Senior Payroll Manager

Grassi & Co., CPA's P.C; New York (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Bonus potential

Comprehensive benefits

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Professional growth opportunities

Job summary

C.A.C. Industries, Inc. is a leading heavy civil contractor in the New York metro area, seeking a Senior Payroll Manager to lead weekly payroll for 750+ employees. You will ensure compliance with union agreements, prevailing wage rules, and certified payroll reporting.

The role requires deep construction payroll knowledge, job costing, and strong reporting skills. CMiC experience is preferred, with growth opportunities and a competitive package.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance or related field.
• 7–10 years of payroll leadership experience in construction.
• Extensive union payroll and Davis-Bacon knowledge.
• Strong job costing and labor distribution understanding.
• CPP certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Oversee weekly payroll processing for 750+ employees.
• Ensure union contracts and certified payroll compliance.
• Review timekeeping, labor distribution and job costing.
• Coordinate with PMs, Operations, HR and Accounting.
• Lead payroll audits and staff supervision.
• Manage payroll tax filings and W-2 processing.
• Develop policies and internal controls for payroll.

Skills

Payroll leadership

Union payroll

CMiC

Excel expert

Job costing

Regulatory compliance

CPP certification

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance or related field

Tools

CMiC

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Senior Payroll Manager

C.A.C. Industries, Inc. Location: Long Island City, NY

Position Type: Full-Time, Onsite

About C.A.C. Industries

C.A.C. Industries, Inc. is a leading heavy civil construction contractor specializing in complex infrastructure and public works projects throughout the New York metropolitan area. With approximately 750 employees and a highly unionized workforce, we are seeking an experienced and hands-on Senior Payroll Manager to lead all payroll operations across the organization.

Position Summary

The Senior Payroll Manager will oversee all aspects of payroll administration for a large, labor-intensive construction workforce. This individual will be responsible for managing weekly payroll processes, ensuring compliance with union collective bargaining agreements, prevailing wage requirements, certified payroll reporting, and federal, state, and local payroll regulations.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience managing payroll within the construction industry, particularly in union environments, and possess a strong understanding of job costing, labor distribution, fringe benefits, and complex payroll reporting. Experience with CMiC is highly preferred.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for approximately 750 employees, including union and non-union personnel.
• Ensure timely and accurate weekly payroll processing in compliance with company policies and applicable regulations.
• Interpret and administer multiple union collective bargaining agreements, including wage rates, fringe benefits, dues, and deductions.
• Oversee certified payroll reporting and prevailing wage compliance for public works and government-funded projects.
• Review and validate employee timekeeping, labor allocations, job cost coding, and payroll adjustments.
• Partner with Project Managers, Operations, HR, and Accounting teams to ensure payroll accuracy and proper labor cost reporting.
• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws, tax regulations, and labor requirements.
• Manage payroll tax filings, W-2 processing, garnishments, deductions, and benefit reconciliations.
• Coordinate union remittances, benefit fund contributions, and reporting requirements.
• Develop, implement, and improve payroll policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Lead payroll audits and support internal and external audit requests.
• Supervise and mentor payroll staff while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for complex payroll issues, escalations, and compliance matters.
• Create and maintain payroll-related reports and analytics for senior leadership.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or related field preferred.
• Minimum 7-10 years of progressive payroll leadership experience.
• Significant experience within the construction industry is required.
• Extensive knowledge of union payroll administration and collective bargaining agreements.
• Experience managing payroll operations for a large employee population (500+ employees preferred).
• Strong understanding of:
  • Certified payroll.
  • Prevailing wage requirements.
  • Davis-Bacon compliance.
  • Union benefits and remittances.
  • Multi-union environments.
  • Payroll tax regulations.
  • Job costing and labor distribution.
• Prior experience with CMiC is strongly preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and payroll reporting.
• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) certification is a plus.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, analytical, and communication skills.

Preferred Experience:

• Heavy civil construction industry experience.
• Experience supporting public infrastructure, transportation, utility, excavation, environmental remediation, or government-funded construction projects.
• Experience managing payroll in a highly labor-intensive workforce environment.

Compensation & Benefits:

C.A.C. Industries offers a competitive compensation package, including salary, bonus potential, comprehensive benefits, retirement plans, paid time off, and opportunities for professional growth and advancement.