Associate HR Operations & Payroll Manager

Pacvue•Chicago, IL

37d•Remote

About The Position

As an Associate HR Operations & Payroll Manager, you will play a key role in driving efficient, compliant, and employee-focused HR operations. You'll own core HR processes, data integrity, and systems administration while supporting seamless employee experiences across the organization. In addition, you'll serve as a backup for U.S. payroll and support the coordination of global payroll. This role operates with limited guidance, partners closely with Finance, HRBPs, IT, and external providers, and contributes to continuous improvement of systems, policies, and processes that enhance scalability and operational excellence.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in HR operations with exposure to payroll processes; experience supporting or running payroll a plus.
Strong understanding of HR systems and processes, including HRIS data management, compliance, and reporting.
Experience with HRIS platforms (BambooHR or similar) and familiarity with payroll systems (ADP Workforce Now, Deel, or similar) and talent systems (Greenhouse, CultureAmp, Lattice or equivalent) as well as project management platforms.
Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, v-lookups, x-lookups, logic formulas)
Excellent attention to detail, data integrity, and confidentiality (PII).
Strong communicator with proven ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and collaborate effectively across HR, Finance, and IT.
Continuous improvement mindset with a track record of enhancing efficiency and standardizing processes.

Responsibilities

Maintain accurate and compliant employee data in the HRIS (e.g., BambooHR), including job changes, compensation updates, org structure, and approvals.
Administer time and attendance systems (timesheets, PTO, and manager approvals) and resolve exceptions promptly.
Enhance and build upon onboarding, offboarding and employee lifecycle processes, ensuring timely completion of documentation, eligibility verification, and systems access.
Manage employee support requests and ensure timely, high-quality responses.
Develop and maintain SOPs, checklists, and controls that meet audit, privacy, and compliance standards across HR functions.
Partner cross-functionally with HRBPs, Talent, Payroll, and Benefits to ensure smooth operations and consistent employee experiences.
Identify, document, and implement process improvements to increase accuracy, efficiencies/reduce manual work, and enhance service delivery.
Build and deliver recurring reports and dashboards (headcount, turnover, PTO, compensation changes) and ensure alignment across HRIS, payroll, and Finance systems.
Troubleshoot data or integration issues between HR systems and external vendors; collaborate with IT on system enhancements and data integrity initiatives.
Support system testing, audits, and compliance reporting as needed.
Serve as a backup for end-to-end U.S. payroll processing, ensuring accuracy and timeliness when primary coverage is unavailable.
Partner with external vendors to support global payroll administration and maintain compliance across multiple countries.
Assist with reconciliations between HRIS, payroll, and Finance to ensure data accuracy and consistency.