Payroll Director

Payroll Director – Enerfab

Location:

Cincinnati, OH

Division:
Enerfab Power & Industrial

Reports to:

Controller

Enerfab has over 120 years of experience, offering fabrication and construction capabilities to customers in the chemical, food & beverage, oil & gas, heavy industrial and power industries. Founded in 1901, our company began making sealants and lacquers—including a patented formula for brewer’s pitch—for beer tanks and vessels. Over the last century, our expanded capabilities, project experience, safety record, and commitment to quality have made Enerfab one of the industry leaders in shop fabrication, field erection and construction and maintenance services.

The Payroll Director is a senior payroll professional responsible for providing strategic leadership, deep technical expertise, and steady operational oversight of the Company’s multi-state payroll function. This role is ideal for a seasoned payroll expert later in their career who brings maturity, sound judgment, and a strong compliance mindset, and who is motivated by mentoring the next generation of payroll leadership.

Enerfab operates in a fast‑paced, highly collaborative payroll environment supporting a family of five companies that provide both shop fabrication and field construction services. Operations are predominantly union, with a meaningful non‑union population, and span a large multi‑state footprint. All payroll processing is performed in‑house using SAP, requiring a high level of technical proficiency and strong internal controls. Payroll must flex seamlessly between shop operations and dynamic field construction work, requiring close coordination with operations, IT, HR, and finance.

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the payroll function, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing across 30+ states.
• Bring a calm, steady, and solutions‑oriented leadership style that sets the tone for the department.
• Serve as the department’s senior payroll authority and escalation point for complex payroll matters.
• Partner closely with the Controller and Finance leadership on payroll strategy, risk management, and continuous improvement.
• Own all payroll compliance activities, including federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements, and maintain accountability for year‑end payroll tax reporting and filings.
• Oversee outsourced payroll tax providers, ensuring service quality, accuracy, and compliance.
• Monitor regulatory changes and proactively assess impacts to payroll processes and controls.
• Ensure strong internal controls, documentation, and audit readiness across all payroll activities.
• Lead, coach, and mentor the Assistant Payroll Manager to develop future leadership capability.
• Effectively manage and collaborate with a highly experienced Union Payroll Manager who serves as the organization’s union payroll expert.
• Foster a collaborative environment where expertise is respected and knowledge is shared.
• Provide guidance, structure, and prioritization without micromanaging a capable team.
• Serve as the primary project leader for payroll‑related initiatives, including the evaluation and potential implementation of more digital and modern timekeeping solutions.
• Apply disciplined project management practices to drive initiatives from concept through execution.
• Identify inefficiencies, risks, or manual processes and design practical, scalable improvements.
• Develop creative solutions while maintaining compliance and operational integrity.
• Partner with HR, IT, Finance, and external vendors to ensure seamless payroll operations.
• Support HR initiatives related to compensation, benefits, and timekeeping from a payroll perspective.
• Communicate clearly with stakeholders, translating complex payroll topics into understandable guidance.

• Extensive payroll experience (typically 12+ years), with deep technical knowledge of multi‑state payroll and payroll tax compliance.
• Demonstrated expertise in payroll compliance, controls, and year‑end reporting.
• Proven ability to lead teams and develop individuals with varying levels of…