Senior Payroll Manager - Public Sector & Compliance

Accounting Office, State; United States; On-site; USD 56,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

The State Accounting Office (SAO) manages payroll and accounting across Georgia’s state government, ensuring timely and accurate employee compensation. The SAO oversees payroll systems and compliance for multiple agencies, with a focus on efficiency and accuracy.

The Payroll Manager role requires strategic leadership, data-driven decision making, and a commitment to operational excellence in a public-sector setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or 3+ years of payroll experience with at least 2 years in a supervisory/management role.
• Strong knowledge of payroll processes, wage and hour laws, and payroll tax reporting.
• Experience with ADP, Workday, or PeopleSoft in a large organization or multi-agency environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full-cycle payroll process including data collection, calculation, and entry for salaries, benefits, garnishments, and taxes.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and timely filing of payroll taxes and ACA reporting.
• Recruit, train, and supervise payroll staff and provide performance evaluations.
• Maintain payroll software and identify automation opportunities to improve efficiency.
• Conduct internal audits and support external audits with required records.

Skills

Payroll management

Supervisory experience

Payroll tax compliance

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

3+ years payroll experience

Tools

ADP

Workday

PeopleSoft

Job description

The State Accounting Office (SAO) manages payroll and accounting across Georgia’s state government, ensuring timely and accurate employee compensation. The SAO oversees payroll systems and compliance for multiple agencies, with a focus on efficiency and accuracy.

The Payroll Manager role requires strategic leadership, data-driven decision making, and a commitment to operational excellence in a public-sector setting.