Statewide Director of Payroll Engagement & Change Management

Commonwealth of Massachusetts•Boston, MA

2d•$125,000 - $145,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Office of the Comptroller (CTR) seeks a Statewide Director of Payroll Engagement & Change Management to provide strategic leadership, direction, and accountability for statewide department engagement, communications, education, and training related to payroll and labor cost distribution (LCD) operations. Reporting to the Assistant Comptroller for Payroll & Payments, the Director develops statewide engagement and training strategies, establishes priorities and standards, and determines outreach initiatives to meet department needs and support statewide operational objectives. The role promotes accountability, effective change management, and continuous improvement through collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. The Director leads business-partner engagement with Commonwealth departments; builds relationships with payroll, HR, accounting, budget, and fiscal professionals; and identifies challenges, needs, and opportunities for improved communication and collaboration. The position also oversees statewide education and training, develops standardized learning materials, and coordinates instruction on payroll processing, data accuracy, reconciliations, LCD, compliance, and statewide policies and procedures. In partnership with payroll operations leadership and subject matter experts, the Director ensures materials reflect current systems and practices. The role oversees communications about payroll policies, procedures, deadlines, and system changes, ensuring information is timely, accurate, consistent, actionable, and clear about central and departmental responsibilities. The Director supports change management for new or modified processes and fosters responsiveness, professionalism, consistency, and continuous improvement. This is a management, exempt, non-civil-service, at-will position. CTR uses a hybrid work model: employees currently work on-site at the Boston office at least four business days per month and remotely the remainder of the time from a supervisor-approved location. Employees must be able to report to the Boston office with little or no notice, and on-site work is an essential function. The successful candidate may work primarily on site during initial training and orientation or where required by the role. The posted salary range is $125,000–$145,000 and is fixed, with the offer within that range commensurate with experience. Applicants must apply through CTR’s careers site by 5:00 p.m. on November 11, 2026, submitting a cover letter and resume. Candidates advancing to a second-round interview must also provide three business writing samples and three professional references. CTR conducts a background check, including CORI and Massachusetts tax-compliance checks, for prospective employees.

Requirements

At least six years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in accounting or financial management, including fields such as budgeting, accounting, auditing, management analysis, program evaluation, financial reporting, or program results.
At least two years of the required experience must be in project management, supervisory, or managerial capacity, unless qualifying substitutions or an equivalent combination apply.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking, presentation development, and facilitation.
Strong interpersonal and relationship-management skills and the ability to collaborate across diverse departments and organizational levels.
Demonstrated experience developing and implementing engagement strategies, establishing priorities, and leading initiatives.
Demonstrated experience presenting complex information to diverse audiences and supporting organizational change through education and stakeholder engagement.
Experience in payroll, human resources, labor cost accounting, financial operations, or related business processes.
Demonstrated experience leading, supervising, and/or developing staff.
Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic communication, outreach, training, and stakeholder-engagement programs.
Strong organizational and project-management skills, including coordinating multiple initiatives and competing priorities.
Strong communication skills, attention to detail, time management, multitasking, flexibility, and the ability to work well under pressure and both independently and as part of a team.
Ability to report to the Boston office with little or no notice; on-site work is an essential function.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree or higher in business management or business administration with a concentration in accounting, or relevant experience.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including creating spreadsheets using advanced features and formulas.
Advanced Microsoft PowerPoint skills, including producing polished presentations and communicating complex information through visually engaging, well-organized presentations.
Working knowledge of the Commonwealth’s HR/Payroll system (HR/CMS) or another ERP.
Working knowledge of the Commonwealth’s Finance/labor cost distribution system (Mosaic/LCD) or another finance ERP.
Working knowledge of the Commonwealth Information Warehouse (CIW) or another warehouse solution.
A relevant certificate, bachelor’s degree, graduate degree, or doctorate may substitute for a portion of the required experience as specified in the posting.

Responsibilities

Develop and lead a comprehensive statewide business-partner engagement strategy to strengthen relationships between CTR and Commonwealth departments.
Lead department outreach, education, and engagement related to statewide payroll and LCD systems and processes.
Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with department payroll, HR, accounting, budget, and fiscal professionals.
Identify department challenges, emerging needs, and opportunities to improve communication, education, and collaboration.
Develop engagement strategies suited to different levels of department knowledge, operational complexity, and business needs.
Promote departmental accountability and ownership of payroll and LCD responsibilities through education, guidance, and clear expectations.
Facilitate department feedback on statewide payroll and LCD policies, procedures, systems, and support services.
Represent the Statewide Payroll Team in department meetings, statewide forums, working groups, and collaborative initiatives.
Develop, implement, and oversee a statewide education and training program for departments using payroll and LCD systems.
Establish standardized training materials, user guides, job aids, reference documents, and other educational resources.
Coordinate education on payroll processing, data accuracy, reconciliations, LCD, compliance requirements, and statewide policies and procedures.
Partner with the Statewide Director of Payroll Operations and subject matter experts to ensure education materials reflect current system functionality, operational requirements, internal controls, and statewide practices.
Identify recurring department errors, compliance concerns, and operational challenges that can be addressed through training and outreach.
Develop and oversee coordinated communications about payroll policies, procedures, deadlines, and system changes.
Ensure communications distinguish between responsibilities of the Statewide Payroll Team and those of individual departments.
Develop communication and education plans for new or modified payroll and payroll-accounting processes as part of statewide change management.
Promote proactive communication to reduce preventable errors, strengthen compliance, and support department decision-making.
Lead a culture of responsiveness, professionalism, consistency, and continuous improvement.

Benefits

Paid vacation, sick, and personal leave time.
Health insurance.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Optional pre-tax Health Savings Account plans.
Participation in the Commonwealth’s State Retirement Plan.
Optional life insurance.
Long-term disability insurance.
Deferred compensation savings.
Tuition remission.
Pre-tax commuter account plans.
The position may be eligible for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.