Payroll Manager

Liberty Personnel Services, Inc.; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent legal staffing agency is seeking a Payroll Manager to lead payroll functions and ensure compliance within a multi-state environment. This role requires a minimum of 7 years of payroll experience and at least 3 years in a leadership role, primarily in a law firm. The ideal candidate will have expertise in payroll software and advanced Excel skills. Responsibilities include overseeing payroll strategy, managing partner distributions, and conducting audits to maintain data integrity. Competitive salary and a hybrid work model offered.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7+ years progressive payroll experience, with 3 years in leadership.
• Experience in a law firm required.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end processing of multi-state payrolls.
• Manage complex partner compensation structures.
• Ensure compliance with tax regulations.
• Lead payroll systems optimization and audits.
• Establish standard operating procedures for payroll.

Skills

Payroll software expertise

Advanced Microsoft Excel skills

Leadership

Multi-state payroll experience

Compliance knowledge

Risk mitigation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field

Tools

ADP

Workday

Dayforce

UKG

Job description

Payroll Manager - Law Firm - $125-160k - Hybrid

The Payroll Manager will lead the strategic execution, compliance, and administration of the firm’s payroll functions. This role ensures all legal and non-legal staff are paid accurately and on time while maintaining strict adherence to multi-state and international tax regulations. The Manager acts as a key advisor to leadership regarding partner distributions, associate base-pay adjustments, and the integration of complex bonus structures within a legal environment.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Strategy & Execution: Oversee the end-to-end processing of multi-state payrolls for all attorneys, administrative staff, and partners.

Partner Distributions: Manage the unique complexities of partner compensation, including draws, tax distributions, and K-1 related withholdings.

Compliance & Tax Management: Ensure firm-wide compliance with federal, state, and local tax regulations, including payroll tax filings, W-2/1099 production, and "nexus" issues related to traveling attorneys.

System Optimization: Lead the maintenance and enhancement of the firm’s payroll systems, ensuring seamless integration with time-entry and HRIS platforms.

Audit & Reporting: Conduct regular internal audits to ensure data integrity. Lead the preparation of payroll-related reports for the Finance, Tax, and Benefits departments.

Associate Cycles: Partner with the Compensation team to execute annual lockstep increases, ensuring precise adjustments for associate classes and bonus payouts.

Policy Development: Establish and document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for payroll to ensure continuity and risk mitigation.

Required Qualifications

Experience: A minimum of 7+ years of progressive payroll experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership capacity.

Industry Knowledge: Previous experience within a law firm environment is required. Candidates must understand partner capital accounts, associate lockstep models, and professional services billing structures.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.

Technical Skills: Expert-level proficiency in payroll software (such as ADP, Workday, Dayforce or UKG) and advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, and data modeling.

Certification: CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) is strongly preferred.

To apply, please send your resume and references to [e-mail].

Liberty Personnel Services, Inc.
1001 Conshohocken State Rd, Suite 2-410