Director of Payroll

Career Coaching Cloud is conducting a confidential search for a Director of Payroll for a Los Angeles-based service organization.

The Director of Payroll will lead a complex, high-volume, multi-state payroll function supporting a decentralized, field-based workforce. This role is responsible for payroll operations, payroll tax compliance, certified payroll, prevailing wage reporting, audit readiness, payroll accounting, labor costing, controls, reporting, and payroll integration related to acquisitions and growth initiatives.

This is a highly technical and hands-on leadership role requiring deep expertise in payroll compliance, finance partnership, audit controls, and operational payroll management.

Key Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Accounting, Finance, or Payroll-related background preferred

• CPP designation strongly preferred

• 10+ years of progressive payroll leadership experienc e

• 5+ years leading payroll in a multi-state, hourly, field-based environment

• Strong experience in construction, facilities services, logistics, manufacturing, or similar operational industries preferred

• Deep expertise with ADP Workforce Now required

• Direct experience with certified payroll and prevailing wage compliance required

• Experience with payroll tax, labor costing, GL reconciliation, audits, ERP integrations, and payroll controls

• Private equity-backed and acquisition-oriented company experience preferred

• Strong knowledge of federal/state payroll compliance, wage and hour laws, garnishments, overtime, and payroll accounting

• Advanced Excel and reporting capabilities required

Core Responsibilities Include:

• Lead end-to-end payroll operations across multi-state employee populations

• Ensure accuracy and compliance for weekly, biweekly, off-cycle, bonus, and termination payrolls

• Oversee payroll tax compliance, quarter/year-end processing, audits, and regulatory reporting

• Manage certified payroll and prevailing wage compliance for government/public works projects

• Partner closely with Finance and Accounting on payroll journals, reconciliations, accruals, audits, and controls

• Own payroll governance, workflows, documentation, reporting, and audit readiness

• Serve as technical owner of ADP Workforce Now including configuration, controls, integrations, and reporting

• Support payroll due diligence and integration activities related to acquisitions

• Lead and develop payroll team members while driving operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement

This role requires a strategic yet highly hands-on payroll leader who thrives in fast-paced, operationally complex environments and can partner cross-functionally with Finance, HR, Operations, Legal, IT, and executive leadership.