Payroll Project Manager

Equiliem; Beachwood (OH); On-site; USD 117,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Vision & Dental Insurance

Life Insurance

Matching 401(k)

Commuter Benefits

Employee Discounts & Rewards

Payroll Payment Options

Job summary

Equiliem is seeking a Payroll Project Manager to lead payroll implementation across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. You will coordinate cross-functional and in-country teams, manage timelines, risks, and cutover activities, and drive Day 1 operational readiness.

The role requires 6–9 years of PM experience, strong planning and stakeholder management skills, and familiarity with payroll systems.

Qualifications

• 6–9 years of project management experience with progression.
• Experience leading complex multinational payroll implementations.
• Payroll or payroll-system experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead payroll implementation across US, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.
• Develop and manage regional timelines, milestones, and plans.
• Coordinate in-country resources and stakeholders.
• Identify, document, and mitigate risks and dependencies.
• Prepare weekly status reports and budget tracking.
• Maintain process documentation and SOPs.
• Drive Day 1 readiness and operational readiness.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional coordination

Risk management

Vendor management

Budget tracking

Multinational implementations

Payroll systems

PM certification

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration

PM certification (PMP)

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Project

Jira

Smartsheet

Job description

Payroll Project Manager

Location: Beachwood, OH

Pay: $85.00 - $87.00 per hour

26-10240

Job Summary

The Payroll Project Manager will lead and coordinate payroll processing implementation across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil, managing regional timelines, resources, vendors, risks, and deliverables. This role will coordinate cross-functional and in-country teams to support testing, process documentation, training, mitigation planning, and cutover activities. The Project Manager will also track regional vendor costs, facilitate key design decisions, and drive operational readiness for successful Day 1 execution.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead payroll processing implementation activities across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.

• Develop and manage regional timelines, milestones, deliverables, and project plans.

• Coordinate in-country resources and stakeholders to support successful project execution.

• Identify, document, upscale, and track risks, issues, decisions, and dependencies through RAID logs and formal governance channels.

• Identify resource constraints and develop mitigation strategies to address project risks.

• Prepare weekly project status reporting and provide clear updates on progress, risks, issues, and decisions.

• Track vendor costs and support financial management for the assigned region.

• Coordinate and maintain relationships with key vendors and implementation partners.

• Assist with preparation, review, and presentation of Key Design Decision (KDD) documents.

• Coordinate in-country testing resources and support testing readiness and execution.

• Review project documentation and identify gaps, dependencies, and required actions.

• Maintain current-state documentation for assigned regions, including process maps and standard operating procedures.

• Coordinate the creation and modification of process documentation and SOPs.

• Develop mitigation, training, and cutover plans to support successful regional implementation.

• Facilitate workshops with in-country teams to assess current processes and develop action plans for operational readiness.

• Drive cross-functional collaboration to ensure successful Day 1 payroll operations.

• Monitor project performance against scope, schedule, budget, quality, and established success criteria.

• Support change management, stakeholder communications, and continuous improvement throughout the implementation lifecycle.

Job Requirements

• 6-9 years of experience in project management, program management, or a related role, with demonstrated progression in responsibility and leadership.

• Proven experience managing complex projects or programs from initiation through implementation and closure.

• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams, international stakeholders, vendors, and in-country resources.

• Strong project planning, scheduling, risk management, and stakeholder management skills.

• Experience managing project risks, issues, decisions, dependencies, and resource constraints.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to review complex project documentation and identify required actions.

• Experience with process documentation, process mapping, SOP development, testing, training, and cutover planning.

• Strong communication and presentation skills, including the ability to facilitate workshops and present project decisions to stakeholders.

• Experience tracking project budgets, vendor costs, and financial commitments.

• Proficiency with project management methodologies and tools, including Agile, Waterfall, or PMBOK practices.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and changing requirements in a fast-paced implementation environment.

• Strong leadership, organization, collaboration, and decision-making skills.

• Experience with payroll processing or payroll system implementation strongly preferred.

• Experience supporting multinational or multi-country implementations preferred.

• Experience in technology, enterprise systems, or business process transformation preferred.

• PMP certification or equivalent project management credential preferred.

• Familiarity with project management tools such as Microsoft Project, Jira, Smartsheet, or similar platforms preferred.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Engineering, or a related field required.

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Project Management, or a related field preferred.

• #ED

About Equiliem

Equiliem believes in empowering success. It's our job to cultivate relationships that connect people and employers in a way that is inclusive, intelligent, and allows both to thrive.

Across the U.S., leading companies in healthcare, government, engineering, manufacturing, professional services, and energy rely on us for their workforce solutions. Our recruiting and HR services include contract and direct hire staffing, Payrolling/EOR, Independent Contractor Compliance, and Managed Services.

For almost 30 years, we've helped shape our industry. Today, we continue to research, ask questions, and continuously enhance the candidate journey and client experience.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package to our employees, which includes:

• Medical Insurance
• Vision & Dental Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Matching 401(k)
• Commuter Benefits
• Employee Discounts & Rewards
• Payroll Payment Options

Future Communication Consent

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EEO Employer

Equiliem is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination based on race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, genetic information, registered domestic partner status, marital status, disability, status as a crime victim, protected veteran status, political affiliation, union membership, or any other characteristic protected by law. Equiliem will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law. If you have visited our website in search of information on employment opportunities or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation in using our website for a search or application, please contact our Employee Services Department at [e-mail] or [phone].