Director of Payroll

Positively Partners; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Positively Partners is seeking a Director of Payroll & Tax Compliance to oversee payroll operations for nonprofit clients. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in payroll management, compliance, and team leadership. This role offers a competitive salary and the opportunity to lead a dedicated team in a mission-driven environment.

Benefits

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

Flexible hours

Discretionary bonus

Qualifications

• At least 7 years of progressive experience in payroll operations.
• Minimum of 3 years supervising staff.
• Experience in multi-state payroll processing.

Responsibilities

• Lead payroll operations across multiple nonprofit clients.
• Manage payroll tax compliance across jurisdictions.
• Serve as primary contact for clients on payroll matters.

Skills

Payroll management

Client service

Compliance knowledge

Team leadership

Analytical skills

Education

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)

Job description

Join to apply for the Director of Payroll role at Positively Partners

Join to apply for the Director of Payroll role at Positively Partners

This range is provided by Positively Partners. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$120,000.00/yr - $145,000.00/yr

About Positively Partners

Positively Partners delivers integrated, people-centered consulting services to social impact organizations. Our services include recruitment, HR outsourcing, and consulting on people practices related to compensation, employee engagement, and inclusion.

Founded by nonprofit leaders in 2016, we help social sector organizations access the high-quality, inclusion-focused HR services essential to achieving their missions. We’re a team of learners, HR professionals, and equity practitioners committed to helping employees thrive. Our home bases are in Boston, MA and Washington, DC, with a remote team across the United States, allowing us to deliver services through a mix of in-person and virtual channels.

You can learn more about Positively Partners and our service offerings at www.positivelypartners.org.

About PositivelyHR

PositivelyHR is our outsourced HR service model, providing mission-driven organizations with comprehensive, high-quality HR solutions. We function as an extension of our clients' teams, offering expert support in compliance, payroll and tax processing, benefits administration, policy development, and employee relations.

The Opportunity

Join Positively Partners as Director of Payroll & Tax Compliance and lead a growing team of payroll professionals delivering high-impact services to nonprofit clients nationwide. You’ll ensure accurate payroll and tax compliance across a portfolio of organizations while driving adoption of consistent processes and systems that make our support scalable, efficient, and compliant.

In this highly collaborative role, you’ll oversee the end-to-end payroll and tax function for our nonprofit clients and play a key leadership role on the PositivelyHR team. You’ll serve as a central point of contact for payroll-related matters, mentor and support payroll staff, and contribute to the ongoing refinement of our systems and service delivery model.

This role is ideal for someone who combines deep knowledge of payroll practices with strong client service instincts and a desire to lead others. While not required, experience in a consulting or payroll services firm is a strong plus.

Core Responsibilities

Payroll & Tax Operations

• Lead payroll operations across multiple nonprofit clients, ensuring accurate and timely processing, ongoing audits, and effective error resolution.
• Manage payroll tax compliance across federal, state, and local jurisdictions, including filings, reconciliations, and tracking of rate changes and regulatory updates.
• Oversee benefit and retirement deductions, audit invoices, and support compliance requirements such as Form 5500 filings.
• Guide leave and time-off administration to ensure accurate payroll calculations and compliance with paid leave laws.
• Serve as back-up payroll processor during periods of staff absence or high-volume processing.

Client Support & Service

• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients on payroll and tax matters, offering practical guidance, regulatory insight, and effective issue resolution.
• Build client confidence and promote adoption of best practices through responsive, solution-oriented support.
• Partner with HR Business Partners and other PositivelyHR colleagues to ensure coordinated and seamless client service.
• Supervise and support payroll staff, setting clear expectations, providing coaching, and promoting accountability.
• Foster a team culture rooted in care, learning, continuous improvement, and excellence in service.
• Provide training to internal team members on payroll systems, tools, and processes to ensure consistency and knowledge-sharing across the team.

Systems, Compliance & Process Improvement

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of internal systems, workflows, and payroll tools to improve service quality and operational efficiency.
• Maintain accurate documentation of payroll processes to support transparency, compliance, and staff onboarding.
• Monitor and respond to changes in payroll regulations, tax laws, and compliance requirements, adjusting systems and practices accordingly.
• Identify opportunities for automation and process improvements to enhance accuracy and scale.

Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation, with up-to-date knowledge of payroll laws and standards.
• At least 7 years of progressive experience in payroll operations, including a minimum of 3 years directly supervising staff.
• Demonstrated success leading multi-state payroll processing and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local tax regulations.
• Significant experience administering employee benefits, including managing payroll feeds, reconciling deductions, and coordinating across multiple carriers and retirement plan record-keepers.
• Proven ability to lead high-performing teams, with a track record of fostering accountability, collaboration, and professional growth.
• Strong cross-functional collaborator with experience contributing to interdepartmental projects and process improvement initiatives.
• Skilled in analyzing and resolving complex payroll and tax issues with efficiency and attention to detail.
• Experience evaluating and improving payroll workflows, systems, and technology to enhance accuracy, scalability, and client satisfaction.

The following qualifications are preferred but not required. Please feel free to apply even if you don’t have any of the preferred qualifications listed.

• Experience working in a payroll services firm, consulting environment, or outsourced HR model.
• Familiarity with nonprofit sector employment practices, including leave compliance and tax-exempt considerations.
• Hands-on experience with the Worklio payroll platform or comparable systems.

Your Strengths and Interests

At Positively Partners, our training in Positive Psychology informs everything we do. We know that our team will do their best work when they love what they do. To thrive in this role, you'll likely:

• Continuously demonstrate curiosity with an eye towards improvement, looking at each process with a critical eye to enhance service to our clients.
• Be excited about becoming an expert in your work, understanding the ins and outs of payroll systems and the nuances in our support of each client.
• Enjoy working independently and collaboratively with a team to create and drive process adherence and efficiency.
• Embrace complexity - show empathy and kindness while balancing client missions with legal obligations and employee needs.
• Effectively foster inclusive spaces that encourage authentic communication.

Compensation, Benefits, and Location

Positively Partners offers staff a robust compensation and benefits package, including access to high-quality, inclusive health benefits that prioritize employee agency and an opportunity for an end-of-year discretionary bonus calculated in equal measure based on individual, team, and organizational performance.

The salary range for this role is $120,000 to $145,000, competitive and commensurate with experience. Positively Partners is committed to supporting employee growth in our field, including providing training and ongoing support.

Positively Partners' employees have flexibility in their work location (in the United States), with in-person travel requirements determined by the nature of the work performed. We offer flexible hours, but availability during east coast business hours is required as many of our clients are located there.

How to Apply

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their application through our online portal promptly. All applicants will receive a response to their application. Please email [e-mail] with questions or for support submitting your application.

While subject to change, candidates elected to advance throughout the process can expect:

• An initial screening interview with successful candidates advancing to an interview with one of Positively Partners’ senior leaders
• A skills and competency-focused interview related to payroll and tax compliance expertise
• A multi-part final interview, including opportunities to engage with various stakeholders

Positively Partners is committed to conducting an equitable, accessible assessment process. If you would like to request accommodation during the interview process, please email [e-mail]. Accommodation requests will be handled confidentially.

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Vision insurance

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