Executive Director, Payroll (0994) [Anticipated]

San Francisco Unified School District; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 164,000 - 213,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dental and vision plans

Pension plan

Disability insurance

Job summary

San Francisco Unified School District seeks an Executive Director of Payroll to provide strategic leadership and oversight for all payroll functions across a large urban school district serving thousands of employees. You will ensure accurate, timely processing, compliance, and alignment with HR and Budget data.

The role requires strong supervisory experience, expertise in labor agreements, and a track record of modernizing payroll systems while safeguarding district funds and reporting to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related field.
• Five years of progressively responsible payroll and business operations experience with supervisory responsibilities.
• CPP or equivalent payroll certification; master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Directs and oversees district payroll processing for certificated, classified, substitute, and other employee groups.
• Ensures compliance with federal, state, and Local payroll regulations and accurate reporting.
• Coordinates with HR, Budget, Accounting, and IT to align payroll data and systems.
• Leads payroll system modernization, automation, and data integrity initiatives.
• Provides leadership, supervision, and development for payroll staff.

Skills

Payroll leadership

Labor agreements

Internal controls

Data management

Financial reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

Job Class: 0994, Executive Director

Salary Range: $164,038-$213,383/annually

Appointment Type: PEX (what does this mean?)

Length of Appointment: 3 years

Calendar: Full Time / Full Year

Who We Are

The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is the seventh largest school district in California, serving more than 50,000 students who speak more than 44 documented languages across 121 schools in the city of San Francisco every year. We aim for every student who attends SFUSD schools to discover his or her spark, along with a strong sense of self and purpose, and that all students graduate from high school ready for college and career, and equipped with the skills, capacities and dispositions outlined in SFUSD’s Graduate Profile. Every day in our quest to achieve this mission we provide each and every student the quality instruction and equitable support required to thrive in the 21st century.

What It Means to Work Here

The SFUSD community is unified by our Core Values:

• Student-centered: We put students’ needs first
• Fearless: We persist through challenges
• United: We celebrate and build on each other’s strengths
• Social Justice: We stand with those most vulnerable in our community
• Diversity-driven: We respect and seek to understand each person

We are also inspired by Vision, Values and Guardrails which captures our aspirations and vision for the future of public education in San Francisco. Alongside the District’s strategic plan. SFUSD is reimagining how public education will change over the next decade to meet the dynamic future of San Francisco. As a CORE district, SFUSD is also a leader in critical systems change for more comprehensive school accountability and innovations that help strengthen the instructional core, which is the foundation of our strategic plan and Vision 2025.

Who We Want

We want talented people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, who are inspired by our mission, steeped in equity, and who are motivated to unleash our children’s potential. We want people who are strong collaborators, skilled communicators, and problem solvers who are comfortable in a community of continuous learning.

The Executive Director of Payroll provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all payroll functions for a large, complex urban school district serving approximately 9,000 employees. The position ensures the accurate and timely processing of payroll across multiple employee groups, pay cycles, and collective bargaining agreements.

The Executive Director is responsible for payroll compliance, internal controls, retirement reporting, payroll tax reporting, and implementation of compensation provisions in labor agreements. The role partners closely with Human Resources, Budget, Accounting, and Department of Technology to ensure alignment of employee data, payroll systems, and financial reporting.

Essential Duties

The duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to the job code/class and are not intended to be an inclusive or exhaustive list.

Key Responsibilities

Districtwide Payroll Administration

• Directs and oversees the processing of all district payrolls, including certificated, classified, substitute, extra-duty, and temporary employees.
• Ensures accurate and timely payroll processing for thousands of employees across multiple pay cycles.
• Oversees payroll adjustments, retroactive pay, stipends, and off-cycle payroll processing.
• Establishes and maintains procedures that ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations.

Collective Bargaining Agreement Implementation

• Interprets and implements payroll provisions in multiple collective bargaining agreements.
• Coordinates with Human Resources and labor relations staff to operationalize salary schedule updates, stipends, and negotiated compensation changes.
• Oversees implementation of retroactive pay adjustments associated with labor agreements.

Compliance and Reporting

• Ensures compliance with all payroll-related laws and regulations, including federal and state tax reporting, wage and hour requirements, and garnishments.
• Oversees preparation and submission of required reports including quarterly and annual payroll tax filings and employee wage statements.
• Ensures accurate reporting to retirement systems, including California State Teachers' Retirement System and San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System
• Coordinates payroll-related audits and ensures timely resolution of audit findings.

Systems and Process Management

• Oversees payroll system functionality and integration with human resources and financial systems.
• Leads initiatives to modernize payroll operations, improve automation, and strengthen data integrity.
• Develops payroll reporting tools to support financial planning, workforce management, and executive decision‑making.

Internal Controls and Financial Coordination

• Establishes and maintains strong internal controls to ensure payroll accuracy and safeguard district funds.
• Coordinates payroll reconciliations with accounting and financial reporting teams.
• Ensures payroll data aligns with staffing and budget records.

Leadership and Staff Development

• Provides leadership, supervision, and professional development for payroll staff.
• Establishes performance expectations and ensures high standards of accuracy, efficiency, and customer service.
• Promotes a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and responsiveness to employee payroll inquiries.

Cross-Department Collaboration

• Partners with Human Resources, Budget, Accounting, and Information Technology to ensure accurate employee data, compensation structures, and payroll processing.
• Advises district leadership on payroll implications of staffing decisions, compensation changes, and labor agreements.

The strongest candidates will have:

• Knowledge of principles and practices of large-scale payroll administration.
• Federal and state payroll tax regulations and reporting requirements.
• Public retirement systems reporting requirements, including California State Teachers' Retirement System
• Collective bargaining agreements and compensation administration in public organizations.
• Payroll system design, enterprise HR/payroll systems, and data management.
• Governmental accounting principles and internal controls.
• Experience implementing payroll system modernization or automation initiatives.
• Experience managing payroll and business operations serving thousands of employees is highly desirable.
• Experience supporting payroll and business operations in a unionized public sector environment.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or similar certification.
• A master’s degree is preferred.
• Eight to ten years of progressively responsible experience in payroll and business operations.
• At least five years of supervisory or management experience overseeing payroll or business operations staff.
• Experience in the public sector or educational organizations is preferred.

Skills and Abilities in:

• Lead complex payroll operations serving large employee populations.
• Interpret labor agreements and apply compensation rules accurately.
• Develop effective payroll procedures and internal controls.
• Analyze complex payroll issues and resolve discrepancies.
• Communicate effectively with employees, union representatives, and executive leadership.
• Manage organizational change and payroll system improvements.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in related field.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in payroll and business operations. The required experience must include supervising or managing payroll or business operations staff.

Substitution

• Up to 4 years of education requirement may be substituted for additional experience on a year-for-year basis

What We Offer

SFUSD offers a competitive salary of $164,038-$213,383/annually commensurate with experience in a similar position. We offer a comprehensive benefits plan including dental and vision plans, a defined benefit pension plan, disability, life insurance, flexible spending account options and vacation time. We also offer an inclusive and equity-centered environment where we encourage staff to bring their whole selves to work.

Verification

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at http://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification from this and future job opportunities with the San Francisco Unified School District.

District Nondiscrimination Statement

San Francisco Unified School District prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation, sexual harassment and bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, immigration status, ethnic group identification, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, reproductive health decision making, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status, or genetic information, or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics or any other basis protected by law or regulation, in its educational program(s) or employment.

For more information about the District's non-discrimination policy, please review Board Policy 4030.

Title IX Nondiscrimination Statement and Grievance Procedures (Disability)

Any person may report discrimination on the basis of a physical or mental disability (whether or not the person reporting is the person alleged to be the victim of discrimination on the basis of a physical or mental disability), in person, by mail, telephone, or electronic mail, using the contact information listed for the Section 504 Coordinator.

District Section 504 Coordinator

Alicia Rodriguez
1515 Quintara St., San Francisco, CA, 94116
[phone] or [e-mail]

Title IX Nondiscrimination Statement and Grievance Procedures (Sexual Harassment)

Any person may report sex discrimination, including sexual harassment (whether or not the person reporting is the person alleged to be the victim of conduct that could constitute sex discrimination or sexual harassment), in person, by mail, by telephone, or electronic mail, using the contact information listed for the Title IX Coordinator, or by any other means that results in the Title IX Coordinator receiving the person's verbal or written report. Such a report may be made at any time (including during non‑business hours) by using the telephone number or electronic mail address, or by mail to the office address, listed for the Title IX Coordinator.

District Title IX Coordinator

Eva Kellogg
Office of Equity
555 Franklin Street, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94102
415-355-7334 or [e-mail]

For more information on the District’s Sexual Harassment policy and grievance procedures, please review Board Policy 4034.