Director, Payroll

Real Chemistry•Chicago, MA

18h•$135,000 - $155,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Real Chemistry is seeking a Director of Payroll to lead end-to-end payroll operations for its U.S. employee population of approximately 1,700 employees across multiple entities. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate, compliant, and timely payroll execution across salaried, hourly, and temporary workforces. The Director will serve as a key partner to HR and Finance, oversee a small team, and drive continuous improvement in payroll processes, controls, and systems to support a growing, multi-entity organization.

Requirements

8–10+ years of progressive payroll experience, including team leadership
Deep expertise in multi-state U.S. payroll operations and regulatory compliance
Hands-on experience with ADP (Workforce Now or similar platform) required
Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive data with a high level of accuracy, integrity, and confidentiality
Strong cross-functional partnership skills with HR, Finance, and external providers
Experience driving system implementations, integrations, and process improvements

Nice To Haves

Experience with Workday or other HRIS systems strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Lead full-cycle U.S. payroll operations across multiple entities, including bi-monthly (salaried) and bi-weekly (hourly/temporary) payroll cycles
Ensure accurate and timely processing for ~1,700 employees, including both permanent and contingent workforce populations
Manage and develop a team of Payroll Analysts, providing coaching, performance management, and operational oversight
Oversee payroll-related components including taxes, benefits, and 401(k), ensuring compliance across federal, state, and local jurisdictions
Serve as a primary partner to HR and Finance on employee lifecycle events, reporting, reconciliations, and issue resolution
Ensure compliance with all payroll regulations, including tax filings, audits, and resolution of agency notices
Drive process optimization, documentation, and strengthening of internal controls to support audit readiness and scalability
Support payroll-related system initiatives, including integrations and data flow optimization between payroll and HRIS platforms (e.g., ADP, Workday)