Director of Payroll

Goodwill NYNJ•New York, NY

99d•$140,000 - $150,000

About The Position

The Director of Payroll is a strategic and hands-on leader responsible for the management, execution, governance, and continuous improvement of payroll operations across Goodwill NYNJ and affiliated entities, including Good Temps. Reporting to the SVP of Finance, the Director oversees payroll administration for a diverse workforce, ensuring accuracy, compliance, operational efficiency, and responsive service delivery. The role leads and develops the payroll team while maintaining direct operational involvement and technical expertise in payroll processing, systems, compliance, audits, controls, reporting, and process improvement. As the organization's payroll subject matter expert, the Director addresses complex payroll issues, supports critical payroll cycles, validates accuracy through reconciliations and data triangulation, and leads strategic initiatives. The Director works closely with Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Information Technology, Retail Operations, Workforce Development, and Good Temps leadership. The role also evaluates and develops opportunities for Good Temps to offer payroll administration services as a revenue-generating business line for nonprofit organizations, public agencies, workforce development organizations, and other external employers.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field.
8–10 years of progressive payroll leadership experience in a complex, multi-site, multi-entity environment.
At least 5 years of experience leading and developing payroll teams.
Deep knowledge of payroll operations, payroll tax regulations, wage-and-hour laws, and compliance requirements.
Demonstrated expertise in payroll systems, HRIS platforms, workforce management systems, and related technologies.
Experience with audit management, internal controls, payroll reconciliations, and regulatory compliance.
Ability to operate as both a strategic leader and a hands-on payroll practitioner.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, project management, and decision-making skills.
Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.

Nice To Haves

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
Experience in nonprofit, workforce development, staffing, retail, healthcare, or multi-location organizations.
Experience supporting temporary staffing payroll operations and client-based workforce solutions.
Experience developing or managing outsourced payroll services or shared-services business models.

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, develop, and manage the Payroll Department, setting goals, performance metrics, service standards, and development plans.
Balance strategic leadership with hands-on participation in payroll operations, coaching staff and maintaining expertise in daily processing.
Oversee accurate, compliant, and timely payroll processing across Goodwill NYNJ and affiliated entities for salaried, hourly, retail, workforce development, and temporary staffing employees.
Oversee payroll activities involving multiple pay frequencies, overtime and premium pay, shift differentials, leave programs, retroactive adjustments, garnishments, employee reimbursements, and payroll tax compliance.
Review and approve payroll calculations, adjustments, exception reports, and final payroll transmissions.
Create cross-training and succession planning strategies and build a high-performing team able to support growth and changing business needs.
Partner with Good Temps leadership to align payroll processes with business growth, workforce deployment, client needs, and service expectations.
Oversee temporary employee payroll administration, including job assignments, time collection, pay rates, client billing interfaces, and statutory compliance.
Evaluate opportunities to streamline systems, processes, reporting, and controls across Goodwill NYNJ and Good Temps, serving as the primary payroll liaison between their leadership teams.
Assess and develop external payroll service offerings, including market feasibility, compliance, service models, technology, resource planning, pricing, and profitability.
Design, implement, and scale payroll operating models for internal operations and external client services; establish service levels, governance, onboarding, implementation, and operating procedures.
Collaborate with Business Development, Finance, Operations, and IT on proposals, client presentations, contract reviews, implementation planning, and service expansion.
Develop staffing models, capacity plans, and technology strategies to support payroll service growth.
Develop and execute payroll strategy aligned with organizational goals, workforce needs, compliance, and operational excellence.
Lead transformation efforts focused on automation, standardization, efficiency, and scalability; evaluate technologies and industry trends.
Establish payroll KPIs and reporting metrics and lead system implementations, upgrades, conversions, and organizational change initiatives.
Advise senior leadership on payroll risks, opportunities, and operational improvements.
Own payroll systems and related technologies, overseeing administration, configuration, testing, maintenance, optimization, and integrations with HRIS, workforce management, timekeeping, benefits, finance, and staffing platforms.
Partner with IT, HR, Finance, and vendors to maintain data integrity and recommend technology solutions that improve accuracy, reporting, compliance, and employee experience.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, wage-and-hour laws, collective bargaining agreements, nonprofit regulations, staffing requirements, and applicable employment laws.
Maintain payroll controls and governance; lead payroll audits and coordinate responses to internal, external, regulatory, financial, and tax audits.
Oversee payroll tax filings, year-end reporting, reconciliations, and regulatory submissions; maintain policies, procedures, control documentation, and audit trails.
Monitor regulatory developments and implement necessary operational changes.
Lead reconciliation and balancing across payroll, HR, timekeeping, benefits, tax, and general ledger systems.
Use data triangulation and analytical reviews to identify discrepancies, trends, process gaps, and compliance risks; validate payroll through reporting, exception analysis, audits, and controls.
Partner with Finance and Accounting on payroll accruals, journal entries, account reconciliations, and financial reporting.
Investigate and resolve complex payroll discrepancies, implementing corrective and preventive controls, and develop payroll analytics and dashboards.
Collaborate with organizational partners on compensation, benefits, workforce planning, labor management, compliance, and employee experience initiatives.
Manage relationships with payroll providers, tax authorities, auditors, benefit vendors, consultants, and regulatory agencies.
Present payroll trends, compliance findings, operational metrics, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.