Payroll Manager

Addison Group; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Addison Group in Los Angeles seeks a hands-on Payroll Manager to lead a high-volume operation supporting 7,000+ employees, ensuring accurate semi-monthly payroll processing and strict compliance.

You will manage a team of seven payroll professionals, partner with HR and Accounting, and optimize payroll controls and reporting for senior leadership. This role requires California wage-and-hour expertise and strong Excel skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or related field.
• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience, including payroll management or supervisory responsibility.
• Experience processing large-volume payrolls, preferably 5,000+ employees.
• Strong knowledge of California payroll, wage-and-hour laws, payroll taxes, and compliance requirements.
• Experience with semi-monthly payroll processing.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (PivotTables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, SUMIFS).
• CPP, CPM, or other payroll certification is a plus.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of seven payroll professionals.
• Oversee accurate and timely semi-monthly payroll for 7,000+ employees.
• Manage payroll processing, including earnings, deductions, benefits, garnishments, payroll taxes, adjustments, and third-party payments.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, with strong emphasis on California wage-and-hour and payroll tax requirements.
• Oversee timekeeping and payroll systems, ensuring accurate employee hours and compensation.
• Coordinate with HR and Accounting on payroll reconciliations, reporting, payroll-related accounting entries, and employee changes.
• Coordinate with payroll providers, tax agencies, auditors, and other external partners.
• Support payroll tax audits and provide required documentation and reporting.
• Develop and maintain payroll policies, procedures, documentation, and internal controls.
• Prepare customized payroll reports, analyses, and metrics for management and senior leadership.

Skills

Team leadership

Payroll processing

Analytical skills

Communication

Confidentiality

Time management

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources

Tools

ADP

E-Time

Excel

Job description

A well-established company in Los Angeles is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead a high-volume payroll operation supporting 7,000+ employees. This is a hands-on leadership position responsible for overseeing a team of payroll professionals and ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant semi-monthly payroll processing.

The ideal candidate will have strong California payroll expertise, proven team leadership experience, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to partner effectively with HR, Accounting, senior leadership, auditors, and payroll vendors.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of seven payroll professionals, establishing priorities, performance expectations, and accountability.
• Oversee accurate and timely semi-monthly payroll for 7,000+ employees.
• Manage payroll processing, including earnings, deductions, benefits, garnishments, payroll taxes, adjustments, and third-party payments.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, with strong emphasis on California wage-and-hour and payroll tax requirements.
• Oversee timekeeping and payroll systems, ensuring accurate employee hours and compensation.
• Manage payroll changes related to new hires, terminations, salary adjustments, organizational changes, and system updates.
• Partner closely with HR and Accounting on payroll reconciliations, reporting, payroll-related accounting entries, and employee changes.
• Coordinate with payroll providers, tax agencies, auditors, and other external partners.
• Support payroll tax audits and provide required documentation and reporting.
• Develop and maintain payroll policies, procedures, documentation, and internal controls.
• Prepare customized payroll reports, analyses, and metrics for management and senior leadership.
• Investigate and resolve payroll, tax, timekeeping, and employee compensation issues.
• Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, controls, systems, and departmental efficiency.
• Train and develop payroll staff on systems, processes, compliance requirements, and best practices.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and data security when handling sensitive employee and financial information.
• Ensure payroll deadlines and departmental service-level expectations are consistently achieved.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or related field.
• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience, including payroll management or supervisory responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience managing, mentoring, and developing a payroll team.
• Experience processing large-volume payrolls, preferably 5,000+ employees.
• Strong knowledge of California payroll, wage-and-hour laws, payroll taxes, and compliance requirements.
• Experience with semi-monthly payroll processing.
• Strong knowledge of payroll procedures, controls, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, and data analysis.
• Experience with ADP payroll platforms strongly preferred.
• Experience with E-Time or comparable timekeeping systems preferred.
• CPP, CPM, or other payroll certification is a plus.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while consistently meeting strict payroll deadlines.
• High level of discretion, professionalism, confidentiality, and attention to detail.

What We're Looking For

The successful candidate will be a hands-on payroll leader who can manage a large and complex payroll operation while developing a strong team and continuously improving processes. The ability to communicate effectively with employees, managers, executives, HR, Accounting, and external payroll partners is essential.