Team Lead - US Payroll

Position: Team Lead - US Payroll

Location: Ahmedabad (Work from Office)

Shift Timing: 6:30 PM to 4:00 AM (Night Shift)

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced US Payroll Team Lead to manage and oversee end-to-end US payroll operations while leading a team of payroll professionals. The ideal candidate should possess strong knowledge of US payroll processing, payroll taxes, compliance requirements, and team management. This role requires ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, maintaining compliance with federal and state regulations, and driving operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Operations

• Manage end-to-end US payroll processing for multiple clients/entities.
• Review payroll inputs including regular hours, overtime, bonuses, commissions, deductions, and reimbursements.
• Ensure accurate and timely payroll execution as per client payroll schedules.
• Validate payroll reports and reconcile payroll-related discrepancies.
• Handle payroll adjustments, off-cycle payrolls, retro payments, and final settlements.

Compliance & Taxation

• Ensure compliance with US Federal, State, and Local payroll regulations.
• Review payroll tax calculations, filings, and employee deductions.
• Monitor compliance with FLSA, wage and hour regulations, garnishments, benefits deductions, and payroll-related laws.
• Support payroll audits and maintain payroll documentation.

Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of payroll specialists/executives.
• Allocate workload and monitor team productivity and quality metrics.
• Conduct regular team reviews, coaching sessions, and performance evaluations.
• Develop training plans and support team skill enhancement.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for payroll-related client escalations.
• Coordinate with HR, Finance, Benefits, and Tax teams.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships through timely issue resolution.
• Conduct client meetings and provide payroll process updates.

Process Improvement

• Identify process improvement opportunities and implement best practices.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, process documentation, and control mechanisms.
• Drive automation initiatives to improve efficiency and accuracy.
• Ensure adherence to internal controls and quality standards.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Commerce, Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• Payroll certifications will be an added advantage.

Required Experience

• 5+ years of experience in US Payroll operations.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in a Team Lead / Supervisory role.
• Experience handling multi-state payroll processing.
• Strong exposure to payroll tax compliance and payroll reconciliations.
• Experience working with US-based clients.

Required Skills

• Strong understanding of US Payroll, Payroll Taxation, Garnishments, and Compliance.
• Knowledge of Federal, State, and Local payroll regulations.
• Experience with payroll software such as ADP, Paychex, Workday, UKG, Ceridian, or similar platforms.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Advanced MS Excel skills.
• Ability to manage tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Candidate Profile

• Experience managing a team of 4-10 payroll professionals.
• Strong client-facing and escalation-handling experience.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Proven track record of process improvement and team development.