Director, Payroll

POSITION SUMMARY

Provides strategic and operational leadership for all payroll operations, ensuring compliant, efficient, and customer-focused payroll services. Oversees multi-state payroll governance, regulatory compliance, taxation, and year-end reporting for a complex higher education environment, while driving process improvement, system optimization, and continuous enhancement of payroll operations.

Duties and Responsibilities

Payroll Operations

• Lead, manage, and develop payroll staff to ensure timely, accurate processing of multi-state payrolls (State and In-House).
• Oversee end-to-end payroll operations, including validation, calculation, reconciliation, and disbursement.
• Ensure seamless coordination between Workday Payroll and legacy PeopleSoft systems, including data integrity and payroll balancing.

Compliance, Taxation & Year-End Processing

• Ensure compliance with all federal, multi-state, and local payroll tax regulations, union agreements, and institutional policies.
• Oversee preparation, review, and submission of payroll tax filings, including Forms 941, 1042, W-2, W-2C, and 1099, as applicable.
• Lead year-end payroll processing, including W-2 production and reconciliation, tax balancing, and audit reporting.
• Manage taxation complexities related to non-U.S. citizens, multi-state employees, and higher education-specific payroll scenarios.

Systems, Transformation & Integration

• Serve as the Payroll Subject Matter Expert for Workday Payroll implementation, configuration, enhancements, and releases.
• Partner with University Computing Services, Human Resources, Finance, and external consultants to troubleshoot payroll issues, conduct testing, and implement upgrades and enhancements.
• Conduct fit/gap analyses across Workday and PeopleSoft Payroll and Financial systems to align capabilities with business requirements.
• Drive automation, reporting, and process improvements leveraging ERP and reporting frameworks.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Serve as the primary payroll liaison to the Controller's Office, Human Resources, Finance, and the University community.
• Provide guidance on payroll processing, tax regulations, and compliance matters.
• Support audits, internal controls, executive reporting, and payroll change management initiatives.

Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Provide strategic leadership to enhance payroll service delivery, accuracy, and operational efficiency.
• Develop and implement process improvements, standard operating procedures, and best practices aligned with modern payroll operations in higher education.
• Ensure staff training and development in payroll systems, compliance, and customer service.
• Stay current on legislative and regulatory changes impacting payroll operations.