Sr. Principal Team Leader, Domestic Payroll

Chick-fil-A, Inc.

Atlanta (GA)

Hybrid

USD 120,000 - 180,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Restaurant d'entreprise

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Job summary

Chick-fil-A, Inc. is seeking a Senior Principal Team Leader, Domestic Payroll to drive payroll operations across the domestic business. You will lead a cross-functional team, ensure accurate and timely payroll delivery, and mitigate regulatory risk through governance and continuous improvement.

The role partners with HR, Legal, Total Rewards, and Finance to shape payroll policy and ensure compliance across all entities. Exceptional leadership and communication are required.

Qualifications

Minimum 7 years of experience leading payroll and regulatory compliance teams.
Experience overseeing third-party managed service providers.
Extensive knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations.
Strong HRIS/Payroll system configuration skills.
Strong communication skills for leadership collaboration.
Ability to troubleshoot complex payroll issues with discretion.

Responsibilities

Lead and develop a cross-functional payroll team including a Principal Team Leader and compliance professionals.
Manage domestic payroll strategy, governance, vendor relationships, and operational performance.
Oversee wage & hour compliance and payroll tax withholding; support quarterly and year-end reporting (W-2).
Partner with HR, Legal, Financial Services, Total Rewards, and entity leadership to influence policy.
Establish internal payroll controls and lead internal/external audits to mitigate risk.
Drive system and process transformation to optimize workflows and service delivery.
Act as escalation point for high-risk payroll inquiries with senior leadership and legal counsel.

Skills

Cross-functional payroll leadership

Third-party MSP oversight

Payroll laws & regs knowledge

HRIS/Payroll configurations

Troubleshooting complex payroll issues

Communication with leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Workday

Job description

How We Work At Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A, Inc. ('Chick-fil-A' or 'the Company') Staff members play a vital role in achieving our strategic goals by developing their skills, fostering inclusive teamwork, and embracing innovation. All Staff are expected to contribute to a compelling future by inspiring and motivating those around them. Growth and development are essential at Chick-fil-A. We want Staff to seek new perspectives and adopt new methods to drive continuous improvement and adaptation to evolving business needs. Lastly, we ask Staff to seek wisdom, expect the best, accept responsibility, respond with courage, and think others first.

Our Flexible Futures Model offers a healthy mix of working in person (currently a minimum of 8-10 days per month) and virtually, strengthening key elements of the Chick-fil-A culture by fostering collaboration and community.

Overview

Leading People

Chick-fil-A People Leaders are expected to manage work effectively for themselves and their teams, setting ambitious goals and communicating clear expectations. They empower their teams through thoughtful guidance and coaching, carefully nurturing our culture. By connecting team efforts to our strategic goals, they drive meaningful business results and amplify the Support Center's overall effectiveness. Embodying our core value, 'We are better together,' they cultivate belonging and enable each Staff member to contribute their unique talents.

Leading Work

The Senior Principal Team Leader, Domestic Payroll serves as the strategic and operational leader for both domestic payroll processing and payroll compliance. This role oversees a cross-functional team, including the Principal Team Leader of Payroll Processing, as well as dedicated professionals managing Wage & Hour and Payroll Tax Compliance. By bridging day-to-day payroll execution with regulatory oversight, this position ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery across all business entities. Additionally, this leader acts as a strategic partner to the broader business, guiding continuous process improvement, mitigating operational risk, and advising on the payroll and tax implications of enterprise-wide initiatives.

Responsibilities

At the highest level, People Leader responsibilities are represented in our leadership model, SERVE: See theFuture, Engage and Develop Others, Reinvent Continuously, Value Results and Relationships, and Embody aLeader's Heart. More specifically, People Leader responsibilities include the following:

Inspire and Engage the Team: Lead, develop, and engage the team to bring our Corporate Purpose and Core Values to life, fostering a culture of growth and contribution.
Set Goals and Drive Performance: Set performance goals that grow Staff contribution while also holding the team accountable for achieving individual and team objectives.
Coach and Develop Staff: Empower and develop Staff by delegating work that helps them grow, facilitating effective performance conversations, and assisting Staff in identifying actions that will help them achieve their performance and career goals.
Prioritize Work and Remove Obstacles: Partner with the team and individuals to prioritize work and allocate resources, helping remove obstacles and solve problems.
Provide Feedback and Recognition, and Develop Self: Provide regular encouragement and recognition, as well as constructive feedback, to help foster Staff member engagement.

Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and develop a specialized team—including a Principal Team Leader and dedicated compliance professionals—fostering a high-performance, growth-oriented culture that aligns with overall business objectives
Domestic Payroll Strategy & Governance: Lead domestic payroll operations to ensure compliant, accurate, and timely payroll delivery. Oversee payroll governance, risk management, vendor relationships, and operational performance while driving continuous improvement and team effectiveness.
Payroll Tax Compliance: Provide oversight of enterprise domestic payroll tax, ensuring accurate calculation and withholding of all federal, state, and local payroll taxes, as well as partner with Corporate Payroll Tax Team to support quarterly and year-end reporting (including W-2 production)
Wage & Hour Compliance: Oversee organizational adherence to wage and hour laws (such as FLSA), ensuring accurate overtime calculations, regular rate of pay compliance, and strict alignment with evolving state and local labor regulations
Strategic Partnership: Serve as a strategic advisor to HR, Legal, Financial Services, Total Rewards, and entity Leadership, providing advanced payroll and compliance expertise to influence and enable new entity development, compensation strategies, and policy design
Risk Management & Audit: Establish and maintain internal payroll controls and act as the primary leadership liaison for internal and external domestic payroll audits to mitigate organizational risk
System & Process Transformation: Champion continuous improvement initiatives across both processing and compliance functions, identifying opportunities to leverage technology and updated methodologies to optimize workflows and elevate service delivery
Executive Escalation & Resolution: Act as the ultimate point of escalation for highly sensitive, complex, or high-risk payroll and compliance inquiries, partnering with senior leadership and legal counsel to resolve critical issues effectively.

Required Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities)

Demonstrated track record of leading cross functional payroll and/or regulatory compliance teams
Experience overseeing third party managed service providers
Advanced knowledge of and practical experience managing federal, state, and local payrolllaws and regulations
Strong understanding of HRIS/Payroll system configurations
Proven ability to troubleshoot complex payroll issues, and resolve sensitive matters withdiscretion and accuracy
Strong communication skills, comfortable working with leadership to devise and recommend solutions

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities)