Associate Director, Payroll Strategy & Vendor Excellence

Merck; New Jersey; On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck is seeking an Associate Director for US Payroll Support and Global Payroll Supplier Management based in Rahway, New Jersey. You will oversee the US payroll support function, manage vendor performance, and drive process improvements using AI, automation, and analytics.

This role reports to the Director of US Payroll and Global Payroll Strategy within HR Operations. You will lead cross-functional teams, optimize SLAs, and partner with ADP and regional providers to ensure high-quality payroll

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of global payroll and vendor management experience.
• Proficiency with ADP payroll systems and familiarity with other global payroll platforms.
• Strong analytics, automation, and process-improvement capabilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management across global partners.
• Experience leading change management initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Oversee US payroll support including call center and ticket management for timely resolution of inquiries.
• Collaborate with internal teams and vendors to manage payroll inquiries and issues.
• Develop and improve payroll support processes to boost efficiency and employee experience.
• Lead payroll support teams and maintain a knowledge base for service delivery.
• Partner with vendors to ensure high-quality service and compliance with SLAs.
• Establish and monitor KPIs to assess vendor performance and drive improvements.
• Consolidate payroll providers across markets to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.

Skills

Payroll management

Vendor management

Stakeholder management

Process improvement

AI & automation familiarity

Data analytics

Project leadership

Change management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

ADP Payroll System

ServiceNow

Analytics platforms

Job description

Merck is seeking an Associate Director for US Payroll Support and Global Payroll Supplier Management based in Rahway, New Jersey. You will oversee the US payroll support function, manage vendor performance, and drive process improvements using AI, automation, and analytics.

This role reports to the Director of US Payroll and Global Payroll Strategy within HR Operations. You will lead cross-functional teams, optimize SLAs, and partner with ADP and regional providers to ensure high-quality payroll