Payroll Manager

About Meridian

Meridian Bioscience is a fully integrated life science company that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes a broad range of innovative diagnostic products. We are dedicated to developing and delivering better solutions that give answers with speed, accuracy and simplicity that are redefining the possibilities of life from discovery to diagnosis. We are looking for talented and passionate individuals that help drive our vision. Our innovative culture will allow interested candidates to discover and create, through collaboration, cutting edge solutions to tough problems.

Job Summary

The Payroll Manager is responsible for leading the accurate, timely, and compliant administration of payroll for Meridian’s U.S. business units. This position owns the end-to-end payroll function, including payroll processing, tax administration, timekeeping validation, reconciliations, reporting, controls, vendor management, and year-end activities. Serving as Meridian’s primary payroll subject matter expert, the Payroll Manager establishes payroll procedures, provides guidance on complex payroll matters, and partners with Finance, HR, Benefits, HRIS, employees, managers, and third-party vendors to ensure effective payroll operations. The position leads payroll-related audits, system enhancements, integrations, compliance initiatives, and continuous improvement efforts designed to strengthen accuracy, efficiency, controls, business continuity, and the employee experience

Key Duties

• Lead and own the end-to-end administration of biweekly, multi-state payrolls, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, compliance, and adherence to established review and approval controls.  

• Manage payroll transactions including new hires, terminations, compensation changes, bonuses, commissions, relocation payments, overtime, taxable benefits, and other earnings and deductions.  

• Review, approve, and process off-cycle payrolls, adjustments, reversals, and correction payments.  

• Review, verify, and reconcile payroll data prior to payroll transmission and validate final payroll results and confirmed reports.  

• Oversee the validation and reconciliation of timesheets, attendance records, and other payroll inputs before payments are processed.  

• Establish and maintain payroll calendars, procedures, documentation, service expectations, and operating standards.  

• Serve as the final payroll review and escalation point for complex transactions, corrections, employee concerns, compliance matters, and operational issues.  

• Maintain appropriate payroll process documentation, cross-training, backup coverage, and business continuity procedures to reduce operational risk.  

• Provide functional direction and subject matter expertise to employees and internal partners supporting payroll-related activities.  

Payroll Compliance and Tax Administration 

• Ensure payroll operations comply with applicable federal, state, and local payroll, wage and hour, taxation, withholding, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements.  

• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments affecting payroll administration and lead the implementation of required process, system, or policy changes.  

• Prepare and submit accurate and timely federal, state, and local payroll tax filings, payments, and required governmental reporting, whether completed internally or through third-party providers.  

• Review and reconcile payroll tax and wage withholding reports for federal, state, and local jurisdictions.  

• Research and resolve payroll tax notices, agency inquiries, discrepancies, and other compliance-related matters.  

• Manage garnishment administration and ensure compliance with applicable orders, regulations, withholding requirements, and remittance deadlines.  

• Maintain comprehensive and current knowledge of payroll laws, taxation requirements, wage and hour regulations, and industry best practices.  

• Assess payroll compliance risks and recommend appropriate controls, corrective actions, and process improvements.  

Payroll Systems and Workday Administration 

• Serve as the functional owner of Workday Payroll and related payroll technologies, partnering with HRIS on configuration, security, integrations, testing, system governance, and technical support.  

• Maintain and govern payroll earning codes, deduction codes, pay groups, pay periods, tax configurations, and other payroll-related setup within Workday.  

• Ensure the accuracy and integrity of employee payroll information, including direct deposit, tax withholding, payment elections, and payroll-related records.  
• Troubleshoot complex payroll and system issues and coordinate resolution with HRIS, Finance, Benefits, vendors, and other internal partners.  

• Lead payroll-related testing, validation, and implementation activities associated with Workday releases, tax updates, integrations, configuration changes, and system enhancements.  

• Define payroll business requirements, validate proposed solutions, coordinate user acceptance testing, and approve payroll-related changes before deployment.  

• Lead or serve as the payroll subject matter expert for acquisitions, integrations, system implementations, organizational changes, and other payroll-related projects.  

• Identify and implement opportunities to automate payroll processes, improve data integrity, strengthen controls, and reduce manual administrative effort.  

Reconciliations, Controls and Audit Support 

• Oversee the reconciliation of payroll, taxes, earnings, deductions, funding, and payroll-related general ledger activity.  

• Prepare or provide payroll journal entries, reconciliations, supporting schedules, and other documentation required by Finance.  

• Partner with Finance to investigate and resolve payroll variances, balancing discrepancies, and general ledger issues.  

• Establish, execute, document, and monitor payroll controls in accordance with company policies, internal control standards, and SOX requirements.  

• Maintain evidence of payroll reviews, approvals, reconciliations, and other control activities.  

• Lead payroll support for internal and external audits, including quarterly and annual SOX audits, and ensure requested documentation is accurate, complete, and timely.  

• Manage quarter-end and year-end payroll activities, including payroll balancing, tax validation, W-2 preparation and reconciliation, reporting, and correction processes.  

• Identify control deficiencies or recurring payroll errors and lead the development and implementation of corrective actions.  

Vendor and Third-Party Administration 

• Manage payroll-related vendor relationships, service performance, issue escalation, data exchanges, controls, and service expectations.  

• Serve as the primary payroll contact for payroll vendors, tax providers, garnishment administrators, and other third-party partners.  

• Monitor vendor accuracy, timeliness, and compliance and lead corrective action when service or performance concerns arise.  

• Serve as the payroll lead for vendor interfaces and data exchanges, partnering with Benefits and HRIS to ensure the accurate administration, funding, reconciliation, and reporting of employee benefit, retirement, tax, and garnishment programs.  

• Ensure the timely and accurate funding and remittance of payroll deductions, including retirement, benefit, stock purchase, garnishment, and other voluntary or required deductions.  

• Manage payroll impacts associated with leaves of absence, disability programs, benefit changes, and other employee status changes.  

• Coordinate payroll taxation, withholding, reporting, and reconciliation for equity compensation and taxable fringe benefits, including group-term life insurance, personal use of company vehicles, relocation benefits, and other employer-provided benefits.  

• Review and resolve discrepancies involving vendor files, funding amounts, remittances, employee records, and payroll-related interfaces.  

Employee Support and Business Partnership

• Serve as Meridian’s primary payroll subject matter expert and escalation point for employees, managers, HR, Benefits, Finance, HRIS, and business leaders.  

• Provide timely, accurate, and professional responses to inquiries regarding pay, taxes, deductions, timekeeping, payroll policies, and other payroll matters.  

• Research and resolve complex or sensitive payroll concerns while maintaining appropriate confidentiality, documentation, and communication.  

• Provide payroll guidance, training, and education to employees, managers, HR partners, and business leaders as needed.  

• Partner with HR, Benefits, Finance, HRIS, Legal, and business leadership to support accurate and effective payroll operations and resolve cross-functional issues.  

• Support employee and manager self-service initiatives by developing guidance and educating users on payroll-related Workday functionality.  

• Communicate payroll deadlines, process changes, compliance requirements, and other relevant information to employees and business stakeholders.  

Reporting, Analytics and Continuous Improvement 

• Develop and maintain payroll reports, reconciliations, metrics, dashboards, and ad hoc analyses to support operational and business needs.  

• Establish and monitor payroll performance indicators, including payroll accuracy, correction activity, timeliness, control results, service levels, and recurring issue trends.  

• Analyze payroll data and trends, identify discrepancies or areas of risk, and recommend corrective or preventive actions.  

• Present payroll risks, trends, issues, and recommended actions to HR, Finance, and business leadership as appropriate.  

• Lead payroll process-improvement initiatives that enhance accuracy, efficiency, compliance, scalability, controls, business continuity, and the employee experience.  

• Develop and maintain payroll policies, procedures, process maps, work instructions, and other operational documentation.  

• Support workforce planning, compensation, benefits, audit, financial reporting, and other business activities by providing accurate payroll data and analysis.  

Lead or participate in special projects and perform other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. 

• Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible payroll experience, including at least three years independently leading or owning payroll operations in a complex, multi-state environment. 

• Demonstrated experience administering payroll through Workday Payroll strongly preferred. 

• Experience with payroll accounting, reconciliations, tax administration, internal controls, audits, and year-end payroll activities required. 

• Experience managing payroll vendors, system enhancements, integrations, or payroll-related projects strongly preferred. 

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification preferred. 

• Comprehensive and current knowledge of payroll regulations, taxation, wage and hour requirements, internal controls, and payroll best practices. 

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*All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status. (USA Only)*