Minimum of 5 years of end-to-end payroll experience
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Strong multi-state payroll knowledge
Self-motivated and accountable
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and familiarity with HCM platforms preferred
Responsibilities
Manage end-to-end payroll processing for various employee groups across multiple states
Maintain payroll calendars and ensure timely processing
Validate and process employee changes affecting payroll
Administer commissions, bonuses, and payroll corrections
Process employee deductions and garnishments accurately
Oversee manual timekeeping inputs until an integrated solution is implemented
Respond to employee payroll inquiries and provide HR support
Benefits
Comprehensive health insurance
401(k) plan with employer match
Generous paid time off
Professional development opportunities
Collaborative work environment
Full Job Description
Payroll Manager - Human Resources
Location: Chicago, IL
Full/Part-Time: Full-Time
FLSA Status: Exempt
Salary Range: $135,000 - $155,000
Position Summary:
Owns day-to-day payroll administration and ensures accurate, timely and compliant payroll processing across multiple states and entities.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Payroll Administration
Personally manage end-to-end payroll processing for salaried, hourly, commissioned, and other designated employee groups across multiple states, legal entities, and payroll schedules.
Maintain payroll calendars, approvals, and deadlines to ensure accurate and timely processing in a current pay environment.
Validate and process new hires, terminations, compensation changes, leaves of absence, and other employee changes affecting payroll.
Administer monthly commissions, annual and discretionary bonuses, off-cycle payments, retroactive adjustments, reversals, voids, and payroll corrections.
Process employee deductions and garnishments accurately and in accordance with applicable requirements.
Oversee spreadsheet-based timesheets and other manual timekeeping inputs for hourly and nonexempt employees until an integrated timekeeping solution is implemented.
Respond promptly and accurately to employee payroll inquiries and serve as an HR resource on the payroll implications of compensation decisions, leaves of absence, and terminations.
Compliance, Controls, and Reporting
Coordinate payroll tax setup, withholding, reporting, and issue resolutions across applicable federal, state, and local jurisdictions.
Establish, maintain, and improve pre-processing, processing, and post-processing payroll controls and reconciliations.
Review headcount, gross wages, net pay, taxes, deductions, commissions, bonuses, employer costs, and other payroll activity to identify and resolve discrepancies.
Manage quarterly and year-end payroll activities, including balancing, tax reporting, Form W-2 preparation, and corrections.
Coordinate payroll audits and serve as the primary point of contact with tax authorities, external auditors, and payroll-related service providers.
Provide audit documentation, explanations, reconciliations, and corrective-action support.
Maintain the confidentiality and security of employee and payroll information.
Payroll Accounting and Benefits
Manage payroll-related general ledger accounts, including payroll liabilities, compensation expense, and benefits accruals, in partnership with Finance and Accounting.
Research and resolve payroll-to-general-ledger differences and support accurate payroll accounting.
Serve as the primary payroll partner to HR for benefit elections, enrollment changes, and employee deductions; coordinate provider billing and enrollment reconciliations.
Manage 401(k) payroll responsibilities, including employee contributions, employer match calculations, reporting, and monitoring against applicable plan provisions and contribution limits.
Support the annual retirement plan audit and Form 5500 reporting.
Support compensation, benefits, and headcount budgeting and forecasting.
Systems and Process Improvement
Maintain and optimize payroll and HRIS systems, including supporting implementations, upgrades, integrations, and automation initiatives.
Evaluate current practices and implement improvements that strengthen accuracy, consistency, efficiency, internal controls, and auditability.
Partner with HR, Finance, Accounting, Legal, and IT on payroll, compensation, tax, benefits, and related compliance matters.
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree required.
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) preferred
Minimum of 5 years of end-to-end payroll experience
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Strong multi-state payroll knowledge
Self-motivated, accountable, and eager to learn in a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and familiarity with HCM platforms preferred.
