United States This position is not eligible for employer sponsorship. Applicants must be legally authorized to work and must not require employer sponsorship.
Location:
20 East Thomas Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85012 United States of America
To ensure a fair and consistent evaluation process, candidates are expected to complete all interviews and assessments independently and without the use of artificial intelligence tools (including AI-generated responses, prompts, or real-time assistance). Use of AI throughout the application and recruiting process may result in removal from consideration. Our goal is to get to know your authentic experiences, communication style, and problem-solving approach.
Position Overview
Reporting to the Director of Human Resources (HR) Service Delivery & Operations, the Manager, Payroll leads payroll administration and payroll tax operations throughout the U.S. and Canada. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll execution while developing Team Members, strengthening controls, building trusted partnerships, and driving continuous improvement. The successful candidate balances service, compliance, operational excellence, and financial stewardship to support reliable payroll operations and the Company's long-term success.
Essential Duties, Responsibilities, & Key Accountabilities
- Ensure payroll is delivered accurately, timely, and in compliance with applicable federal, state, provincial, and local requirements.
- Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing Payroll Team Members through coaching, accountability, performance management, and succession planning.
- Maintain business continuity through cross-education, process documentation, knowledge transfer, and operational readiness.
- Develop and monitor departmental goals, budgets, operational metrics, service levels, and compliance indicators to drive performance and continuous improvement.
- Oversee payroll administration, payroll tax remittance, year-end processing, and related regulatory reporting requirements.
- Establish and strengthen payroll controls, audit practices, security access, and segregation of duties to protect Company assets and ensure compliance.
- Partner with Human Resources, Accounting, and business leaders to provide payroll expertise, solve problems, and support organizational objectives.
- Identify opportunities to simplify processes, reduce manual effort, improve efficiency, and enhance the Team Member experience through process improvement and automation.
- Protect confidential and sensitive information through appropriate controls, policies, and sound judgment.
- Perform additional responsibilities and provide hands-on support as needed to ensure successful payroll operations.
Skills, Requirements & Qualifications
Required
- 3+ years of progressive leadership experience in Payroll, Human Resources, Accounting, or related operational leadership roles.
- Demonstrated experience leading payroll operations, payroll tax compliance, and regulatory requirements in a complex environment.
- Strong organizational, communication, project management, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to interpret complex situations and develop practical, business-minded solutions that balance compliance, Team Member needs, and organizational objectives.
- High level of integrity, professionalism, and discretion in handling confidential information.
- Strong technology aptitude with a continuous improvement mindset.
Preferred
- Experience leading multi-state payroll operations in a complex and/or high-volume environment.
- Knowledge of payroll tax regulations, garnishments, wage and hour requirements, and payroll compliance practices.
- Experience with payroll systems, HRIS platforms, reporting tools, and operational metrics.
- Experience leading process improvement, automation, or payroll modernization initiatives.
- Professional Payroll Certification (CPP) or related payroll credentials.
What Success Looks Like
- Champion a people-first culture by ensuring Team Members are paid accurately, timely, and in compliance with applicable payroll regulations.
- Develop a high-performing Payroll Team through coaching, accountability, succession planning, and professional development.
- Build trusted partnerships and deliver responsive, practical payroll solutions that support Team Members and business objectives.
- Use data, analytics, and sound judgment to strengthen controls, improve processes, and reduce operational risk.
- Drive efficiency through process simplification, automation, standardization, and continuous improvement.
- Foster a resilient payroll operation through documentation, knowledge sharing, and cross-education.
- Take ownership, follow through on commitments, and hold yourself and others accountable for results.
- Create an environment where Team Members, leaders, and business partners feel supported, informed, and confident in the payroll experience.
U Haul Offers:
- Medical insurance
- Prescrip