Payroll Project Manager

Middlemore; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Middlemore is seeking a US Payroll Project Manager to lead a major payroll outsourcing programme with ADP. You will own the project plan, manage the transition for a largely unionised workforce, and ensure accurate data migration between Workday and ADP.

The assignment runs 7–8 months with a November 2026 start, delivering a reliable outsourced payroll service on time. Ideal candidates have proven US payroll outsourcing experience, strong vendor management skills, and the ability to interpret

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading US payroll outsourcing or implementation projects.
• Experience supporting unionised workforces and interpreting collective bargaining requirements for payroll.
• Experience with HRIS platforms, notably Workday, and ADP integrations.
• Ability to manage vendors and cross-functional teams to fixed deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Own the project plan, milestones, risks, dependencies and stakeholder reporting.
• Lead the transition with ADP and internal teams to deliver a reliable outsourced payroll service.
• Review and document payroll processes and requirements, including union pay rules.
• Coordinate data migration and validation between Workday and ADP.
• Lead UAT, parallel payroll runs and reconciliation, ensuring accuracy.
• Manage readiness for launch and transition to live service.

Skills

US payroll

Payroll outsourcing

Vendor management

Change management

Union payroll knowledge

Tools

Workday

ADP

Job description

Title: US Payroll Project Manager, ADP Outsourcing

Location: Remote, US East Coast

Assignment: 7-8 months

Middlemore has been retained by a global manufacturing group to appoint an experienced US Payroll Project Manager for a significant payroll outsourcing programme.

You will lead the transition of the US payroll to ADP. Part of the workforce is unionised, making experience of union payroll requirements an important part of the assignment.

The opportunity

Taking ownership of delivery from project mobilisation through transition and handover, you will bring the structure, technical understanding and practical leadership needed to complete the programme. You will work closely with ADP and internal teams to translate payroll requirements into a reliable outsourced service, maintaining payroll accuracy and continuity throughout the change.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Owning the project plan, milestones, risks, dependencies and stakeholder reporting.
• Leading the relationship with ADP throughout the transition.
• Reviewing existing payroll processes and documenting requirements.
• Ensuring union pay rules, deductions and reporting requirements are accurately captured and tested.
• Coordinating payroll data migration and validation, including data flows between Workday and ADP.
• Leading user acceptance testing, parallel payroll runs and reconciliation.
• Managing readiness for launch, resolving issues and coordinating the transition into live service.
• Establishing clear processes, controls and responsibilities for the ongoing outsourced payroll operation.

What we are looking for:

• Proven experience leading US payroll outsourcing or implementation projects.
• A strong track record of delivering payroll transitions to ADP.
• Experience supporting unionised workforces and interpreting collective bargaining requirements for payroll.
• Strong US payroll knowledge, with the ability to challenge requirements and resolve practical issues.
• Experience working with Workday as an HRIS, ideally alongside ADP.
• Confidence managing vendors, coordinating internal teams and delivering against a fixed deadline.
• Availability to start in November 2026.

This is an opportunity to take a visible lead role in a defined transformation programme, combining specialist payroll expertise with ownership of delivery.

Middlemore is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.