Payroll Manager

Creative Financial Staffing, LLC; Milwaukee (WI); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Creative Financial Staffing, LLC is seeking a Payroll Manager to lead a rebuilt payroll function with strong executive support and significant runway for growth. This hybrid role offers the chance to drive change, implement new procedures, and shape payroll across 60+ brands and 27 U.S.

legal entities. You will oversee multi‑state and Canadian payroll compliance, optimize Dayforce, and partner with HR and leadership to improve training, audits, and accuracy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Payroll leadership experience with direct team management.
• Strong multi-state and Canadian payroll compliance knowledge.
• CPP certification preferred; willingness to obtain within one year of hire.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and manage the payroll team while driving accountability and performance.
• Oversee payroll compliance across multiple states and legal entities.
• Maintain and strengthen payroll audit controls and support quarterly audit activities.
• Drive process improvements, standardization, and implementation of new payroll procedures.
• Partner with HR and operational leaders to improve training, reduce payroll errors, and enhance payroll accuracy.
• Support ongoing optimization and adoption of Dayforce across the organization.

Skills

Payroll leadership

Cross-state payroll

Audit controls

Education

Bachelor’s degree

CPP certification (preferred)

Tools

Dayforce

Job description

Ready to step into a high-impact payroll leadership role where you can build processes, drive change, and help shape a growing organization? This is an opportunity to join a company undergoing exciting transformation, with strong executive support and significant runway for future growth.

Payroll Manager

Salary: $125,000 – $145,000 + Bonus

Why This Opportunity Stands Out:

• Join a payroll function that is actively being rebuilt and improved, giving you the opportunity to create lasting impact.
• Hybrid work environment offering flexibility and work-life balance.
• Lead payroll operations supporting 60+ brands and 27 U.S. legal entities.
• Gain exposure to a complex, multi-state payroll environment covering nearly every state in the U.S.
• Play a key role in Dayforce optimization following a recent implementation.
• Partner with strong legal and executive leadership teams that support compliance and best practices.
• Influence process improvements, training strategies, and audit controls across the organization.
• Opportunity to expand beyond U.S. payroll as the company grows its global corporate functions.
• Professional development support, including reimbursement for CPP certification.

Key Responsibilities for the Payroll Manager:

• Lead, develop, and manage the payroll team while driving accountability and performance.
• Oversee payroll compliance across multiple states and legal entities.
• Maintain and strengthen payroll audit controls and support quarterly audit activities.
• Drive process improvements, standardization, and implementation of new payroll procedures.
• Partner with HR and operational leaders to improve training, reduce payroll errors, and enhance payroll accuracy.
• Support ongoing optimization and adoption of Dayforce across the organization.

Qualifications for the Payroll Manager:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Payroll leadership experience with direct team management responsibility.
• Strong multi-state and Canadian payroll compliance knowledge.
• CPP certification preferred; willingness to obtain within one year of hire.