Director of Payroll
About HV Talent Group
At HV Talent Group, we help talented professionals connect with top employers nationwide. As a trusted recruiting partner to industry-leading organizations, we focus on direct-hire opportunities that align with candidates’ career goals, values, and long-term growth.
We are currently recruiting for an experienced Director of Payroll to lead enterprise payroll operations within a large, complex organization.
This is an excellent opportunity for a senior payroll leader who excels at managing large-scale, multi-state payroll operations while driving system optimization, process improvement, compliance, and cross-functional collaboration.
Position Summary
The Director of Payroll will provide strategic leadership and oversight for enterprise-wide payroll operations while serving as the organization’s functional expert for payroll systems and processes.
This individual will lead a large payroll function and partner closely with HR, Finance, HRIS, and IT to optimize payroll systems, improve operational efficiency, strengthen controls, and ensure accurate and compliant payroll processing.
The Director will also play a key role in post-implementation payroll activities, system enhancements, testing, validation, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead enterprise-wide payroll operations across a large, complex, multi-state organization.
- Provide strategic leadership, direction, and oversight to payroll management and operations teams.
- Serve as the primary business leader and subject matter expert for payroll systems and processes.
- Partner with HR, Finance, HRIS, and IT teams to optimize payroll system functionality and performance.
- Lead post-implementation payroll activities, including system testing, validation, troubleshooting, and enhancements.
- Ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing across multiple payroll cycles.
- Develop and implement payroll process improvements, automation, and operational efficiency initiatives.
- Evaluate payroll workflows, controls, reporting, and system performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders to improve payroll reporting, data integrity, and operational processes.
- Support the transition and integration of additional payroll functions as organizational needs evolve.
- Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations.
- Establish and maintain strong payroll controls, procedures, and documentation.
- Support payroll accounting activities, including reconciliations and coordination with Finance as needed.
- Provide leadership through organizational change, system enhancements, and evolving business requirements.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive payroll leadership experience within a large, complex organization.
- Hands-on Oracle Payroll experience is required.
- Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-level, multi-state payroll operations.
- Experience supporting payroll systems following implementation, including:
- Testing
- Troubleshooting
- Payroll validation
- System enhancements
- Process optimization
- Experience serving as the payroll business lead or subject matter expert while partnering with HRIS and IT teams.
- Experience leading and developing payroll teams in an enterprise environment.
- Strong knowledge of payroll operations, payroll compliance, internal controls, and payroll accounting.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify operational and system-related issues.
- Excellent leadership, communication, organizational, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Ability to operate effectively in a complex, fast-paced environment with multiple priorities.
Preferred Experience
- Oracle Payroll implementation experience.
- Oracle Fusion Payroll experience.
- Oracle HCM experience.
- Shared services environment experience.
- Payroll process improvement and automation initiatives.
- Payroll accounting and general ledger reconciliation experience.
- Experience integrating or transitioning payroll functions.
- Healthcare industry experience.
What We’re Looking For
We are seeking a highly experienced payroll leader who can balance strategic leadership with hands-on payroll systems expertise.
The ideal candidate has successfully led enterprise payroll operations while also serving as the primary business owner or subject matter expert for payroll technology. This person understands how payroll systems, processes, compliance, accounting, and operations work together and can identify opportunities to improve each.
The strongest candidate will be comfortable partnering with technical and operational teams, leading system enhancements, troubleshooting complex payroll issues, and driving continuous improvement while maintaining a strong focus on accuracy, compliance, efficiency, and employee experience.
This role is well suited for a strategic thinker, collaborative leader, and payroll subject matter expert who thrives in a large, complex organization.
Pay: $145,000.00 - $160,000.00 per year
Application Question(s):
- Do you have 10+ years of progressive payroll leadership experience within a large, complex organization?
- How many years of experience do you have with Oracle Payroll (Oracle Fusion Payroll or Oracle Payroll Cloud)?
- Have you supported Oracle Payroll after implementation, including quarterly release testing, troubleshooting, payroll validation, enhancement requests, and post-go-live optimization?
- Have you served as the Payroll business lead or subject matter expert (SME) while partnering directly with HRIS, HR, Finance, and IT teams?
- How many years of multi-state payroll leadership experience in an enterprise environment?
- Do you have experience in at least one of the following areas: shared services, payroll process improvement and automation, Oracle implementation, payroll accounting/GL reconciliation, or healthcare payroll?
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Brentwood, TN 37024
