Payroll Systems Manager

The Payroll Systems Manager leads the technology, systems, integrations, controls, and continuous improvement capabilities supporting the Payroll organization. This role is responsible for ensuring the Workday Payroll ecosystem is stable, scalable, well-controlled, and positioned to support future business growth and transformation.

The Payroll Systems Manager partners closely with Payroll Operations, Payroll Tax, Payroll Accounting, Benefits, HRIS, Finance, IT, and third-party vendors and serves as a key technology advisor to Payroll leadership.

Leadership Profile

The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong systems thinking, strategic problem solving, operational discipline, ownership, people leadership, change leadership, and the ability to translate complex technology issues into clear business risks and recommendations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Payroll Systems team and establish priorities, accountability, cross-training, and development plans.
• Own the Payroll Systems roadmap, including Workday Payroll enhancements, integrations, automation, reporting, and continuous improvement.
• Provide functional leadership for Workday Payroll configuration and production support.
• Oversee payroll-related integrations with Benefits, Time, Tax, Banking, General Ledger, and other internal and external platforms.
• Establish governance for system changes, testing, release management, documentation, and production deployment.
• Partner with Payroll Operations to resolve production issues and ensure uninterrupted payroll processing.
• Lead root-cause analysis and remediation of recurring system and integration issues.
• Maintain appropriate system controls, access governance, data integrity, reconciliation, and audit support.
• Lead payroll technology workstreams associated with enterprise projects and transformation initiatives.
• Evaluate opportunities for automation, AI, and other emerging technologies that improve payroll efficiency and control.
• Develop reporting and analytics that improve visibility into payroll operations, system performance, exceptions, and risks.
• Manage relationships with technology vendors and implementation partners.
• Reduce single points of failure by establishing appropriate documentation, knowledge transfer, and backup coverage.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Human Resources, Information Systems, Technology, or related field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in payroll systems, HRIS, payroll operations, or enterprise technology experience.
• Experience with Workday or comparable enterprise payroll systems, including system configuration, release management, security, reporting, data integrity, and process controls.
• Strong knowledge of Workday capabilities, configuration, security, business process design, reporting, and integrations.
• Demonstrated experience supporting payroll integrations, system configuration, testing, production support, and implementations.
• Leadership or team-management experience.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end payroll processes and controls.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex issues and develop sustainable solutions.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to influence leaders, facilitate cross-functional decisions, and explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Workday Payroll implementation or production-support experience.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP).
• Workday certification.
• Experience supporting Payroll Accounting, Tax, Benefits, and General Ledger integrations.
• Experience in a large, multi-entity or complex enterprise environment.
• Experience with automation, AI, APIs, or other emerging technologies.
• Experience operating within a SOX-controlled environment.