Payroll & Benefits Manager

Topcon Positioning Systems•Oakland, NJ

6d•$70,000 - $90,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Payroll & Benefits Manager is responsible for the accuracy, compliance, and operational integrity of payroll and benefits administration across the United States, Canada, and Australia. It is a hands-on individual contributor role responsible for end-to-end payroll operations, benefits administration, and payroll and benefits configuration within Workday. The role ensures employees are paid accurately and on time, benefits programs are administered effectively, and regulatory requirements are met across all regions. This role is the primary point of accountability for payroll and benefits operations, responsible for maintaining data integrity, resolving complex issues, and driving process improvements that increase accuracy, efficiency, and compliance. The role requires deep technical expertise, strong judgment, and the ability to independently identify root causes and implement sustainable solutions across multiple countries. Partnering closely with Human Resources, Finance, external payroll providers, and benefits brokers, this role ensures payroll and benefits programs operate effectively and supports business and employee needs. This opportunity is ideal for someone who thrives in a highly accountable environment, enjoys solving complex operational challenges, and takes ownership of critical processes from strategy through execution.

Requirements

Deep ownership experience managing payroll across the United States, Canada, and Australia, including complex regulatory and operational requirements.
Hands-on experience with multi-country payroll operations and understanding of cross-border payroll, tax, and compliance considerations.
Experience configuring and managing Workday payroll and benefits administration, not just processing transactions within it.
You identify and resolve systemic payroll, benefits, and Workday issues, not just execute processes.
Experience managing payroll audits, tax filings, reporting, benefits-related compliance activities, and regulatory requirements with confidence and accuracy.
You can operate effectively in environments where payroll and benefits processes, controls, and systems need to be strengthened or scaled.
The ability to make sound decisions in complex or ambiguous payroll and benefits situations.
You communicate clearly and work effectively across HR, Finance, external payroll providers, benefits brokers, and other partners.

Nice To Haves

Experience in regulated or highly compliant environments
Experience supporting payroll benefits administration in Workday, including configuration, troubleshooting
Direct experience with Australia payroll

Responsibilities

Own the accuracy, compliance, and operational integrity of payroll and benefits administration across the United States, Canada, and Australia, ensuring employees are paid accurately, benefits are administered effectively, and all regulatory obligations are met.
Navigate complex multi-country payroll requirements across the United States, Canada, and Australia, ensuring accurate execution, regulatory compliance, and a consistent employee experience across all regions.
Lead the resolution of complex payroll, benefits, and Workday-related issues by identifying root causes, implementing sustainable solutions, and ensuring accurate, compliant outcomes across the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Drive payroll and benefits operational excellence by establishing effective controls, managing critical timelines, and continuously improving processes to ensure accurate, compliant, and timely outcomes across the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Own the configuration, integrity, and continuous optimization of Workday payroll and benefits administration, ensuring accurate, compliant, and scalable support for employees across the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Configure, maintain, and optimize payroll and benefits administration within Workday, including earnings, deductions, eligibility rules, tax settings, integrations, and related processes to support accurate, compliant, and efficient operations across the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Lead the investigation and resolution of complex payroll, benefits, and Workday system issues by identifying root causes, correcting data integrity concerns, and implementing sustainable solutions that improve accuracy, compliance, and operational performance.
Drive continuous improvement across payroll and benefits operations by simplifying processes, increasing automation, strengthening controls, and enhancing the employee experience while improving accuracy, compliance, and operational efficiency.
Lead the evaluation, testing, and implementation of payroll and benefits system enhancements, ensuring Workday supports evolving business needs, regulatory requirements, and operational best practices across the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Own benefits administration within Workday, ensuring accurate configuration, eligibility rules, enrollments, deductions, and data integrity.
Troubleshoot complex benefits issues and resolve root causes within Workday and related processes.
Partner with HR Business Partners on employee and manager escalations and coordinate with the benefits broker on complex cases.
Ensure benefit elections, deductions, and payroll impacts are processed accurately and timely.
Support annual enrollment activities, benefit plan changes, testing, and system updates.
Ensure compliance with payroll, tax, and employment-related regulations across the United States, Canada, and Australia by monitoring legislative changes, assessing business impact, and implementing required updates to payroll and benefits processes, systems, and controls.
Lead all payroll-related compliance activities, including tax filings, audits, reporting, garnishments, and regulatory requirements, ensuring accurate execution, timely completion, and adherence to applicable laws across the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Monitor and evaluate changes in payroll, tax, benefits, and employment regulations across the United States, Canada, and Australia, translating regulatory requirements into actionable updates to systems, processes, controls, and employee programs.
Establish and maintain documentation, controls, and governance practices that support audit readiness, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence across payroll and benefits administration in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Lead the identification and resolution of process, system, and operational inefficiencies across payroll and benefits administration by addressing root causes, strengthening controls, and implementing scalable solutions that improve accuracy, compliance, and employee experience.
Develop and implement standardized payroll and benefits processes, controls, and best practices across the United States, Canada, and Australia to improve consistency, reduce risk, and support a scalable employee experience.
Design, implement, and continuously enhance payroll and benefits controls that mitigate risk, improve data integrity, and prevent recurring issues across systems, processes, and jurisdictions.
Serve as the escalation point for complex payroll, benefits, and Workday-related issues, ensuring timely resolution and a positive employee experience.
Manage relationships with external payroll providers, benefits brokers, tax partners, and other vendors to ensure reliable service delivery, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
Partner with HR leadership and HR Business Partners to ensure payroll and benefits administration accurately reflect policies, programs, employee changes, and business needs.
Support compensation, benefits, equity, and employee lifecycle processes that impact payroll, benefits administration, reporting, and compliance.
Provide clear reporting and insights on payroll and benefits accuracy, trends, risk areas, and opportunities for process improvement.