Hybrid Director, Statewide Payroll Operations

Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Commonwealth of Massachusetts is seeking a Statewide Director of Payroll Operations to lead the statewide payroll function, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, consistency, and compliance across HRIS, payroll processing, and payroll accounting. You will supervise payroll staff and establish performance standards to promote accountability and efficient payroll services.

The role requires strategic oversight, collaboration with departments, and adherence to state finance laws; the hybrid work model is

Qualifications

• Proven responsibility for managing complex payroll operations, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, efficiency, and compliance.
• Demonstrated experience directing teams, establishing performance expectations, evaluating results, and developing staff.
• Ability to lead and develop staff, support supervisors, establish accountability, and foster effective teamwork.
• Experience identifying payroll risks, implementing controls, addressing deficiencies, and ensuring appropriate corrective actions.
• Extensive experience applying payroll laws, managing audit activities, and maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Proven ability to evaluate operational performance, resolve complex issues, and lead initiatives that improve payroll effectiveness.

Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate the operation of the statewide payroll team including HRIS, HR, payroll and payroll accounting including processing, automation, department support, and quality assurance.
• Provide leadership, direction, mentorship, and support to payroll supervisors and staff while fostering a collaborative, accountable, service-oriented, and inclusive work environment.
• Guide and support team supervisors in coordinating workloads, priorities, team activities, employee engagement, and operational objectives.
• Establish clear expectations and accountability for the timely and accurate completion of statewide payroll responsibilities.
• Ensure statewide payroll production schedules and critical deadlines are met and that payroll errors and exceptions are identified, investigated, and corrected prior to payroll processing.
• Promote consistent statewide payroll practices and the effective application of payroll policies, procedures, controls, and standards across Commonwealth departments.
• Provide guidance and escalation support for complex payroll matters affecting Commonwealth departments.
• Promote department accountability by establishing clear expectations regarding departmental payroll responsibilities and providing departments with the support and tools necessary to meet those responsibilities.
• Coordinate with the Director of Payroll Engagement & Change Management to provide timely, accurate, and consistent communication to Commonwealth departments, with an emphasis on education, collaboration, compliance, and effective payroll administration.
• Build productive working relationships with payroll professionals and other stakeholders throughout the Commonwealth and ensure the Statewide Payroll Team remains a trusted resource for departments.
• Analyze payroll system changes, define business requirements needed to meet Massachusetts’ government needs and compliance with state finance law and all tax and labor requirements; coordinate testing to ensure business requirements are met.
• Develop and maintain control frameworks, procedures, and standards designed to protect the integrity and accuracy of statewide payroll operations and promote accountability.
• Ensure Calendar and Fiscal Year End processing is successful and within deadlines; specifically, W-2 iterative processing is completed and reconciled quarterly, W-2s are produced prior to January 31; ACA monthly processing is completed, as scheduled, and 1095-Cs are produced prior to defined deadline; Non-Resident Alien enrollment and processing is completed and 1042s are produced prior to March 15.
• Establish appropriate review, reconciliation, escalation, and quality-assurance processes for high-risk and deadline-sensitive payroll activities.
• Develop and implement protocols for regular audits and reviews of HR and payroll data to identify inaccuracies, anomalies, control weaknesses, and compliance concerns.
• Ensure appropriate documentation, evidence, and audit trails are maintained to support payroll transactions, reconciliations, adjustments, and control activities.

Skills

Payroll management

Leadership

Compliance

Auditing

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field

Tools

HRIS

Payroll systems

Job description

Commonwealth of Massachusetts is seeking a Statewide Director of Payroll Operations to lead the statewide payroll function, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, consistency, and compliance across HRIS, payroll processing, and payroll accounting. You will supervise payroll staff and establish performance standards to promote accountability and efficient payroll services.

The role requires strategic oversight, collaboration with departments, and adherence to state finance laws; the hybrid work model is