Director of Payroll

Atlantic Group; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Atlantic Group in Boston, MA is seeking an experienced Payroll Director to lead end-to-end payroll operations across multiple states and entities. You will optimize processes, ensure accuracy, and drive on-time payroll cycles.

The ideal candidate has 8+ years of progressive payroll leadership, strong knowledge of wage and hour laws, tax administration, and experience with UKG; multi-state and multi-country experience is a plus; Bachelor's degree required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, or Business Administration or equivalent.
• 8+ years of progressive payroll experience with leadership responsibility.
• Experience overseeing complex, multi-state payroll operations; multi-country experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax administration, wage and hour regulations, and reporting.
• Experience managing payroll systems, integrations, reconciliations, and audits.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end payroll processing for employees across multiple states and entities.
• Manage payroll operations across applicable pay frequencies, business units, and locations.
• Establish standardized payroll procedures, calendars, review, and approval workflows.
• Oversee calculation of wages, overtime, bonuses, commissions, incentives, severance, and retroactive payments.
• Ensure accurate processing of hires, terminations, transfers, promotions, and leaves.
• Monitor payroll exceptions, off-cycle payments, and adjustments with timely resolutions.
• Maintain procedures for payroll funding, tax deposits, garnishments, and disbursements.
• Ensure payroll records are complete and readily available for review.
• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws and reporting obligations.
• Oversee payroll tax withholding, deposits, filings, reconciliations, and year-end forms.
• Lead payroll systems, integration, security, and process documentation.

Skills

Leadership

Multi-state payroll operations

Payroll tax administration

Compliance awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance/HR/Business Administration

Tools

UKG

Job description

• Oversee end-to-end payroll processing, ensuring employees are paid accurately, completely, and on schedule.
• Manage payroll operations across applicable pay frequencies, business units, legal entities, and geographic locations.
• Establish standardized payroll procedures, processing calendars, review protocols, and approval workflows.
• Oversee the calculation and processing of regular wages, overtime, bonuses, commissions, incentives, severance, retroactive payments, and other compensation.
• Ensure accurate processing of employee hires, terminations, transfers, promotions, compensation changes, leave, and other employment-related transactions.
• Monitor payroll exceptions, discrepancies, off-cycle payments, and adjustments, ensuring timely investigation and resolution.
• Maintain appropriate procedures for payroll funding, tax deposits, garnishments, and other required payroll disbursements.
• Ensure payroll records are complete, accurate, appropriately retained, and readily available for authorized review.

2. Payroll Compliance & Tax Administration

• Maintain compliance with applicable federal, state, and local payroll laws, tax requirements, wage and hour regulations, and reporting obligations.
• Oversee payroll tax withholding, deposits, quarterly filings, annual reconciliations, and year-end reporting.
• Ensure accurate administration of wage garnishments, child support orders, levies, and other legally required deductions.
• Monitor regulatory developments and assess their impact on payroll processes, systems, and policies.
• Partner with Legal, Human Resources, Finance, and external tax advisors to address complex payroll compliance matters.
• Oversee the preparation and distribution of year-end tax forms and other required employee payroll documentation.
• Coordinate payroll tax notices, audits, agency inquiries, and corrective filings as needed.
• Establish procedures to identify and mitigate compliance risks and reduce potential penalties or financial exposure.

3. Payroll Systems & Technology

• Lead the administration, optimization, and ongoing improvement of payroll systems and related technology.
• Partner with HRIS, IT, Finance, and external vendors to ensure effective integration between payroll, HR, timekeeping, benefits, accounting, and workforce management systems.
• Evaluate opportunities to automate manual processes, reduce errors, improve data integrity, and increase operational efficiency.
• Oversee payroll system configuration, testing, updates, access permissions, and change management.
• Lead payroll-related system implementations, upgrades, acquisitions, integrations, and process transitions.
• Establish appropriate controls for payroll data access, system security, and confidential employee information.
• Develop and maintain system documentation, standard operating procedures, and business continuity plans.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• UKG payroll system experience
• 8+ years of progressive payroll experience, including significant leadership or management responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing complex, multi-state payroll operations; multi-country experience is preferred where relevant to the business.
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax administration, wage and hour regulations, employment-related deductions, and payroll reporting requirements.
• Experience managing payroll systems, integrations, reconciliations, internal controls, and audit processes.