Manager, Payroll

Cox Automotive is currently seeking a Manager, Payroll to join our team in Atlanta, Georgia or Orlando, Florida.
Job Summary:
The Manager, Payroll provides full operational oversight of Cox Automotive's U.S. and Canadian payroll operations, ensuring accurate, timely, and fully compliant payroll processing across complex multistate and provincial jurisdictions.
This leader owns day-to-day (BAU) payroll execution, managing a team of payroll analysts and overseeing all pre- and post-pay audits, reconciliations, exception resolution, and issue management related to taxes, benefits, and garnishments. The role is accountable for maintaining strong internal controls, audit readiness, and consistent adherence to regulatory requirements today (BAU) payroll execution and post-pay audits, reconciliations, exception resolution, and issue management
The Manager partners closely with HR, HRIS, Timekeeping, Benefits, Accounting, Tax, Legal, IT, and Audit to support operational excellence and deliver seamless, trusted employee pay experience.
Why This Role Matters:

• Ensures the continuity of a mission-critical, zero-fail function.
• Maintains strong segregation of duties and internal control integrity.
• Supports employee satisfaction and trust in pay accuracy.
• Prevents burnout on the payroll team and preserves operational stability.
• Enables the Senior Payroll Manager to continue driving transformation, automation, and strategic leadership.

Success Measures

• 100% on-time payroll delivery.
• 99.9% payroll accuracy with continuous reduction in defects.
• Clean audit results with zero material findings.
• Improved service-level agreements (SLAs) and case resolution metrics.
• Accurate and compliant year-end payroll processing for U.S. and Canada.

Responsibilities:
U.S. & Canadian BAU Payroll Operations

• Own day-to-day payroll processing for U.S. and Canada, ensuring accuracy of earnings, taxes, statutory deductions, benefits, and garnishments.
• Perform and oversee all pre- and post-pay audit activities, exception management, and corrections.
• Ensure compliance with Federal, State, Local, and Canadian regulations, including provincial employment standards and statutory withholding rules.
• Lead off-cycle processing, retroactive adjustments, manual payments, and data corrections.
• Maintain the payroll calendar and ensure 100% on-time execution of payroll cycles.

Compliance, Controls & Audit Readiness

• Maintain internal control frameworks with strict segregation of duties.
• Prepare and maintain backup documentation for internal/external audits.
• Ensure compliance with U.S. regulations (IRS, DOL, wage & hour) and Canadian regulatory agencies (e.g., CRA, Service Canada).
• Maintain accurate SOPs, checklists, and documentation to support audit readiness.

Reconciliations (Non-Funding)

• Oversee reconciliations for payroll-related data (e.g., tax, benefits, garnishments, Workday outputs, timekeeping integrations).
• Partners with tax vendors, HRIS, and Accounting teams to research and resolve discrepancies.
• Note: This role does not manage payroll funding.

Team Leadership & Service Delivery

• Lead, coach, and develop 7+ payroll analysts to ensure a high-performing and compliant payroll operation.
• Manage case queues, escalations, service levels, and communications with employees and HR partners.
• Build team capabilities through training, documentation, continuous feedback, and structured development.

Cross Functional Partnership

• Serve as the operational payroll liaison to HR, HRIS/Workday, Benefits, Finance/Accounting, Tax, Legal, IT, and Audit teams.
• Troubleshoot upstream data issues and downstream impacts (e.g., GL, tax files, third-party vendors).
• Support operational aspects of M&A integration as assigned.

Operational Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement operational continuous improvement initiatives to reduce errors, rework, and manual intervention.
• Participate in Workday testing for updates, configuration changes, pay rules, and minor enhancements.
• Use Smartsheet (preferred) or similar tools to track workflows, issues, volumes, and operational metrics.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, HR, or related field and 6 years' progressive payroll experience, including Canadian payroll processing. The right candidate could also have a different combination, such as a master's degree and 4 years' experience; a Ph.D. and 1 year experience in a related field; or 10 years' experience in a related field.
• 1+ year of experience in management or lead role.
• Workday Payroll experience.
• Strong understanding of U.S. payroll laws (IRS, DOL, multi-state) and Canadian payroll regulations (CRA, provincial standards).

Preferred Qualifications:

• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional), FPC, or Canadian payroll certification (PCP/CPM).
• Experience with Smartsheet for workflow, task tracking, and operational dashboards.
• Experience with UKG, ADP, or other large payroll/time systems (in addition to Workday).
• Experience supporting payroll components of M&A activities.
• Expertise with payroll controls, audits, SOX/ICFR frameworks, and payroll reconciliation.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data analysis).

USD 92,300.00 - 153,900.00 per year
Compensation:
Compensation includes a base salary in the range of $92,300.00 - $153,900.00. The base salary may vary within the anticipated base pay range based on factors such as the ultimate location of the position and the selected candidate's knowledge, skills, and abilities. Position may be eligible for additional compensation that may include an incentive program.
Benefits:
The Company offers eligible employees the flexibility to take as much vacation with pay as they deem consistent with their duties, the company's needs, and its obligations; seven paid holidays throughout the calendar year; and up to 160 hours of paid wellness annually for their own wellness or that of family members. Employees are also eligible for additional paid time off in the form of bereavement leave, time off to vote, jury duty leave, volunteer time off, military leave, and parental leave.
Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States for any employer without current or future sponsorship.
EOE, including disability/vets.