Payroll Tech Lead

474 MS Services Group, Inc.; Alpharetta (GA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Morgan Stanley is seeking a Technology Payroll Lead (VP level) to oversee payroll technology services, coordinating with HR, Finance and IT to ensure reliable, secure, and efficient payroll operations across the firm. The role combines technical delivery with program management and cross‑functional collaboration.

Expect base pay between $125,000 and $175,000 per year, with additional compensation packages. This position supports a global organization, requires strong leadership, and emphasizes

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or related field.
• 8–10 years of payroll system management and operations experience.
• Experience with Payroll and HRIS systems such as Workday or equivalent.
• Proven ability to lead technical projects and coordinate delivery across teams.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for payroll systems design, integration, and optimization.
• Lead payroll-related technical projects from conception to completion including timelines and testing.
• Collaborate with HR, Finance and IT to ensure seamless payroll processing.
• Manage external vendors during project implementation and ongoing support.
• Evaluate payroll systems for improvements including AI and automation.
• Communicate complex technical topics to non-technical stakeholders.
• Manage production incidents, system enhancements, and integrations.

Skills

Payroll systems

Technical leadership

Stakeholder communication

Analytical skills

Project delivery

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IT or related

Tools

Workday

SAP

ADP GlobalView

Kronos

Alteryx

UI Path

Job description

In the Technology division, we leverage innovation to build the connections and capabilities that power our Firm, enabling our clients and colleagues to redefine markets and shape the future of our communities. This is a Payroll Tech Lead position at a Vice President level, which is part of the job family responsible for overseeing and leading the execution of multiple projects and/or programs, working closely with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment with business objectives. Includes program management and related project support roles. Morgan Stanley is an industry leader in financial services, known for mobilizing capital to help governments, corporations, institutions, and individuals around the world achieve their financial goals. Interested in joining a team that’s eager to create, innovate and make an impact on the world? Read on. We are seeking an experienced Technology Payroll Lead with strong knowledge of payroll technologies and experience supporting operational processes. This role plays a critical technical role in ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of our payroll systems, while serving as a bridge between the technical and operational sides of the department. The Technology Payroll Lead will oversee the technical delivery of payroll technology services, ensuring solutions are delivered efficiently, reliably, and to a consistently high standard. This individual will also act as the primary regional technology contact for payroll system issues, enhancements, escalations, and operational priorities.

What you’ll do in the role:

• Technical Leadership: Provide expertise in the design, integration, and optimization of payroll systems. Experience in leading a team to support these activities, delivering to a high standard.
• Project Management: Lead payroll-related technical projects from conception to completion - managing timelines, integration, testing, and resourcing.
• Collaboration: Work closely with HR, Finance, and IT departments to ensure seamless payroll processing and integration with other systems.
• Vendor Management: Ability to collaborate with external vendors during project implementation or ongoing support.
• Continuous Improvement: Evaluate current payroll systems, identify inefficiencies, and recommend technological solutions or upgrades - including use of AI and Automation.
• Communication & Stakeholder management: Strong communication skills, with ability to explain complex and/or payroll-related topics to a range of audiences.
• Problem Solving: Should possess strong analytical skills. Able to address technical issues, ensuring timely resolution and minimal disruption to payroll operations.
• Risk Management: Awareness of risk, and handling of highly sensitive data, security best practices, data privacy considerations and audit accountability.

What you’ll bring to the role:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• 8-10 years of experience in payroll system management and operations.
• Experience with Payroll and HRIS Systems (such as Workday or equivalent).
• Proven ability to lead technical projects, manage competing priorities, and coordinate delivery across multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and decision-making skills, with the ability to operate effectively in time-sensitive payroll environments.
• Experience managing production incidents & remediation, system enhancements, and system integration.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred skills:

• Experience with SAP or ADP GlobalView.
• Experience with: ADP solutions (GlobalView, Celergo, eTime/Kronos, Workforce Manager), Automation Tools such as: Alteryx, UI Path, etc.
• Knowledge of software delivery lifecycle practices, including Agile delivery, Jira, requirements management, testing governance, release management, and change control.
• Experience working in a global organization with distributed teams, offshore delivery partners, and external vendor support models.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MORGAN STANLEY:

At Morgan Stanley, we raise, manage and allocate capital for our clients - helping them reach their goals. We do it in a way that’s differentiated - and we’ve done that for 90 years. Our values - putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back - aren’t just beliefs, they guide the decisions we make every day to do what's best for our clients, communities and more than 80,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 42 countries. At Morgan Stanley, you'll find an opportunity to work alongside the best and the brightest, in an environment where you are supported and empowered. Our teams are relentless collaborators and creative thinkers, fueled by their diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are proud to support our employees and their families at every point along their work-life journey, offering some of the most attractive and comprehensive employee benefits and perks in the industry. There's also ample opportunity to move about the business for those who show passion and grit in their work. To learn more about our offices across the globe, please copy and paste https://www.morganstanley.com/about-us/global-offices into your browser.

Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $125,000 and $175,000 per year at the commencement of employment. However, base pay if hired will be determined on an individualized basis and is only part of the total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include commission earnings, incentive compensation, discretionary bonuses, other short and long-term incentive packages, and other Morgan Stanley sponsored benefit programs.

Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workforce that is diverse in experience and background. Our recruiting efforts reflect our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion, where individuals are hired, developed, and advanced based on their skills and talents. Our workforce reflects a broad cross-section of the global communities in which we operate, bringing a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and experiences. For more information, please visit: https://www.morganstanley.com/people-opportunities/eeo.

At Morgan Stanley, we advise, originate, trade, manage and distribute capital for people, governments and institutions, always with a standard of excellence and guided by our core values. Morgan Stanley is dedicated to providing first-class service to our clients, in a way that reflects our commitment to creating a more sustainable future and fostering stronger communities around the world. In each line of business, we strive to demonstrate our belief in the power of transformative thinking, innovative strategies and leading-edge solutions—and in the ability of capital to work for the benefit of all society.