Sr. Manager, U.S. Payroll

Basic Function

The Sr. Payroll Manager, based in Houston, is a role within the Human Resources (People & Culture) Department. This role will be responsible for the accurate and timely production of the US and Canadian payrolls in a multi state/province environment, while managing 4+ direct reports. This role will work closely with the HR leads in the U.S., supporting their ability to complete projects and foster relationships with internal partners when driving continuous process improvement. The Sr. Payroll Manager will lead auditing, balancing and recording each payroll as well as developing and implementing process improvements; ensuring proper execution of payroll administration and the related accounting activities in compliance with global and local company policies, local laws and regulations. 

Roles & Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

• Assist in developing the strategic direction for U.S. and global payroll as a key strategic partner within the People & Culture function
• Collaborate with HR, Finance, Legal, and external vendors to align payroll operations with business goals and compliance requirements

Operational Oversight:

• Lead end-to-end U.S. payroll processing for multi-state, multi-entity operations
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations
• Oversee expatriate payroll processing and coordination with global mobility teams
• Manage payroll audits, tax filings, and year-end reporting (e.g., W-2s)
• Develop and maintain process and / or project documentation to ensure compliance to internal and external controls
• Define system processes and structures to adhere to regulatory and financial requirements including but not limited to tax and GAAP
• Ensure systems and processes are designed with effective controls and appropriate segregation of duties

Team Development:

• Develop and mentor a high-performing diverse payroll team to be self-directing and accountable, including hiring, training, and staff development
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, ownership, and operational excellence

Responsibilities, continued

Process Improvement:

• Identify and implement process enhancements and automation opportunities to support continuous process improvement
• Leverage technology (e.g., SuccessFactor, SAP Payroll) to streamline payroll operations
• Lead or partner in systems implementation projects relating to attendance-to-gross, gross-to-net, benefits, compensation, and / or HR

Vendor & Stakeholder Management:

• Manage relationships with payroll vendors and third-party providers
• Serve as a subject matter expert and escalation point for payroll-related inquiries
• Provide support to both internal and external customers to ensure requests and daily requirements are met in a timely and accurate manner
• Address and resolve employee payroll-related inquiries or issues to meet crucial payroll deadlines

Person Specification:

• Must possess strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence, persuade and negotiate in a multicultural environment
• Proven ability to work creatively and analytically in a problem-solving environment
• Ability to translate business requirements into functional solutions towards the IT-teams
• Some travel required

Min. Qualifications

Education:

• BA/BS degree or equivalent in Business or Information Systems or related field

Work Experience:
 

• 7-10 years of progressive payroll experience using SAP (or larger equilivent ERP) for payroll processing, with at least 3 years in a leadership role
• Strong knowledge of U.S. payroll laws, tax regulations, and compliance standards
• Extensive experience with end-to-end payroll processes design and execution and working with large volume payrolls
• Experience managing expatriate payroll and working in a global payroll environment
• Experience with system testing and troubleshooting
• Experience with Success Factors as an HR system a plus

Skills:

• Proficient in MS Office products, very strong Excel skills
• Ability to comprehend complex assignments quickly and use initiative to accomplish goals
• Ability to learn quickly and work in a fast-paced environment
• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) certification a plus
• Excellent communication, analytical, and leadership skills

Languages:

• English

Preferred Qualifications

Competencies