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Job Description
Director, Payroll University of Rhode Island - 4.2 Kingston, RI Job Details Full-time $140,000 - $145,000 a year 2 hours ago Qualifications International tax Data integrity assurance Stakeholder engagement Systems integration Performance improvement leadership Strategic management Internal controls Payroll tax processing Automation Data validation techniques Customer service IT transformation Payroll tax returns Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) implementation Operational management Operations coordination Operations transformation Gap analysis Audit Reporting Compliance reporting Change management Data integrity and documentation Professional development support Release management PeopleSoft Financial workflow efficiency improvements Team training System testing Industry knowledge of financial regulations HR systems
Full Job Description Director, Payroll Posting Number:
SF02156
Position Type:
Professional Staff Union:
Non-Union Classified Staff Pay Grade Level:
Grade Level:
17
Pay Grade Range:
Anticipated Hiring Salary:
$140,000 - $145,000
Department:
Payroll Office Campus Location:
Job Description Summary:
The search will remain open until the position has been filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by July 10, 2026. Applications received after July 10, 2026 may be reviewed depending on search progress and needs but are not guaranteed full consideration. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
About URI:
The University of Rhode Island enrolls approximately 17,000 students across its graduate and undergraduate programs and is the State's flagship public research university, as well as the land grant and sea grant university, for the state of Rhode Island. The main campus is located in the historic village of Kingston, and the Bay Campus is located in Narragansett. Both campuses are near major beaches in a beautiful coastal community. URI is just 30 minutes from Providence, RI and within easy reach of Newport, Boston, and New York City. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
POSITION SUMMARY
Provides strategic and operational leadership for all payroll operations, ensuring compliant, efficient, and customer-focused payroll services. Oversees multi-state payroll governance, regulatory compliance, taxation, and year-end reporting for a complex higher education environment, while driving process improvement, system optimization, and continuous enhancement of payroll operations.
Duties and Responsibilities:
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Payroll Operations Lead, manage, and develop payroll staff to ensure timely, accurate processing of multi-state payrolls (State and In-House). Oversee end-to-end payroll operations, including validation, calculation, reconciliation, and disbursement. Ensure seamless coordination between Workday Payroll and legacy PeopleSoft systems, including data integrity and payroll balancing. Compliance, Taxation & Year-End Processing Ensure compliance with all federal, multi-state, and local payroll tax regulations, union agreements, and institutional policies. Oversee preparation, review, and submission of payroll tax filings, including Forms 941, 1042, W-2, W-2C, and 1099, as applicable. Lead year-end payroll processing, including W-2 production and reconciliation, tax balancing, and audit reporting. Manage taxation complexities related to non-U.S. citizens, multi-state employees, and higher education-specific payroll scenarios. Systems, Transformation & Integration Serve as the Payroll Subject Matter Expert for Workday Payroll implementation, configuration, enhancements, and releases. Partner with University Computing Services, Human Resources, Finance, and external consultants to troubleshoot payroll issues, conduct testing, and implement upgrades and enhancements. Conduct fit/gap analyses across Workday and PeopleSoft Payroll and Financial systems to align capabilities with business requirements. Drive automation, reporting, and process improvements leveraging ERP and reporting frameworks. Stakeholder Engagement & Communication Serve as the primary payroll liaison to the Controller's Office, Human Resources, Finance, and the University community. Provide guidance on payroll processing, tax regulations, and compliance matters. Support audits, internal controls, executive reporting, and payroll change management initiatives. Leadership & Continuous Improvement Provide strategic leadership to enhance payroll service delivery, accuracy, and operational efficiency. Develop and implement process improvements, standard operating procedures, and best practices aligned with modern payroll operations in higher education. Ensure staff training and development in payroll systems, compliance, and customer service. Stay current on legislative and regulatory changes impacting payroll operations.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Implement case management tools and service level agreements (SLAs). Support broader financial and human resources transformation initiatives, including ERP modernization efforts.
Posting Date:
06/11/2026 To apply, visit https://jobs.uri.edu/postings/16755 jeid-9085b7f7dd02254099afb3b0fe3dc931
