Contract Payroll Manager (Workday)

Saronic Technologies•Austin, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Saronic Technologies is seeking an experienced Contract Payroll Manager to lead payroll operations during a period of rapid company growth. This role owns end-to-end payroll processing in Workday, ensures compliance with multi-state and federal payroll regulations, and partners closely with People, Finance, and Legal to keep payroll accurate, timely, and audit-ready. This is a fixed-term contract engagement suited to a hands-on payroll leader who can step in immediately and run payroll independently.

Requirements

7+ years of progressive payroll experience, including at least 3 years in a payroll management or lead role
Deep, hands-on experience running payroll in Workday, including configuration, troubleshooting, and reporting
Proven track record owning multi-state payroll for a company of 500+ employees
Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax law, wage and hour regulations, and FLSA requirements
Experience partnering cross-functionally with People, Finance, and Legal teams on payroll matters
Experience supporting SOX controls, internal audits, or external payroll audits
Demonstrated ability to manage payroll independently with minimal onboarding ramp time
Advanced Excel/spreadsheet skills and strong attention to detail with high-volume, time-sensitive data
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain payroll matters clearly to employees and leadership
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality when handling sensitive compensation and personal data

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in a fast-growing, venture-backed, manufacturing, defense, or hardware technology company
Experience with Workday reporting tools (e.g., custom reports, calculated fields) beyond standard configuration
Experience with equity compensation payroll treatment (RSUs, stock options) and multi-entity or multi-country payroll
Experience implementing or migrating payroll systems onto Workday

Responsibilities

Own and manage end-to-end multi-state payroll processing in Workday for all employee types, including biweekly or semi-monthly cycles, off-cycle payments, and final pay
Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Workday payroll modules, including earnings/deduction codes, tax setups, retro pay, and integrations with time tracking and benefits systems
Ensure accurate calculation and timely remittance of federal, state, and local payroll taxes, and manage tax filings across all applicable jurisdictions
Lead payroll compliance efforts, including wage and hour law, FLSA classification, garnishments, and multi-state registration requirements
Partner with People, Finance, Total Rewards, and Legal teams on payroll-related matters, including new hires, terminations, leaves of absence, equity/bonus payouts, and benefits deductions
Manage and reconcile payroll general ledger entries, working closely with Accounting to support month-end close and payroll accruals
Prepare and review payroll reports, audits, and analytics for internal stakeholders and external auditors
Serve as the primary point of escalation for payroll discrepancies, employee inquiries, and system issues
Drive process improvements and Workday payroll optimizations to increase efficiency and reduce manual work
Maintain SOX-compliant payroll controls and documentation, supporting internal and external audit requests
Stay current on federal, state, and local payroll law changes and ensure timely implementation of required updates