Payroll Supervisor/Manager/Director

The salary range for this position is $95,000-$120,000 and it comes with benefits, including medical, vision, dental, life, and disability insurance. To apply to this Payroll Manager role please send your resume to tiana.gjeldum@roberthalf.c0m

We are looking for an experienced payroll leader to oversee complex payroll operations for a construction workforce in Chicago, Illinois. This position manages payroll delivery across multiple states for both union and non-union employees, while maintaining accuracy, compliance, and strong internal controls. The role also guides a small payroll team and works closely with HR, Finance, Operations, and Project Accounting to support reporting, audits, and process improvements.

Responsibilities:

• Direct payroll processing for hourly and salaried employees across multiple states, ensuring weekly and bi-weekly runs are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Oversee payroll data such as taxes, garnishments, benefit deductions, and other withholdings to confirm completeness and compliance.
• Manage union-related payroll obligations, including fringe benefit submissions, dues tracking, remittances, and responses to union requests.
• Administer certified payroll and prevailing wage reporting for applicable construction projects and verify alignment with contract terms and wage determinations.
• Supervise and develop two payroll team members by reviewing work, providing coaching, and setting clear performance expectations.
• Reconcile payroll accounts and support month-end and year-end close activities, including required filings and annual wage statements.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to maintain accurate employee, labor, and project payroll information and to produce reporting for leadership.
• Act as the internal expert on payroll systems, supporting testing, upgrades, integrations, and workflow improvements that increase efficiency and accuracy.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of payroll leadership experience, with construction industry experience strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience supervising payroll staff.
• Practical experience managing multi-state payroll for large employee populations, including union and non-union groups.
• Strong knowledge of union payroll practices, collective bargaining requirements, fringe benefit reporting, and prevailing wage compliance.
• Experience preparing certified payroll and handling payroll tax compliance, including quarterly and year-end reporting.
• Hands-on proficiency with UKG Pro and strong Excel skills.
• Familiarity with high-volume payroll environments and full-cycle payroll administration.