Payroll Senior Manager

Bain & Company•Boston, MA

37d•$124,000 - $149,500

About The Position

We are proud to be consistently recognized as one of the world's best places to work. We are currently the #1 ranked consulting firm on Glassdoor's Best Places to Work list and have maintained a spot in the top four on Glassdoor's list since its founding in 2009. Extraordinary teams are at the heart of our business strategy, but these don't happen by chance. They require intentional focus on bringing together a broad set of backgrounds, cultures, experiences, perspectives, and skills in a supportive and inclusive work environment. We hire people with exceptional talent and create an environment in which every individual can thrive professionally and personally. When you join this finance team, you join a rapidly expanding global organization where the hierarchy is relatively flat and you'll get to interface with senior people early on. Almost every decision at Bain comes back to the numbers, which means at some point, we are involved in supporting all Bain's commercial decisions and ambitions. If you want to see the impact of your work, already have a specialty, and are reliable, these finance jobs are rich with opportunity. The Senior Manager will be responsible for leading the strategy, execution, and continuous improvement of payroll processing operations nationwide, ensuring best-in-class service, accuracy, and compliance. This role will oversee and build a high-functioning payroll team, partnering closely with HR, Finance, Legal, and external vendors to optimize payroll processes using Workday and other enterprise systems. The ideal candidate will be a proactive leader with deep technical payroll expertise, superior analytical skills, and a demonstrated ability to lead in a dynamic, multi-jurisdictional environment.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business, finance, accounting, or related fields.
10+ years of payroll experience, including 5+ years in leadership roles overseeing teams and large-scale payroll operations.
Experience managing payroll operations and collaborating with external payroll vendors; includes proficiency in Workday Payroll or in-depth module knowledge.
Experience with ADP Smart Compliance.
Demonstrated expertise in payroll systems, tax regulations, garnishments, tax levies, and compliance standards.
Demonstrates strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with a proactive, detail-oriented approach and the ability to connect insights to broader business objectives.
Proven ability to modernize and transform payroll operations to drive efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
Communicates effectively across all levels of the organization, with exceptional verbal, written, and interpersonal skills.
Exercises sound judgment and independent decision-making to identify, analyze, and resolve complex issues efficiently.
Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, remaining flexible, resourceful, and professional under pressure.
Proficient in systems and advanced Excel functions; experience with Workday and ADP in-house payroll systems is highly desirable.
Upholds the highest standards of integrity, ethics, and confidentiality while demonstrating a growth mindset and commitment to continuous learning.

Nice To Haves

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation
Experienced in working effectively within hybrid teams and under remote leadership.
Experience leading cross-functional efforts with technical teams to design, implement, and transform payroll systems.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic direction for U.S. payroll operations, ensuring accurate and timely processing across multiple states and entities.
Manage all payroll operations, including pay calculations, employee status changes, benefit deductions, levies/garnishments, taxable fringe benefits, and vacation balance tracking. Review, approve, and oversee all payroll settlements and direct deposit files.
Design and implement new policies, procedures, and internal controls to increase quality of service.
Maintain electronic checklists in FloQast to ensure and document compliance with established policies and procedures.
Deliver a best-in-class employee experience by managing the team's responses to inquiries, ensuring the issue is solved thoughtfully in a compliant manner with a high degree of customer satisfaction in mind.
Manage and develop the U.S. payroll team through strategic performance management, targeted development planning, and engagement initiatives that deliver consistently high team NPS results.
Champion continuous process improvement, automation, and risk mitigation by leveraging insights from internal reviews and external benchmarks.
Identify opportunities to fully optimize system capabilities, develop and execute detailed implementation plans, and drive them to successful completion.
Embrace emerging technologies to advance payroll operations beyond current standards while ensuring the highest levels of data privacy and protection.
Partner cross-functionally to ensure compliance and excellence in payroll tax operations, including multi-state and year-end processes.
Collaborate with local and global HR leadership to elevate organizational capability through strategic training and knowledge development.
Lead collaboration across HR teams to ensure strategic alignment, data accuracy, and optimized information flow that supports an efficient remuneration process.
Champion a holistic employee experience by embedding Payroll as a key driver of engagement and operational excellence across the "hire-to-retire" lifecycle.

Benefits

Annual discretionary performance bonus
4.5% 401(k) company contribution, which increases after 3 years of service and is 100% vested upon start date
Bain pays 100% individual employee premiums for medical, dental and vision programs, offering one of the most comprehensive medical plans for employees without impacting your paycheck
Generous paid time off, including parental leave, sick leave and paid holidays
Fully vested 401(k) company contribution
Paid Life and Long-Term Disability insurance
Annual fitness reimbursements

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