella Company and its brands enable consumers to look, feel, and be their true selves. As innovators in the hair and nail industry, Wella Company empowers its people to delight consumers, inspire beauty professionals, engage communities, and deliver sustainable growth to its stakeholders.

For additional information about the Wella Company please visit

THE ROLE

The Payroll Leader – North America is accountable for the end-to-end delivery of accurate, timely, and compliant payroll services across the US and Canada, covering Payroll, Time & Attendance, and Benefits Administration. As a key member of the Global People Support Center, this role ensures operational excellence, robust internal controls, and superior employee experience, while leading and developing a high-performing team of specialists. The role also carries direct responsibility for Executive Payroll, requiring the highest standards of accuracy, confidentiality, and discretion.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. PAYROLL OPERATIONS AND SERVICE DELIVERY

• Lead the end-to-end payroll process for all US (multi-state) and Canadian (multi-province) employees, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll cycles.
• Oversee payroll processing through ADP GlobalView and ADP Celergo, including system configuration, data integrity, vendor management, and continuous process optimization.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, provincial, and local tax and social security regulations, including IRS, SSA, CRA, Revenu Québec, and state/provincial labor and tax authorities.
• Manage year-end processes (W-2, T4, RL-1, 1099, ACA reporting, etc.), audits, reconciliations, and statutory filings.
• Lead Executive Payroll with the highest level of attention, confidentiality, and effectiveness, including handling of equity, deferred compensation, expatriate, and complex compensation arrangements.
• Partner with Finance on GL reconciliations, payroll accounting, accruals, and audit support (internal and external).
• Maintain and continuously improve internal controls (SOX compliance), documented SOPs, and risk mitigation frameworks

2. TIME AND ATTENDANCE

• Oversee accurate administration of time and attendance processes across US and Canada, ensuring proper integration with payroll systems.
• Ensure compliance with wage & hour laws, overtime regulations (FLSA, provincial Employment Standards Acts), and collective agreements where applicable.
• Drive process improvements and system enhancements to elevate accuracy and employee experience.

3. BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION

• Oversee benefits administration operations (health, retirement, leave programs, statutory benefits) in partnership with Total Rewards and external vendors.
• Ensure accurate benefits-related payroll deductions, contributions, and reporting (e.g., 401(k), RRSP, FSA/HSA, garnishments).
• Support open enrollment, qualifying life events, and benefits compliance (ERISA, ACA, COBRA, provincial health programs).

4. LEGAL, TAX AND COMPLIANCE

• Serve as the subject matter expert on US (multi-state) and Canadian (multi-province) payroll, tax, and social security compliance.
• Monitor and interpret legislative changes across all jurisdictions, ensuring proactive implementation of required updates.
• Partner with Legal, Tax, and Compliance teams on employment, tax, garnishment, mobility, and cross-border payroll matters.
• Manage payroll-related audits, regulatory filings, and inquiries from tax and labor authorities.

5. TEAM LEADERSHIP AND CAPABILITY BUILDING

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of payroll, T&A, and benefits specialists, setting clear direction, priorities, and performance expectations.
• Elevate team capability through structured development plans, technical training, and exposure to best practices.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, service excellence, and employee-centricity.
• Drive workload balance, succession planning, and talent retention within the team.

6. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION

• Partner effectively with HR, Finance, Legal, Total Rewards, Mobility, and IT to ensure aligned, integrated service delivery.
• Communicate clearly and proactively with the employee population on payroll matters, ensuring transparency, timeliness, and a positive employee experience.
• Manage relationships with external vendors (ADP and others), holding them accountable to SLAs and driving service improvements.
• Provide executive-level reporting, KPIs, and insights to the Global Head of PSC and senior leadership.

7. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND TRANSFORMATION

• Identify and lead process improvement, automation, and standardization initiatives across payroll, T&A, and benefits administration.
• Contribute to the Global PSC strategy, aligning North America operations with global standards, governance, and service models.
• Support system upgrades, integrations, and transformation projects (e.g., ADP enhancements, SuccessFactors integration).

KEY ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• Professional payroll certification strongly preferred: CPP (Certified Payroll Professional – APA) and/or PCP/PLP (National Payroll Institute – Canada).
• 15+ years of progressive payroll experience, including 8+ years leading payroll operations in North America (US and Canada).
• Proven expertise in multi-state US payroll and multi-province Canadian payroll, including Québec specificities.
• Deep, hands-on experience with ADP GlobalView and ADP Celergo (required).
• Strong knowledge of US and Canadian tax, social security, employment, and wage & hour legislation.
• Demonstrated experience managing Executive Payroll, including complex compensation, equity, and confidential arrangements.
• Experience in a global shared services / People Support Center environment preferred.
• Proven track record of leading, developing, and elevating high-performing teams.
• Experience managing internal/external audits and SOX controls.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• Payroll accuracy rate (≥ 99.9%) and on-time payroll delivery (100%).
• Compliance with all federal, state, and provincial filings and deadlines (zero penalties).
• Executive Payroll accuracy and confidentiality (zero incidents).
• Employee satisfaction with payroll services (case resolution time, NPS).
• Internal and external audit outcomes (no material findings).
• Team engagement, capability uplift, and retention.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Leadership & People Development – inspires, coaches, and elevates team capability.
• Operational Excellence – delivers accuracy, timeliness, and compliance at scale.
• Stakeholder Management – communicates effectively with HR, Finance, Legal, and employees at all levels.
• Integrity & Confidentiality – particularly in handling Executive Payroll and sensitive data.
• Analytical & Problem-Solving Mindset – data-driven decision-making and root-cause analysis.
• We offer a competitive compensation package, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for professional development in a collaborative and inclusive legal team.
• We disclose the compensation range for positions in compliance with local law. Actual salaries will vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to location, experience, skills and in comparison to internal incumbents currently in similar roles. Pay Range: $150,000-170,000 salary per year. The range listed is just one component of Wella Company's total rewards package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonus plan or variable pay, depending on the role. In addition, Wella Company provides a rich variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance, life and disability insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, paid holidays and paid time off (PTO).
• NOTICES
• All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.
• If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, please email View email address on us.fitly.work. This email account will not respond to inquiries regarding the status of a candidate’s application.
• Wella participates in the E-Verify Program to confirm eligibility to work in the United States. Information regarding your rights: Know Your Rights and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision.

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