Sr. Manager, Payroll

Din Tai Fung North America•Arcadia, CA

8d•$153,030 - $191,290•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Payroll sets the strategy for and is accountable for payroll operations, compliance, and vendor performance across all Din Tai Fung restaurants in the US and Canada. Reporting to the People Operations Leader, the role owns the organization's payroll compliance posture, including multi-state minimum wage, tip-credit, and garnishment requirements, and the audit and control environment that protects it. The role leads the Payroll team, building the capacity, systems, and roadmap needed to scale through new restaurant openings and weekly-pay expansion. It partners with Finance, Accounting, PSC, Benefits Administration, Legal, and People Technology to keep payroll accurate, compliant, and aligned with the business.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, Business, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience
8+ years of progressive payroll experience, including 3+ years leading a payroll team, in a multi-state, multi-entity environment
Advanced knowledge of multi-state wage and hour compliance, including tip credit, tip pooling, minimum wage, and garnishments; restaurant, hospitality, or other high-volume hourly experience strongly preferred
Hands-on experience with UKG WFA/Pro or a comparable enterprise payroll and timekeeping system, including configuration, integrations, and vendor management
Experience managing a team of 5+, including supervisors or managers, with accountability for hiring, performance management, and termination decisions
Experience owning payroll controls, audit readiness, and responses to regulatory audits or wage-and-hour inquiries
Experience managing a departmental budget
Perform sustained computer-based work. Work at a computer and use standard office equipment (keyboard, mouse, phone, scanner/printer) for extended periods to process, review, and analyze payroll data and reports.
Maintain a stationary or seated position. Remain in a stationary position for a significant portion of the workday, and move about the office as needed to attend meetings or access files and equipment.
Communicate effectively with others. Exchange accurate information with employees, vendors, and leaders in person, by phone, by video, and in writing.
Review detailed information with sustained attention. Read, review, and reconcile detailed data on screen and in print (payroll registers, audit documentation, vendor contracts) with a high degree of accuracy.
Occasionally lift or carry light items and travel. Lift or carry up to 10-15 lbs (laptop, files, supplies) and travel to restaurant locations or other sites as needed.
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and able to provide documentation to work in the United States legally.

Nice To Haves

Experience with tip-distribution platforms (e.g., Tiphuas or similar)
Canadian payroll experience (T4, provincial requirements)
CPP or FPC certification
Experience supporting rapid unit growth or new location openings
Experience building automation or process-efficiency tools.

Responsibilities

Partner with leadership to set the multi-year payroll strategy and systems roadmap, including target operating model, centralization and build-vs.-buy decisions, and weekly-pay expansion. Lead the ops-efficiency and automation agenda (e.g., tip/payroll comparison report) and prioritize investments by risk reduction and cost to serve.
Be accountable for accurate, timely payroll across all US and Canadian locations on bi-weekly and weekly cycles. Set service standards, and define and report KPIs (accuracy rate, on-time rate, off-cycle and manual check volume, cost per employee paid) to People Operations and Finance leadership.
Own payroll's compliance posture and serve as final escalation point for multi-state minimum wage, tip-credit, and garnishment requirements. Monitor regulatory change across all jurisdictions, drive timely policy and system updates, and lead Payroll's response to wage-and-hour audits, inquiries, and claims in partnership with Legal.
Set standards for and govern payroll internal controls, segregation of duties, SOPs, and audit-readiness documentation. Lead the payroll audit program, track findings to remediation, and partner with Accounting on reconciliations, tax filings, and year-end reporting.
Lead, coach, and develop the Payroll team (Supervisor, Specialist, Coordinators, Assistants). Own hiring, performance management, bench planning, and organizational design as the team scales.
Support governing the UKG WFA/Pro and Tiphaus relationships, including contract negotiation and renewals, SLAs, escalation, and performance review. Own release and upgrade readiness, integration priorities, and payroll system setup for new restaurant openings.
Plan staffing, workload distribution, and capacity against the multi-year restaurant opening pace and weekly-pay expansion. Build opening readiness into payroll processes and staffing, and surface capacity risk early.
Own the Payroll function budget and vendor spend. Partner with Finance to forecast payroll-related costs, explain variances, and manage costs to serve as the footprint grows.
Represent Payroll in planning with Finance, Accounting, PSC, Benefits Administration, Legal, and People Technology, and report payroll performance, risk, and roadmap progress to senior leadership.

Benefits

Competitive Pay & Benefits
Employer Contribution for individuals and eligible dependents' medical insurance
Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Commuter Spending Accounts
401(k) Plan with company match
Employee Assistance Program
Discounts through BenefitHub
Employee Meal Discounts
Paid Time Off (PTO) to support work-life balance (accrued based on length of service)
Paid Sick Leave (PSL) to care for your health or loved ones
Quarterly Wellness Days - extra time off to recharge every season
Bonus Eligible
Opportunities for growth; we love promoting within