Payroll Manager

We are looking for an experienced Payroll Manager to support a contract engagement based in Charlotte, North Carolina. This role will oversee accurate and timely payroll operations for a workforce of approximately 1000 employees, with responsibility spanning benefits administration, payroll taxes, and complex pay practices across multiple states and international jurisdictions. The ideal candidate brings strong leadership in multi-entity payroll environments and can navigate growth-related complexity, including merger and acquisition activity, while maintaining compliance and service quality.

Responsibilities:

• Direct end-to-end payroll processing for a population of about 900 employees, ensuring pay is completed accurately and on schedule.
• Manage payroll activities across multiple U.S. states and international locations while adhering to applicable wage, tax, and regulatory requirements.
• Administer payroll tax processes, including withholdings, filings, reconciliations, and issue resolution related to payroll compliance.
• Partner with benefits and compensation stakeholders to ensure deductions, employer contributions, and related payroll entries are processed correctly.
• Oversee payroll operations across multiple legal entities and support alignment of payroll practices during periods of organizational change, including mergers and acquisitions.
• Utilize payroll platforms such as Rippling and ADP Workforce Now to maintain employee records, validate payroll data, and improve processing accuracy.
• Review payroll outputs, audit discrepancies, and resolve exceptions involving earnings, deductions, taxes, and benefits in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with internal teams to prepare payroll reporting, support audits, and provide documentation related to payroll and benefits activity.
• Proven experience leading full-cycle payroll operations for large employee populations, ideally exceeding 500 employees.
• Strong knowledge of multi-state payroll administration and payroll tax compliance requirements.
• Hands-on experience processing international payroll and supporting employees across multiple jurisdictions.
• Background managing payroll for multi-entity organizations, including experience supporting merger and acquisition activity.
• Proficiency with payroll systems such as Rippling and ADP Workforce Now.
• Familiarity with benefits coordination, payroll deductions, and compensation-related payroll processes.
• High attention to detail with the ability to investigate discrepancies and maintain accurate records in a deadline-driven environment.