Payroll Compliance and Operations Manager

Corebridge Financial • Houston, TX

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Payroll Compliance & Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing global payroll operations and ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery across multiple jurisdictions. Operating within a predominantly outsourced model, this role serves as the key governance point between HR, Finance, Shared Services, and external vendors. This leader will drive operational excellence, strengthen risk and control frameworks, optimize payroll systems (including Workday), and ensure audit-ready processes that support a highly regulated financial services environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, Business, or related field.
• 7+ years of global or multi-jurisdiction payroll experience, ideally within a regulated industry.
• Proven success managing outsourced payroll vendors and complex operating models.
• Deep knowledge of U.S. payroll and multi-state tax requirements; international exposure preferred.
• Experience with SOX/internal control environments.
• Strong HRIS expertise, including Workday Payroll.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, problem-solving, and execution skills.

Nice To Haves

• CPP, CIPP, GPMC, or Workday Payroll certification.
• Experience supporting sales compensation payroll structures.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end payroll execution across the U.S., U.K., Ireland, and Bermuda through global and regional vendors.
• Ensure compliance with all statutory, tax, social insurance, and labor requirements.
• Maintain strong internal controls, documentation, and payroll risk management practices.
• Lead year-end and year-begin payroll activities, including statutory filings, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Partner with Tax, Finance, and HR to ensure accurate withholding, filings, and regulatory adherence.
• Support internal and external audits and maintain audit-ready documentation.
• Monitor payroll controls, defensive queries, and remediation efforts to mitigate operational risk.
• Serve as relationship manager for payroll providers, holding partners accountable to SLAs and performance expectations.
• Lead governance reviews, resolve escalations, and drive continuous service improvement.
• Identify opportunities to enhance automation, standardization, data integrity, and employee experience.
• Provide leadership with insights on process improvements, regulatory readiness, and system optimization.
• Support enterprise initiatives such as integrations, organizational changes, and payroll transformation efforts.
• Act as a subject matter expert, collaborating across HR, Total Rewards, Finance, Mobility, Tax, and IT to ensure seamless payroll operations.

Benefits

• Health and Wellness: We offer a range of medical, dental and vision insurance plans, as well as mental health support and wellness initiatives to promote overall well-being.
• Retirement Savings: We offer retirement benefits options, which vary by location. In the U.S., our competitive 401(k) Plan offers a generous dollar-for-dollar Company matching contribution of up to 6% of eligible pay and a Company contribution equal to 3% of eligible pay (subject to annual IRS limits and Plan terms). These Company contributions vest immediately.
• Employee Assistance Program: Confidential counseling services and resources are available to all employees.
• Matching charitable donations: Corebridge matches donations to tax-exempt organizations 1:1, up to $5,000.
• Volunteer Time Off: Employees may use up to 16 volunteer hours annually to support activities that enhance and serve communities where employees live and work.
• Paid Time Off: Eligible employees start off with at least 24 Paid Time Off (PTO) days so they can take time off for themselves and their families when they need it.

What This Job Offers

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