HR Payroll Manager

Primary Purpose:

The TowneBank Payroll Manager is responsible for the strategic direction, administration, and execution of TowneBank's complex, multistate, multientity payroll operations. This role ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing while maintaining strong internal controls, effective governance, and continuous process improvement. The Payroll Manager leads the payroll team, partners closely with HR, Accounting, Benefits, senior leadership, external vendors, and auditors, and serves as the organization's primary subject matter expert on payrollrelated matters.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Provide overall leadership and accountability for endtoend payroll processing across multiple entities, states, and jurisdictions.
• Ensure payroll processing is accurate, timely, and fully compliant with all federal, state, and local wage, tax, and reporting requirements.
• Establish, maintain, and continuously improve payroll policies, procedures, workflows, and internal controls.
• Review and approve payrolls prior to submission, including validation of complex payroll changes, executive compensation, incentive payments, and exception items.
• Anticipate and proactively address payroll risks, regulatory changes, and operational challenges.
• Review Line of Business compliance controls, procedures, and training for alignment with applicable regulatory requirements.
• Lead, coach, and develop the payroll team, including setting clear expectations, providing performance feedback, and supporting professional growth.
• Oversee the Payroll Tax Accountant and ensure timely and accurate reconciliations, filings, and tax compliance activities.
• Foster a culture of accountability, service excellence, confidentiality, and continuous improvement.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex or sensitive payroll issues requiring expert judgment.
• Ensure compliance with all payroll tax requirements, including quarterly and annual filings (e.g., Forms W2, W2C, and other required reports).
• Direct and manage payrollrelated audit activities, including coordination with internal audit, external auditors, and regulatory examiners.
• Prepare and review payroll documentation, reconciliations, and support materials for audits and regulatory inquiries.
• Ensure timely completion of annual Workers' Compensation payroll reporting and related insurance documentation.
• Partner with Compensation and senior leadership to support accurate payment, accrual, and reporting of bonuses, incentive plans, profit sharing, and other special compensation programs.
• Collaborate with the Benefits team to oversee payroll impacts of benefit programs, including nonqualified deferred compensation plans, distributions, and thirdparty administrator coordination.
• Work closely with Accounting on payroll funding, reconciliations, journal entries, and financial reporting.
• Support the annual salary budgeting and workforce planning process by providing reliable payroll data and analytics.
• Serve as the primary owner of payroll systems and vendor relationships in partnership with the HRIS team.
• Collaborates with the HRIS Manager to manage thirdparty payroll vendor relationships, including service delivery and procurement of additional services.
• Lead payroll system upgrades, implementations, testing, and process redesign initiatives.
• Identify and implement opportunities to streamline payroll operations, improve controls, and leverage technology.
• Advise senior management on payroll matters, including risk mitigation strategies and resolution of complex payroll issues.
• Lead or participate in special projects and crossfunctional initiatives as assigned.
• Adheres to applicable federal laws, rules, and regulations including those related to Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Required Skills & Competencies:

• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive payroll experience in a multistate, multientity environment, supporting 1,000+ employees.
• Demonstrated experience managing payroll teams and complex payroll operations.
• Deep knowledge of payroll compliance, taxation, internal controls, and audit practices.
• Proven ability to manage sensitive information with the highest degree of confidentiality and integrity.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and decisionmaking skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence and advise senior leaders.
• High proficiency in automated payroll and HR systems, Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook.

Desired Skills & Competencies:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field.
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation.
• Experience with UKG (UltiPro) payroll and HR systems.
• Payroll leadership experience within a financial services, banking, or highly regulated environment.

Physical Requirements:

• Express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word via email and verbally.
• Exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, use your arms and legs, and sit most of the time.
• Have close visual acuity to perform activities such as analyzing data, viewing a computer terminal, reading, and preparing documentation.
• Not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential responsibilities of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential responsibilities.