Payroll & Accounting Strategy Lead

Creative Financial Staffing, LLC; Newark (NJ); On-site; USD 100,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Creative Financial Staffing, LLC in Newark, NJ, seeks an Accounting & Payroll Manager to lead payroll operations, ensure compliance, and drive accurate financial reporting. You will partner with Finance and HR to optimize processes and support annual audits, with exposure to union payrolls and retirement plans.

The role focuses on end-to-end payroll across weekly and bi-weekly cycles, supervising payroll accounting, and influencing labor-related financial decisions in a high-visibility

Qualifications

• 5+ years of payroll management and payroll accounting experience with prior team leadership experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• Strong knowledge of federal, New Jersey, and local payroll compliance regulations.
• Experience with payroll accounting, reconciliations, audits, and general ledger reporting.
• Union payroll, collective bargaining agreement (CBA), and benefit reporting experience strongly preferred.
• Advanced experience with payroll platforms (ADP, UKG, Ceridian, etc.) and ERP systems.

Responsibilities

• Oversee accurate and timely processing of weekly and bi-weekly payrolls for salaried, hourly, and union employees.
• Manage payroll accounting, including journal entries, reconciliations, labor allocations, and general ledger accuracy.
• Lead union reporting, fringe benefit remittances, and retirement contribution compliance.
• Partner with HR/P&O teams to review benefits, payroll deductions, and compensation changes.
• Serve as the primary payroll contact for annual audits, including workers’ compensation, retirement, and payroll compliance reviews.
• Drive payroll process improvements, automation initiatives, and system optimization efforts.

Skills

Payroll management

Leadership

Compliance

Financial reporting

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance/Business Admin

Tools

ADP

UKG

Ceridian

ERP systems

Job description

Creative Financial Staffing, LLC in Newark, NJ, seeks an Accounting & Payroll Manager to lead payroll operations, ensure compliance, and drive accurate financial reporting. You will partner with Finance and HR to optimize processes and support annual audits, with exposure to union payrolls and retirement plans.

The role focuses on end-to-end payroll across weekly and bi-weekly cycles, supervising payroll accounting, and influencing labor-related financial decisions in a high-visibility