Associate Vice President, Payroll

The Ohio State University • Columbus, OH

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Ohio State University Payroll Services delivers strategic, compliant and customer-focused payroll operations supporting employees across the University and Wexner Medical Center. We are committed to ensuring accurate and timely pay, safeguarding institutional compliance, and providing trusted expertise and partnership to employees, leaders, and HR professionals. Through operational excellence, innovation, and service, Payroll Services supports the University’s mission by delivering reliable payroll solutions that meet the complex needs of a world-class academic medical center and higher education institution. The Associate Vice President, Payroll serves as a key leader within the Office of Business and Finance, reporting to the Vice President of Operations and Deputy Chief Financial Officer. This role provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for one of the nation’s most complex payroll environments, serving employees across The Ohio State University and Wexner Medical Center, including faculty, staff, student employees, healthcare professionals, and clinical operations across multiple locations and states. This leader is responsible for setting the vision, strategy, and direction for Payroll Services, ensuring the delivery of accurate, timely, and compliant payroll operations while advancing innovation, process improvement, and service excellence. The AVP will play a critical role in aligning payroll strategy with the university’s broader financial, human capital, and technology priorities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and twelve (12) or more years of progressive experience supporting large, complex organizations with highly regulated, operationally diverse, and multi-faceted workforce environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, multi-layered teams, including development of leaders and high-performing organizations.
• Deep expertise in payroll operations, tax compliance, and regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in a complex, decentralized environment and influence across functions.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Recognized as a collaborative leader who builds partnerships across a complex enterprise environment, influencing stakeholders and driving change across areas outside of direct authority to improve operational efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and employee experience.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong technical aptitude with the ability to quickly learn new systems, technologies, and business.
• Extensive knowledge of enterprise payroll, HRIS, and workforce management systems, including hands-on experience working within complex payroll and timekeeping environments, with a strong understanding of payroll system functionality, configuration, workflows, business processes, interfaces, and data management.
• Candidates must reside in Ohio, with the ability to engage on-site in Columbus as needed.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience leading payroll transformation initiatives, including system implementations or major process redesign.
• Familiarity with enterprise payroll systems such as Workday, SAP, or Oracle.
• Professional certifications such as Certified Payroll Professional (CPP), CPA or related credentials.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for Payroll Services, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities while maintaining rigorous compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Lead and develop a multi-functional Payroll organization, overseeing payroll operations, payroll tax administration, time and absence management, accounting, and systems teams.
• Provide leadership for the planning, organization, and execution of all biweekly and monthly payroll processes across all campuses, serving approximately 42,000 employees, while driving excellence in service delivery, operational efficiency, process quality, and team performance.
• Drive process and system optimization initiatives in partnership with IT, HR and Finance, leveraging data and enhancing platforms to improve efficiency, audit outcomes, and long-term scalability.

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision coverage, with Ohio State paying a significant portion of the cost.
• Paid time off, including sick and vacation time and 11 holidays.
• State retirement plan or an alternative retirement plan, both with generous employer contributions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive