Payroll Director

At TalentCount, we connect high-impact HR, Payroll, and Finance professionals with organizations where people, processes, and business growth are closely aligned. We are currently supporting a confidential search for a Payroll Director to join a rapidly growing, multi-entity organization undergoing significant expansion and transformation.

This is a unique opportunity for a payroll leader who thrives in both strategic and hands-on environments. The organization is scaling through acquisitions and organic growth, with a long-term vision of centralizing payroll operations across multiple companies and states into a best-in-class shared services model.

The ideal candidate is an experienced payroll professional who can lead a team, drive process improvements, support acquisitions, standardize payroll operations, and personally step in when payroll execution requires hands-on leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Operations & Compliance

- Direct and oversee payroll operations across multiple companies, entities, and states.

- Ensure timely, accurate, and compliant payroll processing for all employees.

- Maintain expertise in federal, state, and local payroll regulations.

- Support complex payroll calculations, including commissions, incentive compensation, bonuses, piece-rate pay, overtime, and multi-frequency payroll schedules.

- Establish and maintain strong payroll controls, audit processes, and compliance standards.

Shared Services & Process Improvement

- Lead the standardization of payroll practices across multiple operating companies.

- Evaluate current payroll processes and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and scalability.

- Reduce manual processes through automation and process redesign.

- Develop and implement payroll best practices, policies, procedures, and service standards.

- Create a long-term roadmap for payroll shared services operations.

Mergers, Acquisitions & System Integrations

- Lead payroll integration activities related to acquisitions.

- Manage payroll transitions from acquired company systems into the organization’s payroll platform.

- Coordinate payroll setup and compliance requirements for expansion into new states.

- Partner with Accounting, HR, IT, and operational leaders to ensure successful integrations.

- Support future payroll system enhancements, implementations, and platform transitions as needed.

Systems & Reporting

- Serve as the payroll subject matter expert for ADP and related payroll technologies.

- Troubleshoot payroll system issues and partner with internal stakeholders to drive solutions.

- Ensure proper payroll-to-general ledger mapping and interface accuracy.

- Develop payroll reporting and analytics that support operational and executive decision-making.

- Improve payroll data integrity and reporting capabilities across the organization.

Leadership & Team Development

- Lead, mentor, and develop a growing payroll team.

- Foster a culture of accountability, accuracy, customer service, and continuous improvement.

- Establish team structure and responsibilities to support future growth.

- Partner closely with HR, Finance, Accounting, and operational leadership.

Qualifications

Required Experience

- 10+ years of progressive payroll experience, including leadership responsibilities.

- Experience leading multi-state payroll operations.

- Experience supporting payroll across multiple entities, business units, or operating companies.

- Strong hands-on payroll processing expertise.

- Experience managing payroll in complex compensation environments, including commissions, incentives, bonuses, and other variable pay structures.

- Demonstrated experience supporting mergers and acquisitions from a payroll perspective.

- Strong knowledge of payroll compliance, wage and hour regulations, and payroll controls.

- Experience leading payroll process improvement and standardization initiatives.

- Advanced ADP experience, including configuration, troubleshooting, and administration.

- Experience managing and developing payroll teams.

Preferred Qualifications

- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.

- Experience supporting high-growth or acquisitive organizations.

- Experience with payroll system conversions or implementations.

- Knowledge of Workday Payroll or other enterprise payroll platforms.

- Experience supporting payroll-related audits, wage and hour claims, or employment litigation matters.

- Strong understanding of payroll general ledger interfaces and payroll accounting concepts.

Success in This Role

Within the first 12 months, the successful candidate will:

- Improve payroll consistency across multiple entities.

- Establish stronger controls and reporting capabilities.

- Reduce manual processes and inefficiencies.

- Support acquisition-related payroll integrations.

- Create a scalable payroll structure capable of supporting significant organizational growth.

- Drive the standardization and simplification of payroll processes and pay codes.

- Help position the payroll function as a strategic business partner to the organization.

Why Join This Opportunity?

- Highly visible leadership role with executive exposure.

- Opportunity to build and transform a growing shared services payroll function.

- Support a rapidly expanding organization with ambitious growth plans.

- Influence payroll strategy, systems, processes, and team development.

- Competitive compensation package including bonus eligibility and potential equity participation.

- Significant opportunity for long-term career growth and impact.

Compensation: $160,000 - $180,000 base salary + 20% bonus

Work Arrangement: On-site

Location: Brea, California