Payroll Director — Multi-State, SOX & Change Leader

American Fire Protection Group, Inc.; Edina (MN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with Company Match

Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

Profit Sharing Plan

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Paid Holidays

Tuition Reimbursement

Wellness Program

Leadership Development

Job summary

American Fire Protection Group (AFPG) is seeking a Payroll Manager to lead payroll during a period of transformation. This high-visibility role ensures accurate, compliant, and timely processing while aligning with new systems and organizational changes.

You will develop processes, drive improvements, and partner across HR, Finance, and IT to support payroll initiatives. The ideal candidate has 5+ years in progressive payroll roles, multi-state and union payroll experience, and strong Excel/SOX

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience with demonstrated leadership.
• Experience managing complex, multi-state payroll operations.
• Strong experience with union payroll and construction industry payroll practices, preferred.
• Experience leading teams through organizational change, process improvements, or payroll system implementations.
• Strong knowledge of payroll tax regulations, wage and hour laws, garnishments, prevailing wage, certified payroll, and compliance requirements.
• Experience supporting SOX controls and audits, preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills with strong analytical and reconciliation abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop branch payroll teammates while serving as the primary point of contact for all payroll operations.
• Manage end-to-end payroll processing across multiple companies, states, pay frequencies, and employee populations, including union and non-union employees.
• Lead payroll operations through organizational changes, system implementations, process standardization, and company integrations.
• Partner with HR, Finance, Benefits, IT, and branch leadership to support payroll-related initiatives and business transformation efforts.
• Identify opportunities to streamline payroll processes, improve efficiency, strengthen internal controls, and enhance the employee experience.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, wage and hour laws, union agreements, and company policies.
• Champion SOX compliance, internal controls, audit readiness, and documentation.
• Oversee payroll adjustments, off-cycle payrolls, final pay calculations, PTO payouts, benefit reconciliations, and deductions including 401(k) and ESPP.
• Administer child support, garnishments, tax levies, unemployment claims, and other required payroll deductions.
• Manage employee payroll records and ensure data integrity across payroll systems.
• Support prevailing wage administration, certified payroll reporting, union reporting, and union rate updates.
• Coordinate benefit-related payroll changes and reconciliations.
• Review and validate payroll calculations, reconciliations, and payroll-related reporting.
• Respond to payroll inquiries from employees, branch teams, and leadership while providing exceptional customer service.
• Support workers' compensation salary requests, employment verifications, disability payments, and audit requests.
• Train payroll team members and develop standardized procedures and documentation.
• Stay informed on changing payroll legislation, industry best practices, and system enhancements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Payroll leadership

Multi-state payroll

Union payroll experience

Excel

Communication

Change management

Audit support

SOX controls

Data integrity

Tools

Oracle

Job description

American Fire Protection Group (AFPG) is seeking a Payroll Manager to lead payroll during a period of transformation. This high-visibility role ensures accurate, compliant, and timely processing while aligning with new systems and organizational changes.

You will develop processes, drive improvements, and partner across HR, Finance, and IT to support payroll initiatives. The ideal candidate has 5+ years in progressive payroll roles, multi-state and union payroll experience, and strong Excel/SOX