Senior Director - Global Payroll and Time

Initial Therapeutics, Inc.; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 154,500 - 226,600; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits program

401(k) plan

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

Eli Lilly and Company is seeking a Senior Director for Payroll, Time Tracking & Absence to oversee all US payroll operations. This leadership role will drive transformation initiatives to implement AI solutions and ensure compliance with payroll regulations.

The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in global payroll operations and expertise in Workday. Responsibilities include managing vendor relationships and presenting executive-level reports.

The position is based in Indianapolis, Indiana, offering competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in global payroll operations, with a focus on transformation.
• Demonstrated expertise in Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence.
• Experience managing large-scale payroll vendor relationships.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all US payroll operations ensuring compliance and timely processing.
• Lead the strategic integration of AI in payroll processes.
• Ensure adherence to SOX compliance and manage vendor relations.

Skills

Workday Payroll expertise

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership

SOX compliance knowledge

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or related field

MBA or MSHR preferred

Tools

Workday

KPMG

ADP

Job description

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life‑changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, self‑less work— but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

Position Summary

Eli Lilly and Company is seeking a Senior Director, Payroll, Time Tracking & Absence (PATT) to lead one of the most operationally critical functions within our global HR Technology & Operations organization. This role owns end‑to‑end payroll for the US and is the process owner for global time management and absence. Additionally, the role will be a key influencer of shaping payroll strategies globally. Lilly PATT primarily operates within Workday as our core HCM platform.

This is a leadership role that will work at the intersection of people, technology, and financial integrity — partnering closely with Finance, Legal, Global Mobility, and our broader HR leadership team to transform, streamline and automate PATT capabilities. The Senior Director will implement an AI‑forward payroll capability, drive Workday PATT product excellence, govern third‑party vendor relationships and ensure full SOX compliance for all payroll cycles.

The ideal candidate brings Workday PATT expertise, a track record of transforming business operations at scale, and the leadership presence to continuously elevate team performance.

Key Responsibilities

Global Payroll Operations

• Own end‑to‑end payroll operations for Lilly US ensuring payroll is processed accurately, compliantly, and on time.
• Oversee equity‑related payroll events including the management of KPMG (our mobile taxation processor), award processing, and special, limited scope payments.
• Lead payroll readiness and execution for new country and acquired company launches. Manage entity changes including regulatory setup, vendor selection, and integration into Lilly's global payroll framework.
• Serve as the senior escalation point for complex cross‑border, multi‑jurisdictional, and executive‑level payroll matters.
• Maintain and continuously improve payroll governance, controls, and audit readiness — including full SOX compliance payroll accounting practices.

HR Technology & AI Transformation

• Own the strategic product roadmap for Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence — including feature adoption, configuration governance, release planning, and enhancements.
• Lead the marketplace in the use of HR technology, agentic AI, and the digital employee experience to aggressively streamline operations while maintaining or improving accuracy.
• Own and simplify the PATT technology portfolio — reducing vendor complexity, retiring legacy tools, and enabling best practices across regions.
• Partner to optimise integrations between Workday and downstream payroll, finance, benefits, equity administration, and reporting systems.

Vendor & Third‑Party Governance

• Develop and drive strategic vendor relationships (example PWC) — set clear SLAs, conduct performance reviews, and hold partners accountable to quality standards.
• Consult on outsourced payroll service agreements, ensuring cost‑effectiveness and service excellence for all Lilly markets.
• Partner with Procurement and Legal on contract renewals, escalation frameworks, and vendor risk management.

Compliance, Risk & Financial Integrity

• Ensure compliance with employment tax regulations, labour laws, and data privacy requirements in the US — maintaining active awareness of regulatory changes.
• Lead payroll's contribution to year‑end financial close and external reporting, including MD&A readiness, 401(k) audit support, and payroll‑driven disclosures.
• Oversee payroll for stock compensation that incorporates multi‑jurisdictional tax requirements.
• Maintain robust internal controls and coordinate with Internal Audit and external auditors on SOX testing and payroll‑related control assessments.

Team Leadership & Capability Development

• Lead, develop, and inspire a team of PATT professionals in the US — cultivating a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and psychological safety.
• Model the leadership philosophy of HRTO — removing barriers, granting permission, and enabling the team to perform at their highest level.

Stakeholder Partnership & Executive Engagement

• Partner closely with Finance, Legal, Compensation, Benefits, Global Mobility, and HR Business Partners to ensure payroll supports Lilly's broader people and business agenda.
• Represent PATT in enterprise‑level programmes including M&A activity, system implementations, and compensation policy changes.
• Prepare and present executive‑level reporting on payroll operations, compliance posture, risk indicators, and strategic initiatives to HRTO and CFO‑area leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or a related field; advanced degree (MBA, MSHR) preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in global payroll operations, including proven ability to transform and scale.
• Demonstrated Workday Payroll expertise, with strong working knowledge of Time Tracking and Absence modules; Workday certification preferred.
• Fluency in SOX compliance, GAAP payroll accounting, and multi‑jurisdictional employment tax and labour law.
• Proven experience managing large‑scale payroll vendor relationships (e.g., ADP, third‑party country payroll providers).
• Track record of leading payroll transformation initiatives — including system implementations, process automation, and AI‑enabled improvements.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement skills — able to operate with credibility across Finance, Legal, HR, and executive leadership.
• Experience in a large global public company (Fortune 500 equivalent), ideally in life sciences, technology, or a similarly regulated industry.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
• Experience with equity and stock‑based compensation payroll across multiple tax jurisdictions.
• Prior experience with Workday Orchestrate, RPA tooling, or AI‑driven payroll automation.
• Familiarity with KPMG, EQ (Equatex), ADP Workforce Now, and Experian as payroll ecosystem partners.
• Experience leading payroll through M&A integrations, entity expansions, or significant organisational transformation.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly is a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. For more than 140 years, we have been dedicated to making life better for people around the world. We apply science to discover and deliver breakthrough medicines that help people live longer, healthier, more active lives. Our HR Technology & Operations team plays a central role in enabling Lilly's 45,000+ employees to do their best work — through modern, intelligent, and seamlessly delivered HR services.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Lilly is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $154,500 - $226,600. Full‑time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company‑sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well‑being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities). Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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