Job Description:The Position:We are seeking an experienced, strategically minded Payroll Manager to lead one of the most complex payroll operations in the construction industry. Across 6 companies, 30+ union agreements, prevailing wage obligations in multiple states, and a workforce of union and non-union hourly employees, our payroll function demands both deep technical expertise and strong operational leadership.
This role is responsible for the accurate, compliant, and timely execution of weekly hourly payroll-and for building the systems, processes, and talent required to scale that operation from our current footprint in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan to a model capable of supporting all 48 contiguous states. You will lead a team of 12, own our payroll technology ecosystem (CMIC and Workday), drive continuous improvement, and serve as a cross-functional partner on M&A integrations, system implementations, and HR technology development.
This is not a maintenance role. We need a leader who will challenge the status quo, fix what is broken, build what is missing, and create a payroll operation that is a competitive advantage for our business.
Responsibilities:Weekly Payroll Operations - Hourly Workforce- Own end-to-end accountability for accurate, on-time weekly payroll processing for all hourly employees (union and non-union) across 6 companies and approximately 1,300 workers today
- Manage payroll execution within CMIC as the primary payroll processing platform; ensure data integrity and accuracy of all inputs flowing from Workday
- Oversee payroll for a highly complex rate environment: 6 companies with distinct rate sheets, pay rules, fringe benefit structures, and compensation expectations
- Ensure proper handling of all payroll complexity: certified payroll, prevailing wage, multi-state taxation, garnishments, shift differentials, and retroactive adjustments
- Maintain overall accountability for federal, state, and local payroll tax filings across all 6 companies on a weekly and periodic basis
- Own the payroll calendar and ensure all processing deadlines, funding deadlines, and regulatory filing dates are consistently met
- Serve as the final escalation point for payroll discrepancies, corrections, and complex employee pay inquiries
Union Payroll, Labor Compliance & Prevailing WageThis is the most technically demanding dimension of the role. Our organization is signatory to 30+ collective bargaining agreements, and payroll compliance is mission-critical.
- Maintain deep, working knowledge of all active collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) across union companies; translate contract language into payroll rules, rates, and remittance obligations
- Oversee accurate and timely union remittances to all applicable funds (health & welfare, pension, apprenticeship, vacation, industry promotion, etc.) on behalf of all signatory companies
- Lead preparation for and response to union payroll audits; maintain audit-ready records and ensure compliance documentation is current
- Analyze new and renewed CBAs in partnership with Senior Operations Management and Labor Relations; identify payroll impacts and ensure timely system configuration changes in CMIC
- Own prevailing wage compliance across all applicable states and project types; lead annual Department of Workforce Development (DWD) prevailing wage rate surveys on a job-specific basis
- Partner with State Transportation Departments, the U.S. Department of Labor, and State DWD agencies on compliance obligations, including electronic certified payroll and prevailing wage initiatives
- Monitor legislative and regulatory changes to prevailing wage, Davis-Bacon, and state equivalents; proactively update payroll processes and communicate impacts to Operations and Finance
Payroll Technology - CMIC, Workday & Integrations- Serve as the functional owner of payroll within CMIC ERP; maintain configuration accuracy for all pay rules, rate tables, union setups, and company-specific logic
- Partner with the HRIS team and IT on the Workday-to-CMIC integration; ensure data flows (new hires, job changes, rate changes, deductions) are accurate, timely, and auditable
- Lead payroll participation in CMIC bi-annual patch and upgrade testing: develop test scripts, coordinate the payroll team's testing efforts, validate results, and approve readiness for deployment
- Lead payroll team involvement in Workday integration testing, including regression testing for payroll-adjacent modules (Benefits, Absence, Core HCM)
- Identify opportunities to automate manual payroll processes through CMIC configuration, Workday workflow improvements, or third-party integrations
- Maintain documentation of all payroll system configurations, integrations, and custom setups; ensure continuity and knowledge transfer within the team
Team Leadership & Development- Lead, develop, and hold accountable a payroll team of 12: 1 Payroll Team Lead, 1 Process Improvement Lead, 1 Labor Compliance Lead and approximately 9 Payroll and Labor Compliance Specialists
- Set clear performance expectations, provide regular feedback, and conduct formal performance reviews; coach team members toward growth and advancement
- Own workforce planning for the Payroll department: staffing levels, role design, succession planning, and skill gap assessment as the company grows nationally
- Build a team culture grounded in accuracy, accountability, continuous improvement, and a service orientation toward the business
- Develop and maintain a robust training and cross-training program so payroll operations can scale, adapt to acquisitions, and withstand turnover without disruption
- Partner with the Process Improvement Lead to drive a structured, ongoing program of payroll process optimization
Process Improvement & Operational Excellence- Conduct a comprehensive audit of current payroll processes; identify inefficiencies, compliance risks, and manual work that should be automated or eliminated
- Own and prioritize the payroll process improvement roadmap; drive measurable improvements in processing time, error rates, and team capacity
- Standardize payroll processes across all 6 companies where possible, while maintaining the flexibility needed for company-specific requirements
- Establish and monitor payroll KPIs and metrics: error rate, on-time processing rate, remittance accuracy, audit findings, and team productivity
- Develop and maintain comprehensive payroll procedure documentation for all processes; ensure documentation is current and accessible to the team
- Evaluate and recommend tools, technologies, and vendor relationships that improve the efficiency and accuracy of payroll operations
Mergers & Acquisitions - Payroll Integration- Serve as the Payroll lead on all M&A transactions; participate in due diligence to assess payroll complexity, union obligations, and compliance risk of target companies
- Lead payroll integration planning and execution: CMIC setup for new companies, Workday data migration, rate table configuration, CBA analysis, and Day 1 payroll readiness
- Develop and maintain a repeatable M&A payroll integration playbook; continuously refine based on lessons learned
- Advise HR Operations and executive leadership on payroll timelines, resource requirements, and risk factors for each acquisition
National Expansion - Scalable Payroll Model- Architect the roadmap for expanding our payroll operation from its current WI/IL/MI footprint to a model capable of processing hourly payroll in all 48 contiguous states
- Develop a multi-state payroll compliance framework covering: state income tax withholding and registration, state unemployment insurance (SUI), prevailing wage by jurisdiction, certified payroll requirements, and state-specific paystub and pay frequency laws
- Advise on CMIC and Workday configuration requirements for new state setups; partner with HR Operations and Finance on multi-entity payroll structure
- Lead the evaluation and selection of any third-party tools, tax engines, or compliance services needed to support national payroll operations at scale
- Serve as a thought leader in payroll best practices for the construction industry; benchmark against peers and bring forward-looking recommendations to HR and Finance leadership
Reporting, Compliance & Confidentiality- Maintain overall accountability for payroll-related regulatory filings: federal and multi-state payroll taxes, W-2s, certified payroll reports, and any required state labor department submissions
- Provide payroll reporting and analysis to Senior Management, Finance, Operations, and HR as needed; develop standard payroll dashboards and exception reports
- Ensure the Payroll department operates with the highest standards of data confidentiality and information security; enforce access controls and data handling protocols
- Stay current on federal and state payroll tax law, labor law, and regulatory changes; proactively assess impacts and drive timely compliance updates
- Coordinate with internal audit, external auditors, and union auditors; maintain audit-ready records and lead audit response activities
Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or related field; equivalent experience considered
- 7+ years of payroll experience with at least 3-4 years in a payroll management or senior payroll leadership role
- Demonstrated experience managing payroll for union workforces, including CBA analysis, union remittances, and union audit response
- Hands-on experience with prevailing wage compliance (Davis-Bacon, state prevailing wage laws, certified payroll reporting)
- Multi-company and multi-state payroll processing experience required; experience in construction, heavy civil, or a similarly complex field workforce environment strongly preferred
- Direct experience with CMIC ERP (payroll module) strongly preferred; candidates with comparable construction ERP experience (Viewpoint, Spectrum, Foundation) will be considered
- Working knowledge of Workday HCM and payroll-adjacent integrations
- Experience leading a payroll team of 5+ people; ability to develop, coach, and hold a team accountable
- Track record of leading payroll system implementations, upgrades, or integrations; experience with patch/upgrade testing cycles a plus
Technical Knowledge- Deep knowledge of federal payroll law: FLSA, IRS payroll tax regulations, FUTA/SUTA, garnishment rules, and W-2/W-4 compliance
- Working knowledge of multi-state payroll tax obligations, state unemployment insurance, and state-specific pay practices
- Understanding of union benefit fund structures (health & welfare, pension, annuity, apprenticeship, vacation funds) and remittance mechanics
- Proficiency in payroll reporting and data analysis; Excel expertise required; experience with payroll analytics or BI tools a plus
- Familiarity with certified payroll reporting requirements under Davis-Bacon and state equivalents; experience with LCPtracker, B2Gnow, or similar platforms a plus
- CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) designation preferred; FPC or equivalent considered
Leadership & Competencies- Operates with a high degree of integrity and discretion; payroll data is among the most sensitive information in the organization
- Proven ability to manage complexity-multiple companies, multiple CBAs, multiple jurisdictions-without sacrificing accuracy or timeliness
- Strategic thinker who can design scalable systems and processes, not just manage the day-to-day
- Strong communicator who can translate complex payroll topics for non-payroll audiences including Operations, HR, and Finance leadership
- Continuous improvement mindset; experience with process redesign, automation, or shared services transition a plus
- Effective cross-functional collaborator; experience working alongside HR, Finance, IT, Legal, and Labor Relations
- Calm under pressure; able to maintain accuracy and team morale through weekly payroll cycles, audits, and system changes simultaneously
The Benefits: - Competitive compensation aligned with industry standards
- Employer Paid Medical Plan with HRA contribution (eligibility requirements)
- Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
- Flex Spending Account (FSA)
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Company-paid short and long-term disability coverage
- Generous PTO and paid holidays
- Robust Walbec training and professional development program
- Ongoing career growth opportunities
