Accounting Payroll Manager

National Laboratory of the Rockies; Golden (CO); On-site; USD 100,000 - 181,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Pension Benefits

403(b) Plan

Paid Time Off

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

The National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado is seeking a Payroll Manager to lead multi-state payroll operations within the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. This full-time role demands accuracy, compliance, and strong leadership to support a large payroll function.

You will supervise payroll staff, ensure GAAP-compliant reporting and tax filings, coordinate with HR, IT, and vendors, and drive process improvements and system enhancements in Workday or equivalent platforms.

Qualifications

• Experience managing payroll across multiple states.
• Strong leadership and budgeting skills.
• Knowledge of legal and ethical management practices.
• Proven ability to lead and develop staff.
• Educational requirements fulfilled before start date.

Responsibilities

• Direct multi-state payroll processing and ensure tax filings.
• Supervise payroll staff and foster collaboration.
• Improve payroll processes and controls and automation.
• Oversee payroll accounting and reconciliations.
• Coordinate payroll providers and vendors, ensuring service quality.
• Support system implementations and integrations (Workday/Timekeeping).
• Coordinate payroll-related audits and maintain documentation.
• Act as management delegate as needed.

Skills

Payroll laws

Tax compliance

GAAP knowledge

HRIS platforms

Workday

Excel

Financial systems

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

Tools

Workday Payroll

Timekeeping

Excel

Job description

Golden, CO

Full time

R14579

Accounting Payroll Manager

Location

CO - Golden

Position Type

Regular

Hours Per Week

40

Working at NLR

NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Job Description

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) is seeking a qualified and motivated Payroll Manager to serve as part of the Financial Operations group. Financial Operations facilitates all transactional and accounting activity at NLR and tracks, records, and manages functions such as accounts payable, general ledger, billing, revenue generation, payroll, travel, and more.

The Payroll Manager leads accurate, timely, and compliant multi-state payroll operations; develops and supervises payroll staff; and serves as the organization’s payroll subject matter expert. The role ensures compliance with federal, state, and local requirements, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Department of Energy (DOE) contractual requirements, and National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) policies and procedures.

The position strengthens controls and improves payroll processes, systems, and automation while partnering with Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, vendors, and organizational leadership to deliver efficient, responsive service.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct accurate, timely multi-state payroll processing, resolve complex issues and escalations, and ensure compliance with tax filings, W-2s, statutory reporting, registrations, and organizational requirements.
• Supervise, lead, coach, and develop payroll staff while fostering accountability, collaboration, customer service, and continuous improvement.
• Strengthen payroll processes, systems, automation, policies, procedures, and controls by analyzing performance, identifying risks, and implementing improvements and corrective actions.
• Oversee payroll accounting, including journal entries, accruals, general ledger activity, reconciliations, close support, variance analysis, and management recommendations.
• Manage payroll providers, banking partners, benefits vendors, and other third parties, ensuring effective governance and service delivery.
• Partner with HR, Finance, IT, vendors, and payroll staff to resolve system issues and support implementations, upgrades, integrations, testing, and configuration improvements.
• Coordinate payroll-related audits, maintain supporting documentation, address findings, and ensure effective risk management and compliance.
• Responsible for other accounting and Financial Operations duties as assigned.
• Act as management delegate as needed, on a short-term basis.
• Research complex, technical payroll issues and provide analysis of regulations and statutory standards to determine impact on financial reporting and provide recommendations to apply those standards to new and unusual transactions.

Basic Qualifications

Previous management and budget adherence experience may be required. Degree in appropriate field is required. Demonstrated knowledge of legal and ethical management issues and practices. In-depth knowledge of the issues and best practices in the applicable field of expertise. Generally viewed as subject matter expert for group or work units. Excellent organization, project management, budgeting, interpersonal and communication skills. Proven problem-solving and negotiation skills. Demonstrated ability to make appropriate decisions regarding work activities and projects. Demonstrated ability to effectively lead and direct personnel with diverse skills, work styles and values.

*** Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.**

Additional Required Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field and a minimum of 14 years of progressively responsible payroll experience.
• Demonstrated experience with multi-state payroll, compliance, tax reporting, audits, and payroll system administration.
• People leadership or supervisory experience, or experience directing or being responsible for the work of others in an individual contributor role.

Knowledge & Technical Skills

• Extensive knowledge of payroll laws, tax requirements, accounting principles, internal controls, and financial reporting.
• Proficiency with payroll and HRIS platforms, payroll accounting, Excel, and financial systems; experience with Workday Payroll and Timekeeping or a comparable enterprise system.

Professional Skills

• Strong leadership, team development, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and written and verbal communication.
• Ability to collaborate across departments, influence stakeholders, and deliver customer-focused continuous improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification.
• Experience leading payroll transformation, automation, or process improvements and managing outsourced payroll or vendor relationships.
• Experience supporting complex payroll structures or multiple jurisdictions.

Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: Manager II / Annual Salary Range: $100,400 - $180,700

NLR takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits Summary

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short*- and long-term disability insurance; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement*.

***** Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

Drug Free Workplace

NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations (https://www.nlr.gov/careers/employment-policies)

E -Verify www.dhs.gov/E-Verify For information about right to work, click here (http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2013/08/13/FinalOSCPosterEN08_01_2013.pdf) for English or here (http://www.justice.gov/crt/file/813271/download) for Spanish.

E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce.

The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for critical minerals, energy innovation, and energy security. With locations in Golden and Boulder, Colorado, Fairbanks, Alaska, and a satellite office in Washington, D.C., NLR bridges foundational research with practical applications to develop and bring to scale new energy materials and technologies that lower energy costs, drive economic growth, and deliver abundant and reliable energy.

NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All candidates must be authorized to access the facility per DOE rules and guidance within a reasonable time frame for the specified position in order to be considered for an interview and for hiring. DOE rules for site access during the interview process depend on whether the candidate is interviewed on-site, off-site, or via telephone or videoconference. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation. Additionally, DOE contractor employees are prohibited from participating in certain Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs (FGTRPs). If a candidate is currently participating in an FGTRP, they will be required to disclose their participation after receiving an offer of employment and may be required to disengage from participation in the FGTRP prior to commencing employment. Any offer of employment is conditional on the ability to obtain work authorization and to be granted access to NLR by the Department of Energy (DOE).

Drug Free Workplace

NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Please review the information on our Hiring Process (https://www.nlr.gov/careers/hiring-process.html) website before you create an account and apply for a job. We also hope you will learn more about NLR (https://www.nlr.gov/about/) , visit our Careers site (https://www.nlr.gov/careers/) , and continue to search for job opportunities (https://nrel.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/NLR) at the lab.