Payroll & Compliance Manager

LHH; New Jersey; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision (PPO & HRA)

Unlimited PTO

Pet Insurance

Life Insurance

401K plan

Job summary

LHH is partnering with a well-established nonprofit in Essex County to recruit a Payroll & Compliance Manager. This senior leader will oversee payroll operations, payroll accounting, regulatory compliance, union reporting, and benefits administration support, while collaborating with Finance and Human Resources to strengthen internal controls.

The ideal candidate brings hands-on payroll leadership, strong wage-and-hour knowledge in NJ/NY, and a track record of process improvement within a

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive payroll management and payroll accounting experience.
• Experience supervising staff and coordinating with HR on benefits and data management.
• Strong knowledge of wage and hour regulations and payroll tax rules.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end payroll processing for a diverse employee population including union staff.
• Ensure payroll activities comply with applicable federal, New Jersey, and New York wage and hour regulations, tax requirements, and organizational policies.
• Oversee payroll-related journal entries and labor allocations across departments and funding sources.
• Collaborate with Human Resources to review employee benefits elections, deductions, and enrollment information for accuracy.
• Support audits and year-end reporting, and assist with accruals and testing.

Skills

Payroll systems

Union payrolls

Labor regulations

Excel skills

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance/Business Administration

Tools

ADP

UKG

Ceridian

Job description

LHH is partnering with a well-established, mission-driven nonprofit organization in Essex County that is seeking a Payroll & Compliance Manager to join its growing finance team. This is a highly visible leadership role responsible for overseeing payroll operations, payroll accounting, regulatory compliance, union reporting, benefits administration support, and cross-functional collaboration with Finance and Human Resources. The ideal candidate brings a hands-on approach to payroll management, a strong understanding of labor and employment regulations, and the ability to drive process improvements within a complex, multi-employee environment.

Position Overview

The Payroll & Compliance Manager will oversee the accurate and timely processing of payroll while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. This individual will partner closely with Finance and Human Resources to maintain the integrity of payroll data, support audits, manage union reporting requirements, and strengthen internal payroll controls and processes.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Management & Compliance

• Lead the end-to-end processing of weekly and biweekly payrolls for a diverse employee population, including salaried, hourly, and union staff.
• Ensure payroll activities comply with applicable federal, New Jersey, and New York wage and hour regulations, tax requirements, and organizational policies.
• Review payroll registers, garnishments, deductions, tax withholdings, and final disbursements to ensure accuracy prior to processing.
• Monitor regulatory updates and implement necessary payroll and compliance-related changes.

Payroll Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Oversee payroll-related journal entries and ensure proper labor allocations across departments and funding sources.
• Review payroll expense reporting and ensure alignment between payroll records, budgets, and the general ledger.
• Perform and review reconciliations of payroll liability accounts, benefits accruals, and withholding balances.
• Serve as the primary payroll liaison during annual financial statement audits and assist with year-end accruals, testing, and audit requests.

Benefits & Human Resources Partnership

• Collaborate closely with Human Resources to review employee benefit elections, deductions, and enrollment information for accuracy.
• Support the implementation and ongoing administration of new benefit programs, compensation changes, and employee perks.
• Establish and maintain best practices for payroll and HR data integration, ensuring accurate information flow between systems.
• Participate in periodic audits of employee records and payroll-related benefits data.
• Manage union payroll compliance, including reporting, remittance payments, fringe benefit submissions, and related documentation.
• Interpret collective bargaining agreements to ensure proper wage rates, benefit contributions, and payroll system configurations.
• Oversee retirement plan contribution processing and ensure timely funding in accordance with plan requirements and regulatory guidelines.
• Ensure all union and retirement-related reporting deadlines are consistently met.

Audits, Reporting & Process Improvement

• Coordinate annual workers' compensation audits, including payroll reporting, classification reviews, and external auditor support.
• Lead preparation and documentation for retirement plan audits and ensure accurate reconciliation of employee deductions and employer contributions.
• Analyze quarterly payroll tax filings and reconcile Form 941 reporting to payroll records and financial statements.
• Identify opportunities to automate processes, improve controls, and enhance payroll system functionality.
• Partner with Finance leadership on budgeting, labor analysis, forecasting, compliance initiatives, and other special projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive payroll management and payroll accounting experience.
• At least 2 years of direct supervisory or people management experience.
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax regulations, wage and hour laws, and employment-related compliance requirements.
• Experience working closely with Human Resources on benefits administration, payroll reconciliations, and employee data management.
• Prior experience managing union payrolls, collective bargaining agreement requirements, and union remittance reporting is highly preferred.
• Advanced proficiency with payroll systems and ERP platforms, including experience with systems such as ADP, UKG, Ceridian, or comparable solutions.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data analysis, and reconciliation reporting.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation is a plus.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with a continuous improvement mindset.

Benefits: Medical/Dental/Vision (PPO & HRA) - VSP & FSA, Unlimited PTO for salaried employees, Pet Insurance, Life Insurance, 401K plan

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

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The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:

• The California Fair Chance Act
• Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance
• Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers