Payroll Manager

Ace Hardware•Oak Brook, IL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Payroll Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for enterprise payroll. This leader ensures accurate, timely and compliant payroll delivery while maintaining strong oversight of plan administration, governance, vendor performance, financial integrity and audit readiness.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive payroll leadership experience, including 5+ years at the manager or director level in high-volume, multi-state and multi-entity environments.
Demonstrated leadership of in-house Workday payroll, including configuration governance, change management and testing strategy.
Deep knowledge of payroll operations, financial controls, payroll taxation and regulatory compliance.
Strong analytical, communication and judgment skills, with the ability to translate complex requirements into practical business solutions.
Proven success leading teams, managing change and improving processes through technology and automation.
Strong commitment to audit readiness, internal controls, record retention and data privacy.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end in-house payroll operations in Workday across weekly, biweekly and semi-monthly cycles and multiple legal entities.
Set payroll governance, processing and systems strategy in alignment with enterprise financial, compliance and technology objectives.
Monitor and implement federal, state and local payroll, tax, wage-and-hour and calculation requirements.
Own payroll tax filings, reconciliations and agency issue resolution across federal, state and local jurisdictions.
Direct integrations among Workday payroll, retirement platforms and financial systems; identify automation, AI and process improvements that enhance accuracy, efficiency and the employee experience.
Lead the effort from a payroll perspective to integrate new business and new acquisitions.
Develop a high-performing team of 9 through clear priorities, coaching, performance management and succession planning.
Support the Ace sponsored benefit plans from a payroll perspective including, participant deferral calculations, coordination of communications, compliance, audits, inquiries and coordination with plan partners.

Benefits

Incentive opportunities
Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution the first year in addition to quarterly contributions and annual discretionary contribution
Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability)
Life insurance benefits
21 days of vacation
Up to 6 paid holidays
Company Car, phone and fuel card are provided for field-based positions
Annual Ace Cares Week, 20 hours off work per year to volunteer
Opportunities to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation
On-site classes, facilitator-led courses
Generous tuition assistance program
Frequent campus events like Employee Appreciation Week, vendor demos, cookouts, and merchandise sales
Services such as mobile spas, auto maintenance, car wash and detailing, dry cleaning, dentists, eye doctors, flu shots, recycling
Employee discounts on Ace merchandise, travel, fitness, computers and thousands more
Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off
Adoption cost reimbursement
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)