Director, Payroll

San Manuel Band Of Mission Indians • San Manuel, AZ

285d

About The Position

Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Accounting, the Director, Payroll will provide strategic leadership and oversight of all aspects of payroll shared services operations for the multi-entity multi-state organization with over 10,000 team members, including Tribal Members. This role is responsible for aligning payroll systems and operations with the entities overall business strategies, closely collaborating with Finance, Accounting, Legal, Human Resources and operational leaders to drive strategy and effectively mitigate financial, legal, compliance and operational risk. The Director plays a critical role in safeguarding payroll accuracy, maintaining confidentiality, and driving continuous improvement in payroll policies and procedures.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field is required.
• Minimum ten (10) years of progressive payroll experience in high volume employee count electronic payroll systems is required.
• Minimum seven (7) years of managing teams within payroll is required.
• In-depth knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll laws and tax regulations.
• Proficiency in payroll software and systems (e.g., ADP or SAP) is required.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing, complex accounting information in a clear and concise manner with leadership, colleagues, and staff.
• Must have executive presence and be able to present to Executives and Boards.
• Mastery of advanced Excel skills including complex formulas required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in Workday system highly preferred.
• Ability to acquire in-depth understanding of Tribal Employment Rights Ordinances (TERO) and other Native American employment laws.
• Familiarity with the unique payroll requirements and compliance issues related to Native American tribes.
• Demonstrated ability to drive business results is required.
• Act with integrity, professionalism, and personal responsibility to uphold the organization's values, vision and goals.

Responsibilities

• Provides strategic leadership to the payroll department, aligning strategies with organizational goals.
• Ensures compliance with applicable laws and regulations including tax reporting, ensuring timely implementation of necessary changes.
• Fosters a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the team.
• Develops and enforces payroll policies for consistency, accuracy, compliance and risk mitigation.
• Resolves complex payroll issues and advises senior leadership on payroll-related issues and compliance.
• Governs all system implementations, integrations and upgrades by ensuring appropriate and succinct planning with cross-functional teams and timelines.
• Implements and maintains payroll systems and technology to improve efficiency and accuracy.
• Drives continuous improvement initiatives while ensuring optimization of payroll system controls and their impact on the overall business.
• Oversees internal and external payroll audits, ensuring compliance and accurate records.
• Keeps stakeholders informed about payroll laws and regulations and develops implementation plans.
• Analyzes and addresses payroll data integrity issues.
• Provides data and insights for financial planning, audits, and compliance reporting.
• Maintains strong relationships with auditors and regulatory bodies.
• Ensures the payroll system complies with federal, multi-state, and local laws by establishing controls and monitoring results.
• Collaborates with Human Resources, IT, and external providers to adapt processes.
• Defines operational KPIs and SLAs and ensures contract compliance.
• Leads cross-functional teams to address and resolve payroll-related challenges.
• Leads payroll during crises, ensuring operational continuity.
• Stays updated with payroll laws and engages in continuous learning and professional development.
• Represents the department on various committees and fosters a culturally aware work environment.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support the efficient operation of the department.

Benefits

• Total Rewards package of monetary, benefits and development rewards to individuals who meet and exceed specific goals.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Warehousing and Storage
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree