Payroll Manager - Memphis, TN

butlersnowrecruiting; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Law Firm is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead a multi-state payroll function and oversee a transition to UKG. You will own end-to-end payroll for employees and partners, ensuring accuracy and timely processing across states.

The role requires strong technical payroll knowledge, attention to detail, and the ability to partner with HR, Finance, IT, and leadership. CPP certification is a plus, and prior experience with UKG is highly desirable.

Qualifications

• 5-7+ years of hands-on payroll experience.
• Experience managing multi-state payroll.
• Strong knowledge of payroll taxes, wage-and-hour requirements, deductions, garnishments, reconciliations, and year-end processes.
• Experience processing payroll for exempt and hourly/non-exempt employees.
• Strong Excel and payroll data reconciliation skills.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving abilities.
• The ability to meet firm payroll deadlines consistently while maintaining a high degree of accuracy.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to explain payroll matters clearly.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end payroll processing for employees and partners across multiple states.
• Process and audit bi-weekly employee and semi-monthly partner payrolls.
• Review timekeeping, compensation changes, deductions, taxes, bonuses, adjustments, and other payroll transactions.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll and wage-and-hour requirements.
• Perform payroll audits and reconciliations and resolve discrepancies before payroll is finalized.
• Support quarterly and year-end payroll processes and reporting.
• Serve as a trusted resource for employees and partners with payroll questions.
• Partner closely with HR, Benefits, Finance/Accounting, IT, and firm leadership.
• Play a key role in the firm’s UKG implementation, including payroll testing, validation, and transition activities.
• Help develop documented payroll procedures, controls, calendars, and best practices.
• Identify opportunities to use UKG and other technology to improve payroll processes.

Skills

Payroll processing

Multi-state payroll

Excel

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Tools

UKG

Cognos

Job description

We are looking for an experienced Payroll Manager to join the Human Resources team of a large, multi-state law firm with approximately 26 offices.

This is an important opportunity to take ownership of a well-established payroll function at an exciting point in its evolution. Following the retirement of a long-tenured payroll professional, our next Payroll Manager will become a trusted resource to our employees and partners while helping us complete our transition to UKG.

In this role, you will manage bi-weekly payroll for employees, including hourly/non-exempt employees, and semi-monthly payroll for partners. You’ll oversee the payroll process from beginning to end—from reviewing time and payroll inputs through processing, auditing, reconciliation, reporting, and issue resolution.

You’ll also have an opportunity to help shape how payroll operates going forward. As we complete our UKG implementation, you’ll help establish effective payroll controls and procedures, and identify opportunities to make our processes more efficient while maintaining the accuracy and service our employees and partners expect.

What You’ll Do

• Own end-to-end payroll processing for employees and partners across multiple states.
• Process and audit bi-weekly employee and semi-monthly partner payrolls.
• Review timekeeping, compensation changes, deductions, taxes, bonuses, adjustments, and other payroll transactions.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll and wage-and-hour requirements.
• Perform payroll audits and reconciliations and resolve discrepancies before payroll is finalized.
• Support quarterly and year-end payroll processes and reporting.
• Serve as a trusted resource for employees and partners with payroll questions.
• Partner closely with HR, Benefits, Finance/Accounting, IT, and firm leadership.
• Play a key role in the firm’s UKG implementation, including payroll testing, validation, and transition activities.
• Help develop documented payroll procedures, controls, calendars, and best practices.
• Identify opportunities to use UKG and other technology to improve payroll processes.

What We’re Looking For

We’re seeking someone who combines strong technical payroll knowledge with exceptional attention to detail and a service-oriented approach.

Our ideal candidate has:

• 5-7+ years of hands-on payroll experience.
• Experience managing multi-state payroll.
• Strong knowledge of payroll taxes, wage-and-hour requirements, deductions, garnishments, reconciliations, and year-end processes.
• Experience processing payroll for exempt and hourly/non-exempt employees.
• Strong Excel and payroll data reconciliation skills.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving abilities.
• The ability to meet firm payroll deadlines consistently while maintaining a high degree of accuracy.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to explain payroll matters clearly.
• Sound judgment and discretion when working with confidential compensation and employee information.

Experience with UKG, Cognos, payroll system implementations, professional services organizations, partnerships, or law firms is highly desirable. CPP certification is also a plus.

Why This Role

Payroll is one of the most important services we provide to our people. We’re looking for someone who understands both the technical responsibility and the human impact of getting payroll right. This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of a critical firm-wide function, develop relationships across our offices, and help modernize payroll as we transition to UKG. For someone who enjoys combining hands-on payroll work with process improvement and problem solving, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact from day one.

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