Job Description

Role Summary:

The Payroll & HR Operations Manager is responsible for leading the operational infrastructure of HIRE Strategies, with primary ownership of payroll, HR compliance, government contract compliance, and the people and processes responsible for delivering these functions.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who understands the complexity of managing a multi-layered payroll environment where accuracy, compliance, documentation, and strong internal controls are critical. The Director must be comfortable working across multiple systems, contracts, employee populations, labor classifications, and billing requirements while ensuring payroll is accurate, timely, compliant, and audit-ready.

This role requires someone who can see both the details and the bigger operational picture. They must be able to identify gaps, challenge inaccurate data, improve processes, hold team members accountable, and create the structure necessary for the organization to scale.

This individual will not simply manage processes— they will lead people, establish accountability, solve problems, and take ownership when operational issues arise.

Key Responsibilities:

Payroll Operations & Oversight:

• Own the end-to-end payroll function across a complex, multi-layered payroll environment.
• Provide leadership and oversight for weekly payroll processing in ADP Workforce Now.

• Ensure payroll is processed accurately and on time across multiple employee groups, projects, contracts, work orders, and labor classifications.

• Establish and maintain payroll controls to validate:
  • Time entry and approvals
  • Pay rates and changes
  • PTO and leave
  • SCA requirements
  • Health & Welfare benefits
  • Labor classifications
  • Project and delivery-order allocations
  • Retroactive adjustments and corrections

• Review and resolve payroll discrepancies before payroll is finalized.

• Serve as the senior escalation point for complex payroll issues.

• Ensure payroll records and supporting documentation remain audit-ready.

• Continuously evaluate payroll processes for opportunities to automate, streamline, and reduce the risk of manual error.

Government Contract & Regulatory Compliance:

• Maintain strong oversight of payroll and HR practices associated with government contracts and regulated labor environments.

• Ensure compliance with the Service Contract Act (SCA), federal and state labor regulations, contractual requirements, and applicable wage and fringe benefit requirements.

• Maintain accurate employee classifications, wage determinations, labor allocations, and supporting documentation.

• Ensure payroll practices align with contract requirements, approved placements, work orders, budgets, and labor classifications.

• Lead preparation and response efforts for payroll, HR, labor, and government contract audits.

• Identify compliance risks before they become operational or financial problems.

• Maintain internal controls and audit procedures designed to protect the organization and its clients.

HR Leadership & Compliance:

• Provide leadership and oversight for internal HR operations and employee-related compliance.

• Ensure consistent and legally defensible administration of company policies and employment practices.

• Oversee employee relations matters, performance concerns, investigations, corrective actions, and policy violations.

• Ensure proper administration and documentation of ADA, FMLA, workers' compensation, benefits, and other leave programs.

• Maintain compliant and confidential personnel records and HR documentation.

• Monitor changes in federal and state employment regulations and ensure appropriate operational changes are implemented.

• Partner with managers to strengthen performance management, accountability, and employee documentation.

Operational Leadership:

• Lead the employees and functions responsible for payroll, HR, and related operational processes.

• Establish clear expectations, KPIs, workflows, controls, and accountability across the operations function.

• Coach and develop team members while addressing performance gaps quickly and appropriately.

• Create an environment where accuracy and accountability are expected, measured, and consistently reinforced.

• Identify operational breakdowns, determine root causes, and implement sustainable solutions rather than temporary fixes.

• Develop SOPs and standardized processes that reduce dependency on individual employees and improve consistency.

• Ensure appropriate cross-training and backup coverage for critical payroll and HR functions. 

• Evaluate existing workflows and recommend technology, automation, or process improvements that support scalability. Billing, Job Costing & Financial Coordination

• Provide operational oversight of the connection between payroll, billing, and job costing.

• Ensure payroll data reconciles accurately with billing and labor allocation requirements.

• Partner with CFO to identify discrepancies between payroll, billing, job costing, and contract requirements.

• Monitor labor costs and identify potential overruns, misallocations, or data integrity issues.
• Ensure labor classifications, rates, fringe benefits, and allocations are accurately reflected across systems.

• Support accurate financial reporting by maintaining reliable payroll and labor data.

Cross-Functional Leadership:

• Partner closely with the CEO, CFO, and Onsite leadership.

• Communicate proactively when payroll, HR, compliance, or operational risks are identified.

• Ensure issues are escalated appropriately and accompanied by recommended solutions.

• Create stronger communication and accountability between departments that contribute data to payroll and billing.

• Serve as a trusted operational leader who can bring structure and clarity to complex situations.

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated leadership experience managing people and operational functions. Leadership experience is required and non-negotiable.

• Strong hands-on experience with ADP Workforce Now.

• Significant experience managing complex or multi-layered payroll operations.

• Experience with government contracting, SCA payroll, prevailing wage, or another highly regulated payroll environment.

• Strong knowledge of federal and state payroll and employment compliance requirements.

• Experience establishing payroll controls, conducting audits, and resolving complex payroll discrepancies.

• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, establish accountability, and manage performance.

• Strong understanding of the relationship between payroll, HR, billing, job costing, and financial reporting.

• Experience developing and improving operational processes, SOPs, and internal controls.

• Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to identify discrepancies others may overlook.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• High level of integrity and discretion when handling confidential employee and financial information.