Payroll Operations Manager

CoorsTek • Golden, CO

2d

About The Position

The Payroll Operations Manager owns U.S. payroll operations for a multi-state manufacturing workforce, ensuring accurate and compliant payroll processing, payroll tax administration, timekeeping, vendor management, internal controls, and audit readiness. The role serves as the company’s subject matter expert on Workday Payroll and UKG/Kronos Workforce Management and advances efficiency through automation, analytics, and AI-enabled tools. It is an individual contributor position with no direct reports. The employee works independently, receiving guidance only on the most complex or precedent-setting matters.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field.
• At least 8 years of progressively responsible multi-state U.S. payroll and timekeeping experience.
• Experience delivering payroll services in a shared services, outsourced, or vendor-managed model.
• Hands-on Workday Payroll experience.
• Hands-on UKG/Kronos Workforce Management experience.
• Knowledge of payroll tax compliance, wage-and-hour regulations, garnishments, deductions, reconciliations, payroll accounting, and audits.
• Experience with payroll system implementations, upgrades, integrations, or process transitions.
• Expert knowledge of U.S. federal, state, and local payroll regulations.
• Advanced proficiency in Workday Payroll and UKG/Kronos.
• Advanced payroll accounting skills, including reconciliations, general ledger impacts, funding, and controls.
• Strong analytical skills, including anomaly identification and root cause analysis.
• Ability to use AI, automation, and reporting tools effectively while protecting compliance and data privacy.
• Advanced Excel and reporting capability.
• Clear communication and project management skills, with the ability to work across cultures, functions, and sites.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with a large hourly manufacturing or industrial workforce.
• CPP certification.
• Experience in a SOX control environment.

Responsibilities

• Deliver accurate, timely, and compliant U.S. payroll across multiple states.
• Own the end-to-end payroll calendar, including deadlines, approvals, funding, quarter-end and year-end close, tax reconciliations, and W-2 issuance.
• Configure, administer, and integrate Workday Payroll and UKG/Kronos while maintaining data integrity across time, earnings, deductions, taxes, and garnishments.
• Interpret and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll and wage-and-hour requirements, including overtime, shift premiums, garnishments, and deductions affecting an hourly workforce.
• Build and maintain payroll policies, procedures, and internal controls; lead payroll audits and maintain audit-ready documentation.
• Manage payroll vendors, including service levels, regulatory filings, reconciliations, and issue resolution.
• Build reporting and exception dashboards to identify anomalies, trends, and compliance risks before payroll runs.
• Investigate and resolve complex payroll issues and correct their root causes.
• Partner with HRIS, IT, Finance, Accounting, Tax, Legal, and plant leadership on system releases, testing, integrations, acquisitions, and process changes.
• Apply automation and AI-enabled tools to improve accuracy, efficiency, and employee experience while meeting privacy and compliance requirements.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders without direct authority.

What This Job Offers

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