Senior Payroll Manager

MedSpeed•Elmhurst, IL

1d•$135,000 - $155,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Senior Payroll Manager Hybrid: In Office Every Thursday in Elmhurst, IL Required Join MedSpeed and help deliver health! We’re a healthcare logistics company partnering with organizations nationwide to transport vital medical supplies and specimens. At MedSpeed, teamwork, integrity, and growth drive everything we do. If you’re passionate, driven, and ready to make a real impact, we want to hear from you. Today, we have a nationwide presence with locations across the U.S., yet we’ve never lost the entrepreneurial spirit and close-knit culture that defined us from day one. Our people are at the heart of what we do and how we support our customers. We work as one team, we keep our promises, and we get better every day. These aren’t just words; they shape how we support each other, grow together, and deliver real impact. The Senior Payroll Manager is a hands-on strategic leader responsible for the governance, execution, and continuous improvement of the organization’s multi-state payroll function. This role owns the end-to-end payroll lifecycle, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and operational excellence while serving as a key partner to Finance, HR, and leadership.

Requirements

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or equivalent certification strongly required.
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance (Master’s or MBA a plus)
10+ years of experience managing multi-state payroll environments with full-cycle ownership.
Deep knowledge of payroll compliance, tax regulations, and wage and hour laws.
Oversee multi-jurisdictional (federal, state, and local) payroll tax compliance, including registrations, reconciliations, and agency correspondence.
Demonstrated ability to balance strategic oversight with hands-on execution.
Strong analytical acumen with a focus on accuracy and risk mitigation.
Experience with enterprise payroll systems and process optimization. UKG preferred
Operates with a high degree of ownership, accountability, and discretion.
Exercises sound judgment in complex and high-risk scenarios.
Drives operational excellence while maintaining a service-oriented mindset.
Communicate effectively with both leadership and employees on complex payroll matters.

Responsibilities

Serve as the ultimate owner and accountable leader of the payroll function, with end-to-end responsibility for strategy, execution, compliance, and operational excellence across all jurisdictions.
Execute and oversee biweekly payroll processing end-to-end, maintaining direct accountability for accuracy, compliance, and timely delivery.
Establish and uphold a best-in-class payroll environment that ensures full compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, proactively identifying and mitigating risk.
Provide authoritative oversight of all payroll calculations and outputs, ensuring accuracy and integrity across complex scenarios, including multi-state taxation, variable compensation, and statutory requirements.
Oversee multi-jurisdictional (federal, state, and local) payroll tax compliance, including registrations, reconciliations, and agency correspondence.
Lead and continuously evolve payroll operations to deliver scalable, efficient, and employee-centric outcomes, maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and timeliness.
Function as the organization’s subject matter expert and strategic advisor on payroll-related matters, including regulatory changes, compliance exposure, and operational risk.
Design, implement, and maintain a robust internal control framework, ensuring audit readiness, process transparency, and adherence to governance standards.
Champion continuous improvement and operational excellence, leveraging technology, automation, and process innovation to modernize payroll delivery.
Own payroll systems, data integrity, and vendor relationships, ensuring optimal performance, scalability, and alignment with business needs.
Drive cross-functional alignment with HR and Finance, ensuring payroll is seamlessly integrated into compensation strategy, reporting, and financial operations