Director Payroll

Location: Boston, MA 

Salary: $170,000-185,000.00 per year. Bonus offered, competitive 401(k) match, and day one benefits. 

Knowledge and Experience:

• Must have 10+ years of progressive payroll management experience in a large complex (10,000+ employee) North American organization.
• Must have BS degree or CPP
• Must have 6+ years of management experience and experience in implementing and/or managing a large multi-location payroll provider in the United States.
• Demonstrated leadership involving skilled teams and change management.
• Experience with complex cross-functional payroll projects.
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, relationship building and business partnering skills are required.
• Experience in delivering payroll services within a heavily unionized, multiple CBA employer.
• Experience with UKG HCM and payroll software platform strongly preferred.
• Strong experience in time and attendance auditing and time control and reporting, Workforce Management strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in digitalization/automation of business/payroll process and ideally some experience in utilization of AI.

Skills:

• Effectively multi-task, prioritize work, demonstrate accountability, and lead a team of payroll professionals to support US payroll activities.
• KPI development and monthly business reporting on payroll performance and
• Bi-lingual – English and French speaker preferred.
• Be able to influence and negotiate priorities with a focus on continuous improvement of operational processes and systems.

Key Accountabilities:

Payroll process compliance and improvement

• Deliver accurate, timely and high-quality professional payroll services to employees across US, in a complex portfolio business.
• Enhance payroll analytical and reporting capabilities to update stakeholders regularly and provide meaningful decision support for management.
• Stay current on US regulations, benefits changes that impact payroll deductions and taxation and labor laws impacting the payroll process, and stay compliant for all payroll tax jurisdictions.
• Serve as subject-matter expert for the payroll software platform (currently UKG), and time & attendance platform (currently Kronos/Dimensions and UTA).
• Ensure systems and internal controls adequately support North America payroll, employment taxes and all applicable labor laws and regulations.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations as well as company policies regarding payments of wages, tax withholding, garnishments, and employee deductions.
• Ensure taxes and other required government withholdings are executed, collected, deposited and reported on a timely basis to federal, state, provincial and local authorities in a secure manner.
• Coordinate year-end tax activities including adjustments to tax withholdings, submission of IRS employer reports, and distribution of wage and tax statements (W-2, 1042-S and T4) to employees.
• Perform research and analysis of current payroll issues and propose and implement appropriate solutions.
• Develop, maintain and regularly assess internal controls for payroll processes and related payroll software systems.
• Ensure internal controls and regulatory and company established narratives and controls are correct and comprehensive.
• Build proactive, collaborative relationships with stakeholders, outside vendors and global payroll teams to ensure global best practices and process consistency.
• Produce records of employment.

Time & Attendance

• Oversee the time & attendance team with CBA requirements/company policies in creating/implementing business process and set up in the UKG systems.
• Drive and assure the delivery of the for time and attendance system including payroll audits
• Ensure accurate reporting of time to payroll- creating checks and balances.
• Ensure proper administration of the security of system.  Coordinate enhancements, efficiencies associated with the time system. 
• Oversee the timely tracking hours worked, leave time, such as vacation, personal, and sick leave, for employees. Verify attendance, hours worked, and pay adjustments, and post information onto designated records. Record employee information, such as exemptions, transfers, and resignations, to maintain and update payroll records.

Process Improvement

• Work closely with Core business, HR and finance to recommend opportunities that support strategic initiatives, goals and priorities.
• Develop and present business case proposals to senior executives for enhancements, tools or procedural changes to support new initiatives.
• Provide project leadership for all payroll-related projects. This includes creating project plans, obtaining appropriate resources, conducting regular project meetings, and resolving issues.

Payroll Centre of Excellence (Non direct reporting payroll teams)

• Coordinate the wider payroll community – ensuring the sharing of best practices, and capabilities.
• Provide oversight and assurance through indirect oversight of payroll (non-shared service)
• Identify opportunities, recommend, and implement for harmonization between direct and indirect oversight payroll functions to improve payroll efficiencies and effectiveness and build internal capabilities.
• Improve checks and controls in payroll function to reduce errors, increase accuracy and timeliness and performance.

Team Leadership

• Responsible for managing, coaching and developing the US payroll operations staff
• Promote a positive team environment.
• Develop team capabilities to ensure competence.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be requested to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

All roles may entail, to varying extents, the following physical demands:

• Long periods (potentially exceeding 8 hours per day) of walking, standing, sitting, bending, pushing, pulling, climbing, lifting, balancing, stooping, twisting, squatting, handling materials, repetitive hand-wrist motions, and traversing uneven surfaces;
• Exposure to both extreme heat and cold;
• Exposure to loud noises, fumes, and airborne particles;

In addition to the above demands inherent in every role, the following roles may entail unique physical demands, including:

• Operators/Drivers may work inside or outside vehicles and may operate vehicles for over 8 hours per day.
• Operations Supervisors and Managers may split their work between an office setting looking at a computer screen/electronic device and active transit field locations driving in a vehicle.
• Maintenance Employees may be exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals in a ventilated maintenance shop and may work with personal computers, laptops, electronic hand-held devices, complex electrical schematics, diagnostic software and testing devices, and other heavy machinery.
• Office Staff may work indoors in air-conditioned or well-ventilated facilities, including offices and cubicle spaces equipped with a telephone and computer and may entail typing or looking at a computer screen.

Additional Statements:

• Drug screening: Pursuant to Department of Transportation regulations, employment for safety-sensitive positions will be contingent upon passing a pre-employment drug screen and a physical examination. Keolis maintains a drug-free workplace. Employment will also be contingent upon completion of a background check consistent with applicable federal, state, and/or local laws.
• Safety commitment: Safety is a way of life at Keolis. By placing safety first, we ensure the wellbeing of our employees, customers, and communities. Together we can become the safest transportation company in the world.
• Environmental commitment: Keolis is committed to protecting the environment by minimizing the impact of our operations on the communities where we operate.
• EEO statement: Our policy is to afford Equal Employment Opportunity to qualified individuals regardless of their race, color, sex, religion, age, creed, marital status, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy status, genetic information, veteran status, gender identification, or any other status protected by applicable law. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact KTA-HR@keolisna.com. Keolis complies with federal and state disability laws and provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants.
• Work authorization: “Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. Keolis does not sponsor visas for this position”
• Disclaimer and closing statement: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees assigned to this job. Keolis is committed to offering our employees competitive compensation and benefits, opportunities for development and growth throughout an exciting and rewarding career, and the safest work environment possible.