Manager, Payroll Systems and Special Projects

Job Description: Level 4 – Senior Project Manager / Time & Attendance SME

Position Summary
• This Level 4 role is a strategic leadership position responsible for driving the end-to-end transformation of Time & Attendance systems within a highly complex, unionized environment. The role combines program leadership, deep functional expertise, and systems acumen to ensure accurate time capture, compliant pay calculation, and seamless integration into payroll operations.
• This individual will serve as both a Project Manager and Functional SME, accountable for delivery, design integrity, and alignment to business and labor requirements.

Key Responsibilities
• Program & Project Leadership - Lead large-scale Time & Attendance transformation initiatives - Own governance, timelines, risks, and executive reporting - Partner with system integrators and internal stakeholders - Drive Agile delivery including sprint planning and execution
• Union Payroll & Timekeeping SME - Interpret and operationalize Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) - Configure and validate rules including:
• Daily/weekly overtime
• 6th/7th day premiums
• Meal penalties
• Shift differentials and premiums
• Guarantees and minimum calls
• Turnaround/rest rules - Ensure compliance with union and regulatory requirements
• Requirements & Functional Design - Lead requirements workshops with SMEs and functional leaders - Document detailed functional requirements and process flows - Identify gaps, inefficiencies, and automation opportunities - Translate business needs into system configurations
• Systems & Integration - Provide expertise across Time, Payroll, and HCM platforms - Support integration design between systems - Validate data flows and ensure system alignment
• Data, Testing & Reconciliation - Analyze payroll/time data for accuracy and completeness - Define testing strategies including parallel validation - Perform reconciliation between time and payroll outputs - Ensure audit readiness and data integrity
• Change Management & Stakeholder Engagement - Lead stakeholder communication and alignment - Support training and adoption strategies - Act as trusted advisor to leadership

Qualifications
• 10+ years in payroll, time & attendance, and system implementations
• Deep union environment experience
• Experience with UKG Pro, Workday, Infor or similar systems
• Strong analytical and data skills
• Proven leadership in large-scale transformations

Preferred Qualifications
• Entertainment or highly unionized industry experience
• Agile methodology experience
• Experience with system integrators
• Payroll audit and compliance expertise

Key Competencies
• Strategic leadership
• Functional and systems expertise
• Analytical rigor
• Stakeholder influence
• Execution excellence