Director of Payroll

R1 RCM•Remote, IL, IL

2d•$111,079 - $147,768•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a strategic and transformational Director of Payroll to lead enterprise payroll operations for a large, complex workforce. This role is responsible for payroll strategy, governance, compliance, technology, vendor management, and operational excellence while ensuring an exceptional employee experience. As a trusted advisor to senior leadership, you will partner across HR, Finance, Tax, Legal, and HR Technology to drive modernization, mitigate risk, strengthen controls, and deliver a scalable payroll function that supports long-term business growth.

Requirements

Bachelor's - Equivalent experience will be considered in lieu of a degree
12+ years of progressive payroll leadership experience, including significant accountability for complex, high-volume, multi-state payroll operations within a large enterprise environment.
5+ years of experience leading managers, senior managers, and high-performing teams, with a demonstrated ability to build organizational capability, develop future leaders, and drive results through leaders.
Strong experience with Workday Payroll and Timekeeping
Proven experience developing and executing enterprise payroll strategies, operating models, governance frameworks, and transformation roadmaps.
Deep expertise in payroll regulations, tax compliance, wage-and-hour laws, SOX controls, audits, and enterprise risk management.
Demonstrated success leading large-scale payroll transformation, system implementations, automation initiatives, or shared services evolution.
Experience supporting mergers and acquisitions, organizational restructuring, workforce transformation, or geographic expansion.
Executive-level communication, influence, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to advise senior leaders on complex business, compliance, and workforce matters.
Proven ability to lead through ambiguity, drive organizational change, and balance strategic priorities with operational excellence.

Nice To Haves

CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Establish and execute the enterprise payroll strategy, operating model, governance framework, and multi-year transformation roadmap supporting organizational growth and workforce objectives.
Serve as the executive leader accountable for accurate, compliant, resilient, and scalable payroll delivery across a large, complex, multi-state workforce.
Provide strategic oversight of payroll governance, regulatory compliance, tax operations, SOX controls, audits, enterprise risk management, and financial stewardship.
Lead the modernization of payroll capabilities through technology innovation, automation, data governance, process standardization, and optimization of the Workday ecosystem.
Build and develop a high-performing payroll organization, leading through managers and senior professionals while strengthening leadership capability and succession readiness.
Direct strategic vendor partnerships and governance programs to optimize service delivery, compliance outcomes, operational performance, and business value.
Advise executive stakeholders on payroll-related risks, workforce impacts, compliance matters, transformation priorities, and investment decisions.
Lead payroll strategy and integration efforts for enterprise initiatives, including mergers and acquisitions, organizational restructuring, geographic expansion, shared services evolution, and business transformation.