Senior Payroll Manager

Job Summary

JRM is seeking an experienced and detail-driven Senior Payroll Manager to oversee the end-to-end payroll process and lead payroll operations across a multi-state employee population. This position requires not only a deep understanding of payroll systems and compliance but also strong leadership capabilities. The Senior Payroll Manager will supervise and provide direction to the Payroll Specialist, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and adherence to all regulatory and internal standards.

Responsibilities

• Own payroll strategy, policy, and process design across all JRM entities, keeping policies and documentation current with legal and organizational changes and setting standards for consistency and scalability as the organization grows.
• Serve as the senior-most payroll authority, advising executive leadership and Finance on payroll cost, budget, risk, and compliance matters.
• Provide guidance and oversight on payroll-related inquiries, while supporting the payroll team in addressing day-to-day employee and stakeholder questions.
• Oversee and manage the full-cycle payroll process on a weekly basis for 1,000+ employees, including salaried, hourly, and union workers.
• Administer and maintain the UKG Pro payroll system, ensuring the integrity of all payroll data.
• Manage the UKG Workforce Management (WFM) platform for timekeeping, ensuring accurate processing of employee time and attendance data, resolution of discrepancies, and ensure approval of overtime hours.
• Audit payroll reports for accuracy and consistency; investigate and resolve variances or errors.
• Partner with Finance and HR to reconcile payroll data and support month-end and year-end reporting processes.
• Partner with HR to implement and manage payroll, time, and attendance systems, ensuring employee records are accurate and up to date.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local wage and tax laws and prevailing wage requirements where applicable, including review of all tax returns.
• Coordinate internal and external audits and support implementation of process and system improvements.
• Coordinate, review, and ensure compliance of payroll reporting, certified payroll, prevailing wage reporting, insurance payroll reporting, and union reporting requirements.
• Participate in and lead payroll-related projects such as new system rollouts, and workflow automation initiatives.
• Review the work of the payroll specialist for accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
• Provide ongoing mentorship and performance feedback to the payroll specialist, supporting professional development and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8 years of payroll experience, including managing multi-state payrolls and union/payroll complexity.
• At least 5 years of experience managing or directly supervising payroll staff.
• Strong knowledge of payroll systems, particularly UKG Pro (UltiPro), and accounting platforms such as Sage Timberline and CMiC is a plus.
• In-depth understanding of federal, state, and local payroll laws, including prevailing wage, certified payroll and union rules.
• Advanced Excel skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Excellent attention to detail, analytical thinking, and organizational capabilities.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with a team-first mindset.

Salary Information

• To the extent this position is performed in New York City, the annual salary range for this role is $140,000 - $175,000

The referenced salary range is based on the Company's good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level.