Senior Director of Payroll

SALT Dental Partners•Phoenix, AZ

15h

About The Position

Join SALT Dental Partners and be part of a dynamic team dedicated to revolutionizing the dental industry through innovative marketing strategies and exceptional patient experiences. Since our doors opened in 2019, our mission has been to help specialty dental providers grow their practices. SALT is creating a vast network of like-minded dental specialists throughout the country. At SALT, we provide comprehensive support services, allowing dental specialists to focus on delivering exceptional care. The Senior Director of Payroll is responsible for the strategic leadership, compliance oversight, and operational execution of all payroll functions across a multi-state, multi-entity organization Dental Support Organization (DSO). This role ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing while driving process optimization, system enhancements, and team development. This leader will oversee payroll operations across complex environments including multiple EINs, varying state tax regulations, and high-volume employee populations. The role partners closely with HR, Finance, Accounting, and external vendors to mitigate risk, ensure regulatory compliance, and enhance the team member experience. This position will drive continuous improvement, and partner cross-functionally with Human Resources, Finance, Operations, and Practice Leadership to deliver a best-in-class payroll experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Human Resources, or related fields.
10+ years of progressive payroll leadership experience, with significant multi-state payroll complexity.
Experience supporting organizations with 2,500+ employees across multiple locations.
Deep expertise in multi-state payroll compliance.
Experience supporting 2,000+ employee populations.
Strong knowledge of: Payroll tax regulations, Wage & hour compliance, Multi-entity payroll structures
Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Teams, Excel, Word, Outlook, etc.).
Proven ability to lead through growth, transformation, and system/process implementation.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Exceptional communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.

Responsibilities

Oversee end-to-end payroll processing for ~2,500 employees across multiple states and entities
Ensure accurate and timely processing of: Multi-frequency payrolls (bi-weekly, semi-monthly, off-cycle), Bonuses, commissions, and incentive payments, Final pay, retro pay, and adjustments
Establish and maintain standardized payroll procedures across all entities.
Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local payroll regulations including: Wage & hour laws and State-specific requirements (e.g., final pay, sick leave, tax withholding)
Oversee payroll tax filings, reconciliations, and audits.
Partner with internal and external stakeholders on: Internal Revenue Service (IRS) compliance, Department of Labor (DOL) requirements or State level agencies
Lead resolution of tax discrepancies, agency notices, and compliance issues.
Own payroll systems strategy and optimization (e.g., ADP Workforce Now or equivalent).
Drive automation and process improvements to reduce manual work and errors.
Ensure data integrity across payroll, HRIS, and financial accounting systems.
Lead and develop a payroll team, fostering.
Establish performance standards, KPIs, and accountability measures.
Provide coaching, training, and succession planning for payroll staff.
Build scalable team structure to support organizational growth.
Establish and maintain strong internal controls over payroll processes.
Lead internal and external audits (financial, payroll tax, workers comp).
Ensure documentation and audit readiness across all payroll processes.
Implement controls for multi-EIN environments and entity-level reporting.