Director, Global Payroll & HRIS

NAES•Issaquah, WA

21h

About The Position

The Director of Global Payroll & HRIS provides strategic and operational leadership for all global payroll operations and HR technology. This senior leader is responsible for developing the long-term vision for payroll and HRIS, ensuring exceptional operational execution, strengthening governance and compliance, and building scalable systems that support the organization's continued growth. Success in this role requires more than technical expertise. We're seeking a leader with strong emotional intelligence, sound business judgment, and a passion for developing people. Someone who creates clarity during change, builds trust across functions, and inspires teams to continuously improve. The Director leads the end-to-end delivery of accurate, compliant, and timely payroll operations while driving modernization of payroll and HRIS platforms to improve the employee experience and organizational efficiency.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or related discipline
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) required
12+ years of progressive payroll leadership, including significant global payroll responsibility
Proven experience leading large-scale payroll transformation and HRIS modernization initiatives
Experience managing complex international payroll operations across multiple jurisdictions
Demonstrated success building and leading high-performing teams
Progressive leadership experience with increasing organizational scope and responsibility
Experience partnering with executive leadership and cross-functional senior stakeholders
High emotional intelligence and self-awareness
Executive presence with humility and authenticity
Strong business and financial acumen
Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills
Strategic thinking balanced with operational discipline
Courage to make difficult decisions while leading with empathy
Ability to inspire, coach, and develop others
Intellectual curiosity and continuous learning
A growth mindset with a passion for innovation
Calm, thoughtful leadership during periods of change
Ability to operate effectively at both the strategic and operational levels
Ability to influence and align senior leaders across multiple functions

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a forward-looking global payroll and HRIS strategy that supports organizational growth and scalability
Provide strategic direction and executive-level leadership for the global payroll and HRIS function
Build a culture focused on operational excellence, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement
Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on payroll strategy, workforce technology, compliance, and organizational risk
Lead transformational initiatives that simplify processes, improve efficiency, and enhance the employee experience
Establish priorities, governance, and performance expectations for the payroll and HRIS organization
Recruit, develop, coach, and retain exceptional payroll and HRIS professionals
Foster an environment built on trust, collaboration, accountability, and ownership
Develop future leaders while encouraging innovation, curiosity, and professional growth
Lead with humility, empathy, and emotional intelligence
Build organizational capability and succession plans to ensure the long-term strength of the function
Oversee accurate and timely payroll processing across multiple countries and jurisdictions
Ensure compliance with international, federal, state, provincial, and local payroll, tax, wage, and employment regulations
Own payroll governance, internal controls, audit readiness, JSOX compliance, and data privacy standards
Continuously evaluate and improve payroll policies, controls, and operating procedures
Establish and maintain a scalable global payroll operating model that supports organizational growth
Lead the strategic direction of payroll and HRIS platforms, including UKG Workforce and future technologies
Identify opportunities to automate workflows, improve integrations, and leverage technology to eliminate manual processes
Champion data integrity and reporting capabilities that support better business decisions
Partner with IT to ensure scalable, secure, and resilient HR technology solutions
Develop and execute a long-term HR technology roadmap aligned with business and HR strategy
Partner closely with Finance and Accounting to ensure accurate payroll accounting, reconciliations, accruals, executive compensation, and financial reporting
Ensure payroll data supports audit requirements and organizational financial controls
Identify opportunities to improve forecasting, reporting, and operational efficiency
Provide executive leadership with insights into payroll costs, trends, risks, and opportunities
Build trusted relationships across HR, Finance, Accounting, Legal, Tax, Operations, and executive leadership
Influence decisions through collaboration rather than authority
Communicate complex issues clearly and confidently to executives and stakeholders
Lead organizational change with transparency and confidence
Represent Payroll & HRIS as a strategic business function and trusted advisor to senior leadership
Establish strategic partnerships with global payroll providers and technology vendors
Hold partners accountable through clearly defined service levels and performance expectations
Continuously evaluate vendor performance, technology, and opportunities for improvement
Lead vendor strategy, negotiations, and long-term partnerships to maximize value, service, and scalability