Sr. Director, Payroll

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Sr. Director, Payroll based in the United States.

This senior leadership role will oversee enterprise payroll and workforce operations across a complex, highly decentralized, multi-entity organization.

You will establish scalable governance, operating standards, controls, and service models supporting approximately 2,700 employees across 250 joint ventures and entities.

The position combines strategic leadership with hands-on transformation across payroll administration, workforce data, timekeeping, systems, compliance, and shared services.

A major focus will be integrating payroll operations for approximately 10-12 acquisitions or integrations each year.

You will partner closely with Finance, HR, Accounting, Tax, Legal, IT, and integration teams to strengthen operational performance and mitigate risk.

The role offers significant influence over technology modernization, process automation, standardization, and enterprise workforce infrastructure.

This remote-first opportunity is ideal for an experienced payroll executive who thrives in complex, fast-growth environments and can build organizations designed to scale.

Accountabilities

• Lead all aspects of enterprise payroll operations across multiple legal entities, joint ventures, jurisdictions, and business structures, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant payroll processing.
• Establish enterprise-wide payroll governance, policies, standards, controls, documentation, approval processes, and operating procedures.
• Drive process harmonization and standardization to reduce operational complexity and create scalable service delivery models.
• Oversee workforce operations including payroll administration, workforce data management, timekeeping coordination, payroll-related employee services, and operational support.
• Establish service-level standards, performance metrics, reporting, and dashboards that improve visibility, accountability, responsiveness, and employee experience.
• Lead payroll and workforce integration activities for acquisitions, joint ventures, and newly onboarded entities, including diligence, transition planning, conversion, and post-close implementation.
• Develop standardized integration playbooks and methodologies while assessing operational risks and ensuring new entities align with enterprise payroll controls.
• Partner with HRIS, IT, Finance, and external vendors to optimize payroll technology, rationalize systems, automate workflows, improve data integrity, and reduce manual processes.
• Lead payroll system implementations, consolidations, modernization initiatives, and the development of scalable infrastructure capable of supporting continued growth.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations and reporting requirements while strengthening audit readiness and internal controls.
• Partner with Internal Audit, Accounting, Tax, and Legal teams on compliance matters, remediation efforts, risk mitigation, and governance.
• Build and lead a high-performing payroll and workforce operations organization, developing leadership capabilities, mentoring team members, and establishing succession plans.
• Foster a culture centered on accountability, continuous improvement, operational excellence, customer service, and effective change management.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; an advanced degree is preferred.
• 12+ years of progressively responsible experience in payroll, workforce operations, shared services, HR operations, or related leadership functions.
• Significant experience leading payroll operations within complex, multi-entity organizations.
• Proven experience supporting acquisitions, integrations, organizational growth, or similarly complex transformation environments.
• Demonstrated success leading operational transformation, process standardization, automation, and scalable operating-model initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of payroll compliance, controls, governance, risk management, and federal, state, and local requirements.
• Experience partnering effectively with senior leaders across Finance, HR, Accounting, Tax, Legal, IT, and other corporate functions.
• UKG experience is required.
• Experience in decentralized, joint venture, private equity-backed, healthcare, professional services, franchise, construction, or multi-site environments is preferred.
• Experience leading payroll technology implementations or platform consolidations is preferred.
• Shared services or enterprise operations leadership experience is advantageous.
• CPP certification is preferred.
• Strong enterprise mindset, systems thinking, and scalability orientation, with the ability to connect operational decisions to broader business objectives.
• Exceptional executive communication, stakeholder management, cross-functional influence, and change leadership skills.
• Strong integration leadership, risk-management, problem-solving, and process-improvement capabilities.

Benefits

• Remote-first work environment.
• Comprehensive health and welfare benefits with options designed to support employees and their families.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Healthcare FSA, dependent care FSA, limited healthcare FSA, HSA, and transportation/parking FSA options.
• Matching 401(k) plan.
• Paid Time Off, with a minimum of 20 days and up to 25 days per calendar year depending on position and eligibility.
• 9 observed paid holidays.
• Paid family leave.
• Professional development, training, recognition, and career growth opportunities.
• Inclusive, team-oriented culture focused on integrity, excellence, collaboration, and meaningful impact.
• Opportunities to lead enterprise-scale transformation and shape scalable payroll and workforce operations.