Director of Payroll

Job Title: Director of Payroll

Location: Brentwood, TN (Hybrid: Minimum 3 days in-office, Mon–Wed)

Position Type: Full-Time, Day Shift

Salary Range: $145,000 – $160,000 / year

Position Overview

A leading Healthcare facility is seeking an experienced Director of Payroll to lead our enterprise-wide payroll operations. Operating at the center of a rapidly evolving shared services environment, this role plays a critical part in driving transformation, optimizing processes, and shaping the future of our payroll operations following a recent enterprise system transition to Oracle.

The ideal candidate brings strong operational leadership, deep multi-state compliance expertise, and a proven track record of guiding team leaders while partnering cross-functionally across HR, Finance, and external vendors.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Transformation

• Lead enterprise payroll transformation initiatives, including transitioning select outsourced processes (such as year-end/W-2 activities) to in-house management.
• Drive continuous improvement and optimization of payroll workflows following recent enterprise system implementations.
• Support and influence payroll policy development, governance, and enterprise-wide standardization efforts.
• Partner cross-functionally with Finance, People Services, and external vendors to align payroll initiatives with broader business goals.

Operations & Delivery

• Oversee day-to-day multi-state payroll operations, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and strict adherence to SLAs across all payroll cycles.
• Oversee issue resolution, ticket management workflows, and vendor performance for managed service components.
• Monitor operational KPIs, identify process gaps, and implement scalable solutions to improve accuracy and efficiency.
• Collaborate on key cross-functional initiatives, including provider compensation workflows and system enhancements.

Compliance & Team Management

• Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws, as well as internal policies and audit requirements.
• Provide direct leadership, coaching, and performance management to payroll managers and operational staff.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison between internal executive stakeholders and external payroll service providers.

Qualifications

Required

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Experience: 9+ years of progressive payroll experience in a complex, multi-state environment.
• Leadership: 5+ years of direct leadership experience, including managing managers or leading multi-tiered teams.
• Technical & Compliance: Deep knowledge of multi-state payroll regulations, statutory compliance, and tax requirements.
• System Experience: Demonstrated success leading or supporting payroll system implementations, integrations, or shared service transformations.
• Skills: Strong communication skills with a proven ability to present complex data and strategy to executive leadership.

Preferred

• Experience with Oracle Payroll or similar enterprise platforms.
• Background in healthcare or another highly regulated, complex industry.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
• Hands-on experience transitioning outsourced payroll models to an in-house shared service framework.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $145,000 – $160,000 annually (commensurate with experience).
• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance options, plus mental health services and wellness programs.
• Financial Security: 401(k) retirement plan with company match, along with life, accident, and short/long-term disability coverage.
• Paid Time Off: Competitive PTO policy and paid family leave.
• Career Growth: Tuition assistance, professional certification support, loan assistance, and ongoing leadership development.