Payroll Manager

Socket.dev; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Socket.dev is seeking a Payroll Manager to own payroll across multiple states and sites. You will ensure accurate, timely delivery and partner with HR Operations and Finance to maintain controls and compliance.

This hands-on role covers Dayforce Payroll, time data, audits, reconciliations, and process improvements while leading a team and coordinating with managed payroll providers to resolve issues and drive payroll discipline.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with relevant payroll experience.
• 7+ years of progressive payroll experience including leadership.
• Experience managing multi-state US payroll in a multi-site org.
• Hands-on Dayforce Payroll with Dayforce Workforce Management knowledge.
• Experience with managed payroll providers and vendor accountability.
• Strong controls, audits, reconciliations, and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Own and support payroll operations across multi-state, multi-site environment.
• Lead payroll processing, audits, reconciliations, funding, and year-end activities.
• Act as escalation point for complex payroll issues; drive root-cause actions.
• Establish payroll controls, procedures, and audit processes.
• Collaborate with Finance and HR to support reporting and compliance.
• Provide Dayforce Payroll/WFM support, testing, and issue resolution.
• Drive continuous improvement to reduce manual interventions and errors.

Skills

Payroll processing

Root cause analysis

Vendor management

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience

Tools

Dayforce Payroll

Dayforce Workforce Management

Job description

Description

The Payroll Manager is a hands-on role responsible for the accurate, timely, and compliant delivery of payroll across a complex, multi-state and multi-site environment. This position serves as the primaryoperational owner for Managed Payroll and payroll-related Workforce Management processes, with accountability for stabilizing payroll operations, resolving complex issues, strengthening controls, anddriving consistent payroll discipline across a complex, multi-site environment. The Manager must be able to operate both strategically and directly in the details—leading the payroll function while personally supporting audits, reconciliations, troubleshooting, testing, configuration review, and issue resolution as needed. The role partners closely with HR Operations, Finance, site HR, and Dayforce to ensure payroll and time data are accurate, issues are resolved to root cause, and appropriate controls and processes are sustained.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Payroll Operations

• Own and actively support payroll operations across a complex, multi-state and multi-site environment, ensuring accurate and timely payroll delivery.
• Lead payroll processing, audits, reconciliations, approvals, funding coordination, corrections, off cycle activity, quarter-end, and year-end processes.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex payroll issues and drive issues through resolution, including root-cause analysis and corrective action.
• Establish and maintain strong payroll controls, documented procedures, audit processes, and accountability across the payroll cycle.
• Monitor payroll accuracy, exceptions, recurring errors, and key operational risks; implement sustainable corrective actions rather than relying on manual workarounds.
• Ensure appropriate payroll tax, deduction, earnings, and general ledger processes are supported and reconciled in partnership with internal and external stakeholders.
• Partner with Finance and HR to support payroll reporting, reconciliations, audits, and compliance requirements.

Dayforce & Workforce Management

• Provide hands-on Dayforce Payroll and Workforce Management support, including reporting, audits, troubleshooting, testing, and resolution of complex issues.
• Ensure time, schedule, pay policy, and other Workforce Management data flow accurately into payroll and resolve exceptions that may impact employee pay.
• Evaluate payroll and WFM configuration issues, coordinate required changes with Dayforce, and validate changes through appropriate testing.
• Manage the Dayforce Managed Payroll relationship, including escalations, service delivery, issue tracking, and accountability for resolution.
• Support payroll and WFM enhancements, process improvements, testing, and future implementations or expansions.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive payroll process standardization, automation, and reduction of manual intervention.
• Identify recurring payroll issues and trends, perform root-cause analysis, and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Strengthen payroll controls, documentation, audit processes, and operational discipline.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll accuracy, efficiency, and the employee experience.
• Support Dayforce Payroll and Workforce Management enhancements, testing, and process optimization.
• Partner with HR, Finance, site teams, and Dayforce to improve end-to-end payroll processes and service delivery

Requirements

Required

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 7+ years of progressive payroll experience, including experience leading payroll operations and/or employees.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-state U.S. payroll in a multi-site organization.
• Experience supporting complex payroll operations across multiple sites, legal entities, or business units.
• Hands-on Dayforce Payroll experience with working knowledge of Dayforce Workforce Management.
• Experience working with managed payroll providers and holding vendors accountable for service delivery and issue resolution.
• Experience managing vendors and leading and developing employees.
• Strong payroll processing, audit, reconciliation, controls, reporting, troubleshooting, and root cause analysis experience.

Preferred

• Dayforce Managed Payroll experience.
• Experience supporting payroll in a complex or evolving organizational environment.
• Manufacturing or industrial environment experience.
• Payroll/WFM implementation, stabilization, or transformation experience.
• CPP, PCP, CPM, or other relevant payroll certification.