Director, Payroll

Grainger Businesses • Lake Forest, IL

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Payroll leads end-to-end payroll strategy and operations for U.S. and Canada, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant delivery while advancing the payroll technology roadmap, strengthening controls, and elevating team member experience. The role oversees in-country payroll tax governance, manages third-party providers, advises on international payroll considerations, and is accountable for continuous improvement, SOX/SOC1 control integrity, audit readiness, and data-driven performance management across the payroll ecosystem.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree and 10+ years progressive payroll leadership experience with multi-country scope (U.S. and Canada), including direct ownership of payroll tax and vendor management required.
• Demonstrated experience leading payroll in SAP SuccessFactors/Employee Central Payroll (ECP) and Payroll Control Center (PCC) (or equivalent enterprise platforms) and collaborating closely with HRIS on integrations/roadmaps
• Proven track record managing SOX/SOC1 controls, audits, and compliance programs
• Strong people-leadership capabilities (leader of leaders), change leadership, and cross-functional influence

Nice To Haves

• Six Sigma Certification and/or continuous improvement background preferred
• Experience with expatriate/inpatriate payroll and global taxation considerations

Responsibilities

• Set the payroll vision and multi-year strategy, aligning processes, technology, and vendors to business goals, with clear KPIs and dashboards to monitor accuracy, timeliness, experience, and control health.
• Define and drive the payroll technology roadmap with HRIS (including SAP SuccessFactors ECP & PCC), ensuring scalable design, stable integrations, and robust reporting and analytics.
• Oversee end-to-end U.S. and Canada payroll operations, including processing, accounting, benefits interfaces, off cycle runs, and all special events. (Year-end, bonus/equity, etc.)
• Ensure regulatory compliance across federal, state/provincial, and local jurisdictions, proactively assessing and implementing legislative changes.
• Lead vendor management and service-level performance, ensuring accuracy, compliance and continuous improvement across all partners.
• Build and lead a high-performing, leader-of-leaders organization, driving accountability, coaching, collaboration, and succession planning.
• Own payroll policy, controls, and audit readiness (SOX/SOC1), ensuring compliant design and effective operation across all internal and outsourced processes.
• Serve as executive escalation point and SME for complex payroll issues, ensuring rapid resolution and preventive corrective action.
• Oversee payroll tax governance, including KPIs, controls, exception-trend review, and opportunities for remediation, automation, and cross-border tax alignment (U.S./Canada, expat/inpat).
• Embed continuous improvement and standardization, simplifying processes, advancing automation and AI use cases, and ensuring consistent SOPs, process maps, RACIs across Payroll Operations and Payroll Tax while partnering cross-functionally on enterprise initiatives and enhancing team member experience.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.
• 18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
• 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
• Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
• Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.

What This Job Offers

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