Senior Payroll Manager - Remote

The Cigna Group

23h•$131,500 - $219,100•Remote

About The Position

The job profile for this position is Human Resources Operations Senior Manager, which is a Band 4 Management Career Track Role. We value our talented employees, and whenever possible strive to help one of our associates grow professionally before recruiting new talent to our open positions. As Senior Manager, Payroll, you will lead the delivery of accurate, compliant, and timely payroll services for a complex U.S. employee population. This role blends strategic leadership with operational excellence, partnering across HR, Finance, Technology, and external vendors to ensure payroll processes scale with the business while maintaining strong controls and a positive employee experience.

Requirements

Minimum of 10 years of progressive payroll operations experience in a large, complex organization.
At least 2 years of experience leading or managing payroll teams or vendor relationships.
Deep knowledge of U.S. payroll regulations, taxation, and compliance requirements.
Hands-on experience with Workday Payroll, Time, and Absence modules.
Demonstrated ability to lead complex payroll initiatives such as system implementations, integrations, or organizational change.
Strong ability to communicate complex payroll concepts to senior HR and Finance leaders.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, or a related field.
Experience supporting payroll activities during mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to anticipate regulatory impacts and business risks.

Responsibilities

Lead outsourced payroll operations supporting more than 65,000 U.S. employees across multiple payroll entities, ensuring timely and accurate payroll delivery.
Provide strategic oversight of payroll vendors, including service performance, compliance, and continuous improvement opportunities.
Own payroll configuration and process design within Workday Payroll, Time, and Absence, ensuring alignment with pay policies and schedules.
Guide payroll activities related to mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and year-end processing, minimizing disruption and risk.
Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local payroll tax, wage, and regulatory requirements.
Oversee payroll accounting activities including reconciliations, disbursements, garnishments, and unemployment services.
Maintain strong internal controls, including SOX compliance, audit readiness, and documentation.
Partner with Accounting, Finance, Legal, IT, and HR Centers of Excellence to assess impacts of system or process changes and drive effective communication.
Contribute to HR Operations RFPs, vendor evaluations, and contract development as a payroll subject matter expert.