Director of Payroll - Global

Director of Payroll - Global
Role Summary: 
The Director of Payroll – Global Shared Services provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for multi-country payroll delivery within a centralized, global shared services model. This role is responsible for driving consistent, compliant, and scalable payroll operations across regions, while ensuring strong governance, internal controls, and financial rigor in a public company / SOX-regulated environment. The role serves as a key partner to Finance, HR, Internal Audit, and Technology and acts as a global payroll subject-matter expert, with deep experience leveraging ADP, CloudPay, and Workday, and owning payroll accruals, controls, and audit readiness at scale. 
Key Responsibilities:
Global Payroll Oversight & Shared Services Leadership
• Provide strategic oversight for end-to-end global payroll operations delivered through a shared services model.
• Lead and develop global payroll teams supporting multiple regions and countries.
• Serve as the primary global escalation point for complex payroll issues, controls, and risk events.
• Drive alignment between in-country payroll execution and global payroll standards.
Governance, Risk & SOX Controls
• Own and maintain global payroll governance frameworks, including SOPs, segregation of duties, and approval workflows.
• Ensure payroll processes comply with SOX and internal control requirements.
• Partner with Internal Audit and External Audit to support walkthroughs, testing, and remediation.
• Identify and mitigate payroll-related risks across regions, vendors, and systems.
Financial Management, Accruals & Close
• Own global payroll accrual processes including wages, bonuses, commissions, leave, severance, and statutory costs.
• Partner with Finance on month-end and year-end close, GL postings, and reconciliations.
• Ensure payroll data is audit-ready and supports public company reporting standards.
Payroll Systems & Technology Enablement
• Provide leadership and oversight for ADP, CloudPay, and Workday payroll ecosystems.
• Partner with HRIS, Finance Systems, and IT to optimize integrations and controls.
• Support global payroll implementations, vendor transitions, and system upgrades.  
Vendor & Stakeholder Management
• Manage relationships with global payroll vendors and advisors.
• Monitor SLAs and performance metrics.
• Act as a trusted partner to HR, Total Rewards, Finance, and Audit stakeholders.
Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement
• Drive standardization and scalability across payroll operations.
• Identify automation and risk-reduction opportunities.
• Support long-term payroll transformation initiatives.
Required Qualifications
• 12+ years of progressive payroll experience with global and/or shared services leadership.
• Experience operating in a public company or SOX-controlled environment.
• Hands-on experience with ADP, CloudPay, and Workday.
• Deep expertise in payroll accruals, reconciliations, and financial close.
• Experience managing multi-country payroll operations.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience building or scaling global payroll shared services or centers of excellence.
• Payroll transformation or global system implementation experience.
• Exposure to internal controls, audits, and risk management.
• MBA, CPA, or payroll certification preferred.
What Success Looks Like
• Accurate, compliant, and timely global payroll delivery.
• Strong SOX-aligned governance and control environment.
• Clean audits with minimal findings.
• Scalable payroll technology and processes.
• High-performing global payroll teams.
Company Summary:
Zeta Global is a NYSE listed data-powered marketing technology company with a heritage of innovation and industry leadership. Founded in 2007 by entrepreneur David A. Steinberg and John Sculley, former CEO of Apple Inc and Pepsi-Cola, the Company combines the industry’s 3rd largest proprietary data set (2.4B+ identities) with Artificial Intelligence to unlock consumer intent, personalize experiences and help our clients drive business growth.
Our technology runs on the Zeta Marketing Platform, which powers ‘end to end’ marketing programs for some of the world’s leading brands. With expertise encompassing all digital marketing channels – Email, Display, Social, Search and Mobile – Zeta orchestrates acquisition and engagement programs that deliver results that are scalable, repeatable and sustainable.
Zeta Global is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, ancestry, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, medical condition, disability, veterans’ status, or any other basis protected by law.
Zeta Global Recognized in Enterprise Marketing Software and Cross-Channel Campaign Management Reports by Independent Research Firm.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/shelleykohan/2024/0c/1S/amazon-partners-with-zeta-global-to-deliver-gen- ai-marketing-automation/ https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/05/0c/zeta-global-ceo-david-steinberg-talks-ai-in-focus-at-milken- conference.html
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240S04c22808/en/Zeta-Increases-3Ǫ24-Guidance
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zeta-global-opens-ai--data-labs-in-san-francisco-and-nyc- 300S45353.html
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zeta-global-recognized-in-enterprise-marketing-software-and- cross-channel-campaign-management-reports-by-independent-research-firm-300S38241.html