Director, Payroll Operations & Systems

Director, Payroll Operations & Systems

Your strategic leadership, deep payroll expertise, and ability to lead complex operations and transformation make you a great fit for our Director, Payroll Operations & Systems position. Join our dynamic team today and find a rewarding career with a company that values you and all you bring to the table.

About Your Role:

As the Director, Payroll Operations & Systems at Dollar Tree’s corporate office, you’ll lead the strategic direction and operational delivery of our enterprise-wide payroll function supporting associates across our retail stores, distribution centers, and corporate functions throughout the U.S. and Canada.

You’ll be responsible for ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery while strengthening systems, processes, controls, and service delivery. You’ll also provide strategic leadership and governance for Workday Payroll and related timekeeping capabilities, lead payroll transformation initiatives, and develop a high-performing team capable of supporting the scale and complexity of our business.

Your day-to-day duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

Payroll Strategy & Operational Excellence

• Develop and execute the strategic roadmap for the payroll function, ensuring alignment with HR, Finance, technology, and broader business objectives

• Lead end-to-end payroll operations across a large, multi-state, multi-entity workforce, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery

• Establish and champion payroll policies, processes, controls, service standards, and key performance indicators that drive accuracy, efficiency, scalability, and an exceptional associate experience

• Provide oversight of payroll tax, garnishments, on- and off-cycle payroll, year-end processing, unemployment claims, and required governmental and internal reporting

• Serve as a strategic advisor and subject matter expert on complex payroll matters, regulatory requirements, emerging risks, and industry best practices

Compliance, Controls & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local wage and hour laws, payroll tax regulations, and other payroll requirements

• Proactively identify and mitigate payroll-related risk through effective internal controls, governance, audit procedures, and ongoing compliance monitoring

• Lead payroll-related internal and external audit activities and ensure adherence to SOX and other applicable control requirements

• Develop and manage the payroll department budget, ensuring effective stewardship of resources and efficient operations

Payroll Systems & Transformation

• Provide strategic leadership and governance for Workday Payroll and timekeeping capabilities, ensuring configurations, integrations, controls, and enhancements support accurate payroll processing and evolving business requirements

• Partner with HR, IT, Finance, and managed service providers to establish the Workday Payroll roadmap, prioritize enhancements, evaluate service delivery, and manage system updates

• Drive forward-looking planning and innovation across the Workday ecosystem, including participation in quarterly business reviews and strategic roadmap planning

• Lead significant payroll initiatives, including system implementations and upgrades, complex integrations, process transformation, acquisitions, and post-divestiture coexistence and separation activities

• Provide oversight of third-party payroll partners and vendors, including service performance, contractual obligations, and opportunities to improve service delivery and cost effectiveness

Team Leadership & Business Partnership

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing payroll organization, including managers, analysts, and specialists

• Establish clear performance expectations, build team capabilities, and create meaningful development and growth opportunities

• Foster a culture of accuracy, accountability, exceptional service, continuous improvement, and collaboration while creating an environment where associates feel distinctly valued

• Partner closely with HR, Finance, Legal, IT, and other business functions to ensure payroll is effectively integrated with critical business processes and systems

Your Required Skills and Experience:

• 7+ years of progressive payroll or related experience, including significant leadership responsibility within a large, complex, multi-state organization

• Demonstrated expertise across payroll operations, including payroll processing, payroll tax, garnishments, multi-state regulations, complex year-end processing, and unemployment claims

• Experience leading managers and/or multi-layered teams within a high-volume payroll environment

• Experience with large-scale payroll systems such as Workday Payroll, SAP, Oracle HCM, or similar platforms

• Demonstrated experience leading significant payroll transformation, systems implementation, or process improvement initiatives

• In-depth knowledge of federal, state, and local wage and hour laws, payroll tax regulations, and other applicable compliance requirements

• Strong understanding of payroll controls, governance, audit requirements, risk management, and SOX compliance

• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with a strong focus on accuracy and controls

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization

• Strong project and change leadership skills with the ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives

• Ability to lead effectively in a fast-paced, high-volume, and continuously evolving environment

Preferred Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business, Human Resources, or a related field

• Workday Payroll experience strongly preferred

• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification highly desirable

• Experience negotiating and managing third-party contracts and service providers

• Canadian payroll experience

Salary range: $180,000 – $197,500 base + 25% bonus + equity

Our success is a team effort —

when we reach our goals, you’ll be eligible for a yearly bonus!

Your Perks and Benefits:

We offer a wide variety of rewards to support your health, wealth, and mental well-being. In addition to medical, pharmacy, dental, and vision insurance, we offer:

• Employee Assistance Program

• Retirement plans with matching contribution

• Employee Stock Purchase Program

• Educational Assistance

• Access to PerkSpot, an employee discount platform for goods and services

• And much more!

Who We Are:

At Dollar Tree, we make a difference in the lives of our customers every day by exceeding their expectations and delivering value – it’s what our business is built on. Our associates play an important role in this commitment by embracing change and showing up for their teams and their communities.

We see an exciting path forward as our company continues to grow and transform – and we know that this path starts with you.

Join our team today and discover The Value of You.

Dollar Tree is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.

*This job specification should not be construed to imply that these requirements are the exclusive standards of the position. This is not to be considered a complete list of job duties, which appear in the job description for this position, and which may be amended from time to time at the discretion of Dollar Tree. Inc