Payroll Implementation Consultant

Hunter Sage; Houston, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Hunter Sage is seeking an experienced Payroll Implementation Project Lead to drive a large-scale HR technology and payroll transformation across multi-state processes. You will guide timekeeping and payroll activities through implementation, testing, go-live, and post-launch stabilization in a collaborative, cross-functional environment.

The role requires ownership of complex workstreams, strong coordination skills, and the ability to manage testing cycles, dependencies, and stakeholder

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive payroll experience in complex or multi-state organizations.
• Experience with payroll, timekeeping, HRIS, or workforce management implementations.
• Strong project management or implementation coordination skills.
• Experience with end-to-end and parallel payroll testing.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate payroll and timekeeping implementation activities, deliverables, deadlines, and dependencies.
• Provide direction to payroll team members assigned to the implementation project.
• Manage trackers, implementation workbooks, action items, testing documentation, and outstanding requirements.
• Lead coordination of customer confirmations, end-to-end testing, parallel payroll testing, cutover activities, and go-live readiness.
• Serve as a key liaison between internal stakeholders and third-party payroll/technology partners.
• Monitor project progress and proactively identify risks, gaps, delays, and downstream payroll impacts.
• Drive issues toward resolution by engaging the appropriate internal or external resources and escalating when necessary.
• Review payroll processes, controls, configurations, and implementation decisions from an operational and compliance perspective.
• Support knowledge transfer and ensure payroll stakeholders understand system changes, testing outcomes, and new processes.
• Assist with payroll-related considerations involving taxes, garnishments, unemployment, labor costing, payroll accounting, and compliance.
• Support the team through initial payroll processing and post-implementation stabilization.

Skills

Payroll expertise

Timekeeping

HRIS implementation

Project management

Cross-functional coordination

Testing cycles

Multi-state payroll

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Tools

Workday

Job description

Our nationwide client is seeking an experiencedPayroll Implementation Project Leadto support a large-scale HR technology and payroll transformation initiative. This individual will combine deep payroll expertise with strong project coordination skills to help guide payroll and timekeeping activities through implementation, testing, go-live, and post-launch stabilization.

This is a highly collaborative role that will work across Payroll, HRIS, Finance, Compliance, and external implementation partners. The ideal candidate is comfortable taking ownership of complex workstreams, organizing competing priorities, identifying potential issues, and ensuring critical deliverables continue moving forward.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate payroll and timekeeping implementation activities, deliverables, deadlines, and dependencies.
• Provide direction and organization to payroll team members assigned to the implementation project.
• Manage project trackers, implementation workbooks, action items, testing documentation, and outstanding requirements.
• Lead coordination of customer confirmations, end-to-end testing, parallel payroll testing, cutover activities, and go-live readiness.
• Serve as a key liaison between internal stakeholders and third-party payroll/technology partners.
• Monitor project progress and proactively identify risks, gaps, delays, and downstream payroll impacts.
• Drive issues toward resolution by engaging the appropriate internal or external resources and escalating when necessary.
• Review payroll processes, controls, configurations, and implementation decisions from an operational and compliance perspective.
• Support knowledge transfer and ensure payroll stakeholders understand system changes, testing outcomes, and new processes.
• Assist with payroll-related considerations involving taxes, garnishments, unemployment, labor costing, payroll accounting, and compliance.
• Support the team through initial payroll processing and post-implementation stabilization.

Qualifications:

• 7+ years of progressive payroll experience, ideally within complex or multi-state organizations.
• Previous involvement in apayroll, timekeeping, HRIS, or workforce management implementation.
• Strong project management or implementation coordination capabilities.
• Experience with testing cycles, including end-to-end and parallel payroll testing.
• Strong knowledge of multi-state payroll, payroll taxes, reconciliations, garnishments, unemployment, and compliance.
• Ability to organize multiple workstreams and keep team members accountable to deadlines and deliverables.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to recognize issues, determine next steps, and escal…
• Experience partnering across Payroll, HR, HRIS, Finance, Compliance, and external vendors.
• Excellent communication, documentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to operate independently and effectively in a fast-moving implementation environment.

Preferred Experience

• Workday Payroll and/or Time Tracking implementation experience.
• Experience supporting outsourced or managed payroll service implementations.
• Familiarity with payroll implementation workbooks, testing scripts, conversion activities, and go-live planning.
• Experience supporting payroll transformation or large-scale HR technology initiatives.