Senior Payroll Manager

DIRECT Staffing Solutions, LLC; Auburn Hills (MI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

DIRECT Staffing Solutions, LLC is seeking a Senior Payroll Manager to lead the payroll department, ensuring accurate, compliant, multi-state processing and timely tax filings. You will oversee weekly payroll, 401(k) and benefits, and year-end activities while guiding a payroll team and coordinating with HR and Accounting.

You will drive process improvements, support ERP COINS implementation, and maintain payroll controls across sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field preferred.
• Minimum of 8 years payroll experience, with multi-state and union payroll tasks.
• Experience managing and developing payroll teams; strong leadership.
• Experience with ERP systems (COINS) and Sage is highly beneficial.
• Strong Excel skills (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables) and accounting reconciliation.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily payroll operations for multiple sites, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Oversee weekly payroll for office staff, including benefits and bonuses.
• Support tax filings, W-2 processes, and year-end payroll activities.
• Collaborate with HR, Accounting, and Field teams on process improvements.
• Assist with ERP implementation and payroll system optimization.
• Prepare payroll and labor reports for senior management.

Skills

Payroll leadership

Multi-state payroll

Union payroll

Advanced Excel

COINS ERP

Sage experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance/Business

Tools

COINS ERP

Sage

Job description

The Senior Payroll Manager is responsible for leading and overseeing the Company’s Payroll department while supporting broader accounting objectives. This role ensures accurate and compliant payroll processing, adherence to all tax and regulatory requirements, and continuous improvement of payroll systems and reporting processes. The position also plays a key role in maintaining the integrity of financial operations, safeguarding company assets, and driving process efficiencies. This position reports to the Accounting Manager.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the day-to-day operations of the Payroll department, including team oversight, performance management, and workload distribution
• .Oversee and process weekly payroll for office staff, including allowances, 401(k) and health benefits, Friend of the Court (FOC) payments, and bonus payments
• .Provide guidance and support to Payroll team members by resolving complex payroll issues and discrepancies
• .Review and ensure accuracy of payroll tax filings and reports, including but not limited to IRS Forms 940 and 941, federal and state unemployment taxes, and withholding tax
• .Assist with payroll-related activities such as union layoffs, tax filings, union pay rate updates, incentive pay programs, and other special compensation arrangements as needed
• .Perform payroll-related general ledger reconciliations and assist with troubleshooting variances
• .Support the implementation and optimization of the new ERP system, COINS
• .Assist in maintaining and updating onboarding documentation to ensure alignment with federal, state, local, and internal company policy changes
• .Assist with year-end payroll processes, including W-2 preparation and distribution
• .Monitor 401(k) elections, contribution limits, and deferrals related to year-end bonus processing
• .Establish procedures and timelines for year-end bonus processing
• .Coordinate year-end tax updates and payroll processing timelines
• .Assist in preparation of the annual ESOP and profit-sharing census data for third-party administrators
• .Develop and deliver payroll and labor reports for senior management as needed
• .Participate in special projects and process improvement initiatives as assigned

Skills and Competencies

• Strong knowledge of payroll regulations, tax compliance, and reporting requirement
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and collaboratively across departments

Key Must Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related field preferred; equivalent payroll experience will be consider
• Minimum of 8 years +/- of payroll experience, preferably within the construction industry Other industries can be government institutions, schools, manufacturing, tool & die, other industries will be considered so long as it covers multi-state and union payroll tasks.
• Experience managing and developing payroll teams, including coaching and performance oversight.
• Someone who has seen all aspects of Corporate Payroll
• Allowances401(k) deductions
• Health benefits deductions
• Friend of the Court (FOC) payments
• Understand tax filings
• IRS Forms 940 and 941 - 2 payroll managers will file it but this role must lead the tax filings
• Federal and state unemployment taxes
• Withholding tax
• Overall state tax registrations
• Sage is IDEAL, not mandatory (especially to start, then moving to COINS ERP)
• Experience with any payroll system is perfect, Sage and COINS can be taught.
• Must understand how to do multi-site payroll processing.
• Must have payroll experience doing Union payroll. (they also will be responsible for Union CVA, Fringe benefits, understand the world of unions as it pertains to payroll)
• Advance Excel skill set including daily VLOOKUP’s, Pivot Tables and payroll/accounting systems
• Attention to detail / must be very accurate.
• Level of accounting knowledge so to advise on payroll journal entries in ledger
• Must have accounting reconciliation and troubleshooting experience when things are off, etc.
• Payroll audits.
• Union Audits
• Help with Plant Moran audits
• Very involved with W2 annual filings
• Leadership experience in terms of managing a small payroll support staff.
• Strong leadership skills
• Support staff is there to help them.
• Cultural fit is very important

TEAM mentality – they will work a lot with HR / Accounting / Field teams