The Director, Payroll & Benefits is a strategic leader responsible for the design, governance, and execution of enterprise-wide benefits (health, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement 401(K), etc.) and payroll programs within all states in the US and Canada. This role drives a best-in-class employee experience while ensuring compliance, operational excellence, and cost optimization. The Director partners closely with executive leadership, Finance, and HR to align total rewards and payroll strategy with broader business objectives. This role will supervise the Sr. Manager of Payroll & Benefits and two Payroll & Benefits Specialists. This leader should have strong organizational skills, ability to manage multi-faceted projects and initiatives while providing hands on leadership and coaching to the team.
Demonstrates our “True North” attributes: voice of the customer, respect for the individual, no nonsense communication and utilization of facts, servant leadership and has a continuous improvement mindset in every facet of leadership and daily interaction. Leads, collaborates and demonstrates the lean principles and utilizes the lean methodologies and tools to facilitate continuous process improvements and value creation for our customers, employees and shareholders. Actively utilizes lean tools (VSM, Kaizen, A3, etc.) to inform and assess business opportunities to drive continuous improvement. Lead and participate in Kaizen and value stream mapping activities.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership & Program Design
- Define and lead the enterprise benefits and payroll strategy, aligning programs with business goals, workforce needs, and market competitiveness.
- Oversee the design, implementation, and continuous optimization of employee benefits programs, including health, retirement, wellness, and ancillary offerings.
- Evaluate emerging trends, regulatory changes, and market benchmarks to evolve offerings and maintain a competitive total reward position.
Vendor Management & Financial Stewardship
- Lead relationships with external vendors, brokers, and insurance providers, including contract negotiation, performance management, and cost containment strategies.
- Partner with Finance to develop and manage budgets, forecast benefits and payroll costs, and identify opportunities for optimization and efficiency.
- Drive data-informed decision-making through analytics, reporting, and insights.
Payroll Governance & Operational Excellence
- Provide executive oversight of end-to-end payroll operations, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance across all employee populations.
- Establish and maintain strong internal controls, audit processes, and risk mitigation strategies.
- Lead system strategy, including optimization, automation, and integration of payroll and HRIS platforms.
Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure enterprise compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including ERISA, ACA, FMLA, FLSA, and tax requirements.
- Oversee required filings and disclosures (e.g., Form 5500, EEO-1, W-2/W-3) and ensure audit readiness.
- Oversee internal audits to ensure accuracy, integrity, and compliance of payroll and benefits data.
- Serve as a trusted advisor on regulatory changes and their business impact.
Employee Experience & Service Delivery
- Champion high-quality employee experience, ensuring clear communication, education, and resolution of complex benefits and payroll issues.
- Establish service delivery standards and continuously improve processes to enhance accessibility and satisfaction.
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead, develop, and scale a high-performing Payroll & Benefits team, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Set departmental vision, goals, and KPIs; monitor performance and drive results.
- Build organizational capability through coaching, talent development, and succession planning.
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Partner with HR, Finance, Legal, and executive stakeholders to align benefits and payroll strategies with broader organizational priorities.
- Support M&A, integration, and transformation initiatives as needed.
Additional Responsibilities
- Ensure adherence to the company’s Code of Business Ethics, maintaining the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
- Promote and uphold a strong culture of safety across all operations.
- Analytical capabilities – ability to provide reporting on business performance and identify trends or issues that need to be addressed.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement within the Payroll & Benefits department.
- Establish and communicate departmental goals, objectives, and KPIs, and track progress towards achievement.
- Make and assume other duties and responsibilities required or assigned by management.
- Adhering to the Code of Business Ethics is essential. We value honesty and integrity above all else and we expect our employees to be committed to the highest ethical standards.
- Maintain high safety standards. Safety is personal for us all.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, Finance, or related field required.
- Master’s degree or relevant certifications (e.g., CPP, CEBS) preferred.
- 10–15+ years of progressive experience in benefits, payroll, or total rewards, with 5–7+ years in leadership roles overseeing teams and enterprise programs
- Demonstrated experience leading payroll and/or benefits functions at scale, including management of third-party vendors, brokers, and service providers.
- Deep expertise in employee benefits programs, including health and welfare, retirement, and voluntary benefits, with a strong understanding of market trends and plan design strategy.
- Strong knowledge of payroll operations, tax compliance, and regulatory requirements, with experience overseeing multi-state payroll environments.
- Experience with leading HRIS/payroll systems (e.g., ADP, UKG, Workday), including system optimization, implementation, or transformation initiatives.
- Proven ability to partner cross-functionally with Finance, Legal, and executive stakeholders, with strong business and financial acumen.
- Demonstrated success using data and analytics to inform decision-making, improve processes, and drive cost efficiency
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
SKILLS & ABILITIES
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex regulations, translate data into insights, and inform strategic decision-making.
- Exceptional executive communication and influencing skills, with the ability to effectively partner with senior leadership, cross-functional stakeholders, and external vendors.
- Proven leadership capability, including building and developing high-performing teams, driving organizational effectiveness, coaching and leading through change.
- High level of integrity, discretion, and executive presence, with sound judgment in handling sensitive and confidential information
