Manager, Payroll Operations — Finance Manager

MSU Internal Job Postings Details•East Lansing, MI

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager of the Payroll Office provides leadership and strategic oversight for Michigan State University’s complex and multi-faceted payroll function. This position manages the operational and personnel activities of the Payroll Office to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant payroll processing for all University employees (approximately $1 .7B in salaries and wages). The incumbent is responsible for overseeing wage and deduction management, tax remittance, third-party payments, and direct deposit processing in accordance with University, federal, state, and local regulations. The Manager oversees payroll compliance for both U.S. citizen and international employees, ensuring adherence to complex federal and state tax and employment laws. This includes employees based in Michigan as well as those working across multiple ot her states. This role serves as a key liaison with external agencies—including the IRS—and internal partners such as Human Resources, General Counsel, Finance, and Information Technology to coordinate systems integration, compliance initiatives, and issue resolution. The Manager provides counsel, training, and direction to University personnel to ensure adherence to payroll and tax policies and to promote efficient business processes. Responsibilities include planning and executing payroll schedules, overseeing regular and off-cycle payroll processing, managing year-end tax reconciliation and W-2 compliance, and ensuring proper handling of overpayments and repayments. The Manager supervises managerial and administrative staff, provides operational guidance, monitors workload and productivity, and evaluates performance to maintain a high-functioning payroll operation. The position also leads efforts to interpret and implement changes resulting from new laws, regulations, and University policies, ensuring continuous compliance and process improvement. Strong analytical and interpersonal skills are required to identify issues, develop solutions, and enhance accuracy and efficiency across payroll systems and procedures.

Requirements

Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Business, Accounting or a related field
three to five years of progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in management, supervision and in the area of Finance
or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Nice To Haves

Certification as CPA, CMA or CPP
Proficiency with enterprise payroll platforms, in particular SAP and experience managing payroll systems
Knowledge of multi-state payroll processing
Familiarity with HRIS (Human Resources Information Systems) and time and attendance systems
Strong understanding of accounting principles and practices related to payroll
Ability to adapt to changing payroll regulations and implement necessary updates