Payroll Operations Manager

SpectrumCareers; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

SpectrumCareers is seeking an experienced Payroll Operations Manager to lead multi-state payroll operations, ensuring accurate and timely processing while maintaining compliance and strong controls. The role partners with HR and Finance to manage reconciliations, month-end close, and reporting.

The ideal candidate brings 5+ years in payroll, advanced Excel, and familiarity with UKG, Workday, or ADP. This remote role requires strong analytical skills and cross-functional collaboration to drive

Qualifications

• detailed knowledge of payroll laws, tax regulations, wage and hour requirements, and payroll compliance.
• Experience managing payroll systems and working with third-party payroll providers.
• Solid understanding of payroll accounting, reconciliations, accruals, and financial reporting impacts.
• Experience supporting audit requests and maintaining payroll controls and documentation.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience working with HRIS, payroll, and ERP systems.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, remote environment.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end payroll operations for a multi-state workforce, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing.
• Oversee payroll-related activities including salaries, bonuses, commissions, equity compensation, deductions, benefits, and tax withholdings.
• Partner with Human Resources to administer payroll changes, employee onboarding, terminations, and compensation adjustments.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, tax requirements, and reporting obligations.
• Review and approve payroll reconciliations, payroll journal entries, and payroll-related balance sheet accounts.
• Collaborate with Accounting to support month-end close activities, payroll accruals, and financial reporting requirements.
• Manage relationships with payroll providers and third-party vendors.
• Develop, maintain, and enhance payroll controls, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance and accuracy.
• Support annual audits by preparing payroll-related schedules, documentation, and auditor requests.
• Monitor payroll trends, identify process improvements, and drive automation initiatives to improve efficiency and scalability.
• Assist with the administration and reporting of equity compensation and other employee incentive programs.
• Serve as the payroll subject matter expert across the organization and provide guidance to leadership on payroll-related matters.

Skills

Multi-state payroll administration

Payroll compliance

Process improvement

Analytical skills

Excel

HRIS

ERP systems

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, Business Administration

Tools

UKG

Workday

ADP

Payroll platforms

Job description

Our client is seeking an experienced Payroll Operations Manager to lead payroll operations and payroll-related accounting activities within a growing organization. This role will serve as the primary liaison between Payroll, Human Resources, Finance, and Accounting, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time while maintaining strong controls and compliance across payroll processes.

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in multi-state payroll administration, payroll compliance, payroll accounting, and process improvement. While this role has oversight of payroll accounting, the primary focus is managing payroll operations, ensuring regulatory compliance, driving process efficiencies, and supporting reporting requirements. This individual will partner closely with Accounting on payroll reconciliations, accruals, and month-end close activities.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end payroll operations for a multi-state workforce, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing.
• Oversee payroll-related activities including salaries, bonuses, commissions, equity compensation, deductions, benefits, and tax withholdings.
• Partner with Human Resources to administer payroll changes, employee onboarding, terminations, and compensation adjustments.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, tax requirements, and reporting obligations.
• Review and approve payroll reconciliations, payroll journal entries, and payroll-related balance sheet accounts.
• Collaborate with Accounting to support month-end close activities, payroll accruals, and financial reporting requirements.
• Manage relationships with payroll providers and third-party vendors.
• Develop, maintain, and enhance payroll controls, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance and accuracy.
• Support annual audits by preparing payroll-related schedules, documentation, and auditor requests.
• Monitor payroll trends, identify process improvements, and drive automation initiatives to improve efficiency and scalability.
• Assist with the administration and reporting of equity compensation and other employee incentive programs.
• Serve as the payroll subject matter expert across the organization and provide guidance to leadership on payroll-related matters.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5+ years of progressive payroll experience, including responsibility for multi-state payroll operations.
• Strong knowledge of payroll laws, tax regulations, wage and hour requirements, and payroll compliance.
• Experience managing payroll systems and working with third-party payroll providers.
• Solid understanding of payroll accounting, reconciliations, accruals, and financial reporting impacts.
• Experience supporting audit requests and maintaining payroll controls and documentation.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience working with HRIS, payroll, and ERP systems.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, remote environment.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation preferred.
• Experience with UKG, Workday, ADP, or similar payroll platforms.
• Experience supporting organizations with distributed or multi-state employee populations.
• Background in healthcare, technology, SaaS, or other high-growth environments.
• Experience leading payroll process improvements, system implementations, and automation initiatives.

This is an excellent opportunity for a payroll leader seeking ownership of payroll operations within a high-growth organization while partnering closely with Finance, HR, and Accounting leadership to support continued scalability and operational excellence.