Payroll Operations Manager

Hunt Electric Corporation; Eagan (MN); Hybrid; USD 113,000 - 164,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with employer match

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Paid time off

Job summary

Hunt Electric Corporation in Eagan, MN seeks a Payroll Operations Manager to lead a six-person payroll team delivering accurate weekly and biweekly pay for union and non-union staff. You will own the payroll cycle execution, ensure compliance, and partner with the Payroll Systems Manager on configuration and process design.

The role is hybrid with three days in-office per week at our Eagan location. Ideal candidates have 5–7 years of progressive payroll experience, strong leadership, and deep

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of progressive payroll experience.
• Experience managing, coaching, and developing a payroll team.
• Experience with union payroll and collective bargaining provisions.
• Knowledge of payroll tax, wage and hour, and multi-state compliance.
• Strong audit, balancing, and reconciliation skills with high attention to detail.
• Ability to manage confidentiality and prioritize competing tasks.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end execution of weekly union payroll and biweekly cycles.
• Maintain payroll calendar, enforce cutoffs, and deadlines across team.
• Perform pre- and post-processing audits, balancing, and funding.
• Lead a six-person payroll team including performance management.
• Administer benefits, garnishments, and deductions accurately and timely.
• Staff, schedule, and cross-train to prevent single points of failure.
• Serve as escalation point for employee pay questions.
• Collaborate with Payroll Systems Manager on system changes and testing.
• Support tax filing accuracy and W-2 production with finance.
• Validate new pay rules and go-live sign-off with live data.

Skills

Leadership

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Payroll knowledge

Team management

Tools

Payroll Systems

Microsoft Excel

Teams

Wage & hour compliance

Job description

Job Description Summary

Join our growing team! Hunt Electric is seeking a Payroll Operations Manager to help lead the team responsible for delivering accurate, timely pay to approximately 1,200 weekly union employees and 600 biweekly employees. You’ll own the execution of the payroll cycle and be accountable for its accuracy, timeliness, and compliance, while guiding the performance, workload, and development of a six-person payroll team. Working closely with the Payroll Systems Manager, who owns system configuration, integrations, and process design, you’ll play a key role in payroll operations. This is a hybrid position, with 3 days per week in-office at our Eagan location.

Role & Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end execution of the weekly union payroll cycle and the biweekly payroll cycle.
• Maintain the payroll calendar and enforce cutoffs and deadlines across the payroll team, timekeepers, and field supervisors.
• Perform and oversee pre- and post-processing audits, balancing, and payroll funding.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of six payroll professionals, including performance management and career development.
• Administer benefit payments, garnishments, levies and deductions accurately and within required timeframes.
• Manage team staffing, scheduling, coverage, and cross-training to eliminate single points of failure.
• Balance workload and assign daily work to meet cycle deadlines without compromising accuracy.
• Serve as the escalation point for employee and supervisor questions on individual pay issues.
• Resolve day-to-day system issues and route recurring or root-cause items to the Payroll Systems Manager.
• Support tax filing accuracy, W-2 production, and quarterly reconciliation in partnership with the finance team.
• Validate new pay rules, compensation programs, and system configurations against live data and provide sign-off before go-live.
• Supply testers from the team and own parallel-run sign-off for system upgrades and releases.
• Own research and communication for union audits, partnering with the Payroll Systems Manager on required programming changes.
• Identify team skill gaps and partner with the Payroll Systems Manager on training and documentation needs.
• Ensure payroll practices comply with collective bargaining agreements, wage and hour regulations, and internal controls.
• Maintain a standing partnership cadence with the Payroll Systems Manager and submit change requests through the shared intake process.
• Protect the integrity of the cycle by holding firm on blackout windows and deadline discipline.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• 5-7 years of progressive payroll experience, including multi-frequency payroll processing.
• Demonstrated experience managing, coaching, and developing a payroll or similar transactional team.
• Proven ownership of a recurring, deadline-driven production cycle with no tolerance for missed dates.
• Experience processing union payroll and applying collective bargaining agreement provisions.
• Working knowledge of payroll tax, wage and hour, and multi-state compliance requirements.
• Expertise in prevailing wage compliance and reporting.
• Strong audit, balancing, and reconciliation skills with high attention to detail.
• Ability to remain composed and organized while managing exceptions, escalations, and competing priorities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively.
• Sound judgment and discretion in handling confidential employee and compensation information.
• Collaborative problem-solving approach, including a willingness to route root-cause issues rather than build workarounds.
• Familiarity with relevant software and tools.
• High proficiency in data manipulation, reporting tools, and Teams site ownership.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and operate with integrity.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities.
• Demonstrates our Hunt Leadership Competencies: Motivates and Empowers, Develops Others, Effectively Communicates, Results Oriented, and Displays Integrity.
• Demonstrates our Hunt Core Values: We Honor Our Commitments, We Find A Way, We Set The Pace, We Are Better Together.

Physical Requirements

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, filing cabinets, photocopiers and fax machines. Employees are frequently required to sit, and occasionally required to kneel, reach, stoop, crouch or crawl. This position requires the ability to lift files, open file cabinets, and bend or stand as necessary. This position may occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.

Why Hunt Electric?

Hunt Electric is a 100% employee-owned company with over 60 years of stability, momentum, and exciting growth ahead—our future is bright! We’re proud of our people-first culture, where every decision starts with, "How will this impact our people?" We put safety first, believe we’re better together, and bring the energy of a growing company with the foundation of a business that’s been trusted for decades.

Benefits and Compensation

• 100% Paid Premiums: Medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums are 100% employer-paid for you and your family. Plus, a cash benefit if you opt out.
• Three Pillars of Retirement: We are proud to offer three modes of retirement to ensure you are well-positioned for the future: a 401(k) match, profit sharing, and an ESOP that makes you an employee-owner.
• Annual Discretionary Bonus: Employees enjoy an annual discretionary bonus based on company performance and individual contributions.
• Work-Life Balance: 3+ weeks PTO to start, paid holidays, sick time, and flexible hybrid schedules for many positions.
• Growth & Community: Internal learning and development, multiple Employee Resource Groups, family-friendly work events, and a deep commitment to community volunteering.
• Pay Range: $112,640.00 - $163,840.00. Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
• Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only. In addition to base compensation, Hunt Electric offers a robust benefits plan.

Learn more about our benefits and culture: https://www.huntelec.com/employment/. Watch our Beyond the Breaker podcast to learn about what Hunt Electric is up to. Hunt Electric Corporation and affiliates are equal opportunity employers and afford equal opportunity to all qualified applicants for consideration in all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected under local, state or federal laws. Hunt Electric Corporation participates in E-Verify. As part of our recruitment, screening, and hiring processes, your resume may be reviewed using AI tools to help us identify relevant skills and experience. The use of such AI tools is subject to human oversight and every hiring and employment-related decision is thoughtfully reviewed by a real person.

Company Culture

At Hunt Electric, we believe our strength lies in our people. As a 100% employee-owned company, our culture thrives on collaboration, innovation, and shared success. Since our founding in 1965, we've grown into a national leader in electrical design, construction, and maintenance, delivering full-service solutions across diverse industries, from healthcare and data centers to renewable energy and infrastructure projects. Our core values: We Honor Our Commitments, We Set the Pace, We Find a Way, and We Are Better Together, are more than just words. They are the principles that guide our daily operations and long-term vision. These values have been integral to our identity since our inception and continue to shape our approach to business and teamwork. Our benefits include 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, a flexible hybrid work schedule, generous paid time off, and a robust 401(k) plan with matching contributions. Employees also participate in our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), turning their efforts into ownership and aligning everyone's success. Professional growth is a cornerstone of our culture. We offer in-house learning and development programs, career pathing opportunities, and support for skill enhancement to help our team members thrive. We also have Employee Resource Groups that foster a sense of community and belonging. Beyond the workplace, we encourage our employees to engage with causes they're passionate about, whether it's participating in charity events, community service, or our donation match program. Our commitment to social responsibility reflects our belief in making a positive impact on the communities we serve. Joining Hunt Electric means being part of a team where your contributions matter, your development is encouraged, and your success is shared. We're a company that values collaboration, innovation, and doing great work together.

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