Payroll Manager

POLITICO is seeking an experienced and highly driven Payroll Manager to serve as the organization’s subject‑matter expert and operational leader for payroll. This role sits within the Finance & Accounting team and partners closely with Human Resources to ensure accurate, compliant, and seamless payroll operations that support fast‑paced, growing business. The ideal candidate brings both technical payroll expertise and a service‑oriented mindset.

• A payroll expert who understands the full payroll lifecycle and takes pride in delivering accurate, timely, and compliant payroll every cycle.
• A trusted partner who collaborates effectively with HR, Finance, and external vendors to ensure payroll inputs, changes, and exceptions are handled seamlessly.
• Detail‑oriented and process‑driven, with a strong ability to identify discrepancies, investigate root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• A problem solver and critical thinker who proactively improves payroll processes, strengthens controls, and finds efficiencies in a high‑volume environment.
• Confident working independently, managing competing priorities and deadlines without sacrificing accuracy or quality.
• A clear communicator who can translate complex payroll matters into practical guidance for employees and stakeholders.
• Someone who operates with the highest level of integrity and discretion, maintaining confidentiality and trust at all times.
• Comfortable owning payroll in a dynamic organization and bringing structure, clarity, and accountability to the function.

• Lead in processing payroll every two weeks, currently in Workday.
• Collaborate with the Human Resources (HR) team to ensure all inputs or updates are included in the payroll.
• Ensure accuracy in computing wages, taxes, with holdings and deductions.
• Partner with HR and Finance to process non‑time related payments such as bonuses, severance, vacation payouts and taxable fringe benefits as needed.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local payroll regulations.
• Work with vendor’s payment services to ensure tax liability funding and quarterly tax filing is reconciled, investigate variances and make corrections as necessary.
• Create and validate Quarterly and Annual Reports within statutory deadlines.
• Serve as the main point of contact for payroll queries from employees.
• Reconcile the payroll accounts and resolve payroll discrepancies.
• Work with HR and Finance to identify and implement process improvements to streamline transactions and improve controls.
• Provide support for year‑end and 401(k) audit requests.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or business preferred; equivalent work experience in accounting or business required.
• Three (3) or more years’ experience leading a payroll team strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel.
• Workday experience preferred.
• Ability to act with integrity and maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Ability to work independently with key deadlines, while maintaining high accuracy through keen attention to detail.
• Demonstrated initiative and urgency with reliable follow‑through and execution skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills.
• Ability to be an effective team member.

for more on what we offer and what it’s like to work for POLITICO.

You can view our list of open positions here. We hope to see your application soon!

Payroll Manager