Director of Payroll

Milwaukee County oversees operations from our Airport, Behavioral Health, Child Support, Combined Court Operations, Sheriff's Department, Community Reintegration Center, Human Services, Parks, Public Safety, Public Works, Fleet Operations, Transportation, and at the Zoo. Our departments are also dedicated to our Seniors and those with Disabilities in Aging and Disability Services, and Veterans in Veterans Services. Our employees also remain committed to serving the cultural, human, recreational, and social needs of the entire community.

Milwaukee County offers a wide variety of interesting jobs for people who want to make a difference in our community. Milwaukee County provides a competitive benefit package and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If disability related accommodations are needed, please contact 414-278-3936. For submitted application inquiries please contact careers@milwaukeecountywi.gov. Please note: an online application must be submitted for consideration.

We are searching for Changemakers to come and join our team and discover our diverse and versatile community of independent spirits and unique talents, we are redefining the way you think about Milwaukee County!

Closing Date: 2/16/26 or upon the receipt of the first 50 application submissions

Director of Payroll

Office of the Comptroller - Milwaukee County

Full-time, Salary

Salary Range: $112,444.80 - $168,688.00/yr

Job Summary: Milwaukee County is seeking a strategic, county-wide payroll leader to serve as Director of Payroll. This senior leadership role is responsible for overseeing payroll operations for a large, complex, and diverse public-sector workforce while establishing strong governance, documented procedures, and risk management practices that ensure accuracy, compliance, and continuity.

Reporting to the Milwaukee County Comptroller, the Director provides vision and leadership for payroll strategy, workforce system optimization, and operational excellence, with a strong emphasis on communication, transparency, and stakeholder trust.

The Opportunity:

As a strategic leader, the Director will move beyond day-to-day payroll execution to focus on long-term planning, risk mitigation, and sustainability. This role owns payroll governance and serves as the County's authority on payroll policy, internal controls, and the Dayforce payroll and workforce management system.

The Director works closely with executive leadership, Human Resources, Information Technology, Finance, Labor Relations, unions, and external auditors, requiring exceptional communication skills and the ability to explain complex payroll and system issues clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and executive oversight of end-to-end payroll operations
• Ensure payroll accuracy, timeliness, and compliance while proactively identifying and mitigating operational and compliance risks
• Establish, maintain, and continuously improve documented payroll procedures, internal controls, and governance standards
• Lead payroll staff through clear expectations, coaching, and professional development
• Serve as executive owner of the Dayforce Payroll and workforce management system, including configuration, upgrades, testing, and long-term governance
• Drive process improvement, automation, and standardization to reduce risk and increase efficiency
• Communicate payroll policies, system changes, and impacts clearly to departments, leadership, and employee groups
• Represent payroll in audits, regulatory reviews, and cross-functional leadership forums

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• Proven strategic payroll leader with experience operating at an enterprise level
• Demonstrated strength in risk management, internal controls, and compliance governance
• Track record of building and maintaining well-documented procedures that support consistency and business continuity
• Exceptionally strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and build trust across diverse stakeholders
• Experience leading payroll systems or enterprise HRIS platforms (Dayforce, Workday, Infor, or similar)
• Confident leader in complex, regulated, and unionized environments

Qualifications:

Education

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field required

Experience

• 5+ years of senior payroll leadership experience required
• 5+ years of supervisory or management experience required

Preferred Qualifications

• Public-sector and/or unionized workforce experience
• Experience applying collective bargaining agreements and civil service rules

Why Milwaukee County:

• Executive-level influence over payroll operations impacting thousands of employees
• Ownership of payroll strategy, governance, and risk management
• Opportunity to lead modernization, documentation, and system optimization efforts
• Mission-driven public service with measurable community impact

NOTE: This position is unclassified and not subject to Civil Service Rules and Regulations. This original application is open to qualified candidates authorized to work in the United States. Appointee must establish Wisconsin State residency within six (6) months of appointment and maintain such residency during incumbency. During the application process, please upload your updated resume and cover letter outlining your experience.

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Milwaukee County is committed to fostering an equitable working environment, free from discrimination and harassment, on the basis of any characteristic protected by law. We prohibit any form of discrimination, harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, pregnancy related condition, national origin, age, disability, FMLA status, sexual orientation, military status, marital status, or any other category or status that is now or in the future protected by federal, state, and local law. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing, background checks and pre-employment physicals subject to job requirements. If special accommodations are needed, please contact 414-278-3936.