Senior Payroll Manager

Willdan Group, Inc. is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead the Company's payroll function and ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing across a complex, multi-state organization, with more than 13 FEINs.

This role will oversee payroll operations, compliance, systems, internal controls, process improvements, and team development. The ideal candidate has strong experience with ADP, multi-state payroll, prevailing wage, payroll accounting, and public-company controls.

The position will work closely with Accounting, Human Resources, IT, and Operations to ensure payroll processes are efficient, well-controlled, and support Willdan's growth and acquisitions.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Payroll Operations & Controls
  • Oversee end-to-end payroll processing for a complex, international, multi-state and multi-entity employee population, ensuring accurate and timely payroll.
  • Weekly and Bi-weekly payrolls.
  • Review and approve payroll calculations, adjustments, deductions, bonuses, commissions, equity-related compensation, and other special payments, ensuring proper authorization and adherence to company policies.
  • Review payroll reports, reconciliations, and general ledger activity to ensure accurate payroll accounting and timely resolution of discrepancies.
  • Establish and maintain effective payroll procedures, calendars, checklists, approval workflows, internal controls, and backup coverage to support consistent and reliable payroll operations.
  • Oversee employee payroll inquiries and ensure issues are researched, resolved, and communicated accurately and timely.
  • Maintain accurate and confidential payroll records and supporting documentation in accordance with company policies, record-retention requirements, and SOX controls.
  • Support internal and external audits by providing payroll reconciliations, reports, control documentation, and other supporting information.
• Payroll Compliance
  • Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll, tax, and wage-and-hour requirements, including overtime, meal and rest periods, paid leave, deductions, garnishments, and final pay.
  • Oversee payroll tax compliance, including federal, state, and local tax withholdings, deposits, filings, reconciliations, and resolution of tax notices and discrepancies.
  • Manage quarterly and annual payroll reporting, including Forms 941, W-2/W-2C, and applicable state and local filings.
  • Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local requirements for employees working across multiple states, jurisdictions, and international locations.
  • Monitor changes in payroll and employment regulations, assess their impact on the Company, and implement necessary process or system changes.
• Prevailing Wage & Government Contracting
  • Oversee compliance with prevailing wage, certified payroll, and other payroll requirements applicable to government-funded and public works projects, and federal contracts.
  • Partner with Operations, HR, and Compliance to ensure appropriate employee classifications, wage determinations, fringe benefits, and certified payroll reporting.
  • Monitor prevailing wage requirements and help ensure payroll practices comply with applicable federal, state, and local regulations and contract requirements.
  • Maintain accurate supporting documentation for certified payroll reporting, government contract compliance, and related audits.
  • Research and resolve prevailing wage discrepancies, employee classification issues, and other payroll compliance matters.
• System & Process Improvement
  • Serve as a key business owner for ADP payroll and time and attendance systems, ensuring systems effectively support payroll operations, compliance, and reporting.
  • Oversee payroll system configuration, workflows, user access, security, reporting, and interfaces.
  • Partner with Accounting, HR, IT, and other stakeholders to maintain accurate integration between ADP, Deltek Costpoint, and other financial and operational systems.
  • Identify and implement opportunities to automate manual processes, strengthen controls, improve reporting, and increase payroll efficiency.
  • Develop exception reports, dashboards, and other analytical tools to proactively identify payroll errors, trends, and potential compliance issues.
  • Maintain current and well-documented payroll SOPs, process flows, system documentation, and control procedures.
• Acquisitions & Integration
  • Lead payroll integration activities for newly acquired companies and new business entities.
  • Assess acquired-company payroll practices, employee data, pay schedules, earnings and deduction codes, benefits deductions, tax jurisdictions, and compliance requirements.
  • Develop and execute payroll conversion plans, including data validation, system setup, testing, reconciliation, and employee transition activities.
  • Ensure payroll balances, tax information, deductions, year-to-date employee data, and historical records are accurately transferred and reconciled during conversions.
  • Partner with Accounting, HR, IT, Operations, and acquisition teams to ensure a smooth employee transition and consistent payroll processes and controls.
  • Identify integration risks and develop scalable processes to support the Company's continued acquisition activity.
• Leadership Competencies
  • Lead, develop, and mentor the payroll team, establishing clear roles, responsibilities, performance expectations, training, and cross-training.
  • Promote strong ownership, accountability, accuracy, and continuous improvement within the payroll function.
  • Proactively identify payroll, compliance, and control issues and drive timely resolution.
  • Apply strong analytical and problem-solving skills while understanding the broader financial, operational, and employee impact of payroll decisions.
  • Communicate effectively and build strong working relationships across Accounting, HR, Finance, Tax, IT, Operations, and other business functions.
  • Effectively manage competing priorities and deadlines in a growing, multi-entity organization with ongoing acquisition activity.

Job Requirements / Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressive payroll experience, including experience managing complex, multi-state payroll operations.
• 3+ years of payroll leadership or management experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll, tax, and wage-and-hour requirements.
• Strong experience with ADP payroll systems required; experience with ADP Workforce Now and Deltek Costpoint ERP preferred.
• Experience with time and attendance systems, payroll accounting, payroll-to-GL integrations, and general ledger reconciliations.
• Experience with prevailing wage and certified payroll are strongly preferred.
• Public company, SOX, and internal control experience.
• Experience supporting financial, payroll, and compliance audits.
• Strong Excel, analytical, reconciliation, and reporting skills.
• Experience integrating payroll operations for acquisitions or new business entities highly desirable.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.