Payroll Manager

JAS Worldwide•Atlanta, GA

24d•Onsite

About The Position

The Payroll Manager is responsible for overseeing the accurate, timely, and compliant processing of payroll for more than 900 employees. This position provides leadership and direction for the payroll function while serving as a subject-matter expert in payroll processing, payroll taxation, Workday, ADP Smart Compliance, 401(k) administration, and HSA management. The Payroll Manager is responsible for ensuring payroll operations are efficient, well-controlled, and compliant with federal, state, and local regulations. This role partners closely with Human Resources, Finance, Benefits, and external vendors to resolve complex payroll matters, strengthen processes and controls, and deliver a high-quality payroll experience for employees. The ideal candidate is a hands-on payroll leader who can effectively balance people leadership, payroll operations, technical expertise, compliance, and continuous process improvement.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
8+ years of progressive payroll experience, including experience overseeing payroll operations.
Demonstrated experience processing payroll for 900+ employees.
Prior experience supervising, leading, or mentoring payroll professionals.
Strong hands-on experience with Workday.
Experience with ADP Smart Compliance and payroll tax administration.
Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements.
Demonstrated experience with 401(k) administration and payroll contributions.
Demonstrated experience with HSA administration and payroll contributions.
Strong understanding of payroll reconciliations, audits, controls, and compliance requirements.
Advanced Excel skills and experience working with large data sets.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Exceptional attention to detail and ability to manage multiple deadlines.
Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive employee information.

Nice To Haves

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC).
Experience with Workday Payroll implementation, configuration, integrations, or system enhancements.
Experience managing multi-state payroll.
Experience with payroll tax audits and year-end processing.
Experience managing relationships with payroll, tax, benefits, and retirement plan vendors.
Experience developing payroll SOPs, internal controls, and process improvement initiatives.
Experience leading payroll system implementations or significant payroll process transformations.

Responsibilities

Oversee the accurate and timely processing of payroll for 900+ employees, including salaried and hourly employees.
Provide direction, support, and oversight to payroll team members to ensure payroll deadlines and service expectations are consistently met.
Review payroll for accuracy and completeness, including earnings, deductions, taxes, benefits, garnishments, reimbursements, and other payroll-related transactions.
Establish and maintain effective payroll controls, review procedures, and reconciliation processes.
Conduct pre-payroll and post-payroll audits to identify and resolve discrepancies before and after payroll is finalized.
Review and approve payroll adjustments, corrections, retroactive payments, off-cycle payrolls, and other complex payroll transactions.
Oversee the investigation and resolution of payroll discrepancies, including overpayments, underpayments, deduction issues, and employee data errors.
Ensure payroll processes are documented and consistently followed.
Serve as the escalation point for complex payroll issues and employee inquiries.
Lead, coach, and develop payroll team members to ensure accurate, timely, and customer-focused service.
Establish clear expectations, priorities, and performance standards for the payroll team.
Monitor workload, deadlines, and service levels to ensure payroll activities are completed accurately and on time.
Provide ongoing training and guidance on payroll processes, systems, compliance requirements, and best practices.
Review team processes and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and accountability.
Foster a collaborative environment with strong communication and partnership across Payroll, HR, Benefits, Finance, and Accounting.
Serve as the Payroll subject-matter expert and business lead for Workday payroll processes.
Oversee payroll-related transactions and ensure accurate employee, compensation, deduction, tax, and benefit data within Workday.
Troubleshoot complex payroll and system issues and coordinate with HR, Finance, Benefits, and Workday support resources to resolve them.
Review Workday payroll outputs and integrations for accuracy and completeness.
Participate in Workday testing, system enhancements, releases, integrations, and process changes.
Identify system opportunities and recommend improvements to enhance payroll efficiency and data integrity.
Develop and maintain payroll-related Workday procedures, job aids, and standard operating procedures.
Oversee federal, state, and local payroll tax processes and compliance requirements.
Ensure payroll tax calculations, filings, and payments are accurate and completed timely.
Monitor changes in payroll tax laws and regulations and coordinate implementation of required changes.
Review and resolve payroll tax notices, agency correspondence, discrepancies, and compliance issues.
Partner with ADP and other payroll tax vendors to research and resolve tax-related issues.
Ensure accurate employee tax elections, work locations, and tax jurisdictions.
Support year-end payroll tax activities, including W-2 processing and reconciliation.
Oversee the use of ADP Smart Compliance for payroll tax filing, payments, notices, and compliance activities.
Monitor tax filings, payments, notices, and agency correspondence to ensure timely resolution.
Review and resolve tax filing exceptions and discrepancies.
Partner with ADP to investigate and resolve complex payroll tax issues.
Maintain accurate tax jurisdiction and employee tax information.
Ensure payroll tax processes and vendor activities are properly monitored and documented.
Oversee payroll-related activities associated with the company's 401(k) retirement plan.
Ensure employee contributions and employer matching contributions are accurately calculated and processed.
Review payroll files and contribution data for accuracy and completeness.
Oversee reconciliation of employee and employer contributions.
Partner with the retirement plan administrator, Benefits, Finance, and Accounting teams to resolve contribution discrepancies.
Support retirement plan audits, compliance activities, and annual plan requirements.
Ensure payroll processes align with plan provisions and applicable regulatory requirements.
Oversee payroll-related HSA deductions and contributions.
Ensure employee and employer HSA contributions are accurately processed through payroll.
Review HSA contribution and funding files for accuracy.
Reconcile payroll deductions and employer contributions to vendor records.
Partner with Benefits, Finance, and the HSA administrator to resolve discrepancies and ensure timely funding.
Ensure HSA payroll processes are documented and consistently followed.
Oversee payroll reconciliations, reports, and audit documentation.
Review payroll-related accounts and deductions, including payroll taxes, benefits, 401(k), HSA, and voluntary deductions.
Analyze payroll data to identify trends, discrepancies, and potential control weaknesses.
Establish and maintain appropriate payroll controls to minimize errors and reduce compliance risk.
Prepare and present payroll reports and analysis to HR and Finance leadership.
Support internal and external payroll, tax, benefits, and financial audits.
Maintain accurate documentation and audit trails for payroll transactions and processes.
Partner with HR, Benefits, Finance, Accounting, and leadership to ensure payroll processes support broader organizational goals.
Serve as a key point of contact for payroll-related system implementations, process changes, and organizational initiatives.
Collaborate with Benefits to ensure accurate payroll deductions and funding for benefit programs.
Partner with Finance and Accounting to ensure accurate payroll accounting, funding, and reconciliations.
Communicate payroll issues, risks, trends, and recommendations to leadership.
Build strong relationships with payroll vendors and external partners.
Serve as an escalation point for complex employee payroll inquiries.
Ensure employee questions and concerns are addressed accurately, professionally, and timely.
Maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive employee, compensation, tax, and banking information.
Identify opportunities to improve the employee payroll experience.
Ensure payroll communications are clear, consistent, and aligned with company policies.