Senior Payroll Manager

Job Summary

The Senior Payroll Manager is responsible for planning, coordinating, and overseeing all payroll activities for approximately 500 employees in a multi-union commercial construction environment. This role ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing across multiple collective bargaining agreements, job classifications, and work locations. The Senior Payroll Manager leads the payroll team and partners closely with Finance, Human Resources, and Operations to support business objectives, maintain strong internal controls, and ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and contractual obligations.

• Oversee and manage the end-to-end weekly payroll process for exempt, non-exempt, union and non-union employees, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Ensure proper application and interpretation of multiple collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), including wage rates, fringes, dues, assessments, shift premiums, and overtime rules.
• Administer and review certified payroll reporting, prevailing wage compliance, and required submissions for public and private projects.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations, including FLSA, IRS, DOL, and state agencies.

• Lead, manage, and develop the payroll team, fostering a culture of accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Establish and maintain documented payroll procedures to ensure continuity, accuracy, and coverage.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex payroll issues, discrepancies, and employee inquiries.

• Coordinate union reporting, fringe benefit contributions, dues, and remittances in accordance with CBAs and established timelines.
• Partner with Human Resources to ensure accurate payroll deductions related to benefits, leaves of absence, and employee status changes.
• Oversee payroll tax filings, reconciliations, and year-end processes, including W-2 preparation and union reporting.
• Support internal and external audits related to payroll, benefits, unions, and certified payroll.

• Maintain and optimize payroll and timekeeping systems, ensuring alignment with construction job-costing and labor allocation requirements.
• Manage payroll systems, vendors, and integrations, ensuring system efficiency and data integrity.
• Collaborate with Operations and project teams to resolve timekeeping, job coding, and labor distribution issues.
• Prepare payroll reports and analyses for the CFO, CHRO, and other executive leadership.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and compliance.

• Act as a subject matter expert and resource for payroll-related inquiries from field leadership, project managers, Human Resources, and Finance.
• Support onboarding, terminations, layoffs, and union transfers as they relate to payroll processing.
• Assist with the development and communication of payroll-related policies and practices.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive payroll experience, with significant experience in a unionized construction or skilled trades environment.
• Demonstrated experience supervising payroll staff.
• Strong working knowledge of certified payroll and prevailing wage requirements.

• Thorough understanding of payroll laws, regulations, and compliance requirements.
• High level of accuracy, attention to detail, and confidentiality.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP).
• Experience supporting payroll for 400+ employees across multiple jobsites or locations.
• Experience with construction payroll systems and job-cost accounting integration.

• Competitive Salary
• Company-Wide Annual Incentive Program
• Paid Holidays
• PTO starting…