- Provide leadership and oversight of all daily payroll operations, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing
- Supervise payroll staff, establish priorities, assign work, and monitor performance
- Supervise the international tax team and oversee all 1042-S international tax reporting
- Ensure payroll processing complies with institutional policies, collective bargaining agreements, federal and state regulations, and tax requirements
- Review and approve payroll transactions, adjustments, off-cycle payrolls, and special payments
- Oversee payroll reconciliations, payroll tax reporting, deductions, garnishments, retirement contributions, and month-end processing
- Oversee quarterly payroll tax filings at both the federal and state levels
- Maintain appropriate internal controls to safeguard payroll data and institutional assets
- Serve as the primary resource for resolving complex payroll issues and escalated employee concerns
- Develop and execute a multiyear payroll modernization roadmap aligned with Vanderbilt’s mission, growth and operational priorities
- Assess and redesign payroll workflows, procedures, and controls to improve accuracy, consistency, efficiency, and service
- Optimize Oracle Cloud HCM and other enabling technologies to automate processes, reduce manual intervention, strengthen data integrity, and improve employee self-service
- Establish a continuous improvement discipline using process mapping, root-cause analysis, performance data, and clear operational measures
- Lead system enhancements, testing, and adoption while maintaining strong internal controls, segregation of duties, documentation, and regulatory compliance
- Ensure compliance with federal and state wage and hour laws, tax regulations, retirement reporting requirements, and higher education-specific payroll regulations
- Monitor legislative and regulatory changes affecting payroll operations and implement required updates
- Coordinate internal and external payroll audits and respond to audit requests
- Strengthen internal controls and ensure appropriate segregation of duties throughout payroll processes
- Partner with VUIT Oracle team to optimize payroll system functionality
- Collaborate with Finance to ensure accurate payroll accounting, reconciliations, and financial reporting
- Participate in system upgrades, testing, implementations, and process enhancements
- Build strong collaborative relationships across departments to improve service delivery and communication
- Provide coaching, mentoring, and guidance to payroll staff
- Foster a collaborative, customer-focused, and continuous improvement culture
- Identify training needs and support professional development opportunities
- Manage departmental priorities and allocate resources to meet institutional deadlines
Requirements
- Eight or more years of progressively responsible payroll experience in a large, complex organization of 3,000 or more employees
- Experience with nonresident foreign national taxation, U.S. tax treaties, and international tax compliance systems
- Deep expertise with enterprise HR and payroll platforms, such as Oracle Cloud HCM, Workday, PeopleSoft, or SAP
- Demonstrated experience leading payroll automation, process optimization, or technology-enabled transformation
- Demonstrated ability to lead and develop payroll and tax professionals
- Proficiency in payroll analytics and experience applying AI-enabled tools to improve efficiency, controls, and decision-making
- Experience with workflow automation or process optimization applied to payroll or HR operations
- Adaptability, sound judgment, and unquestioned integrity.
Core Competencies
Demonstrates extensive expertise in payroll operations, compliance, and automation, with a strong focus on optimizing Oracle Cloud HCM and leading payroll teams. Proven ability to implement process improvements and maintain regulatory compliance in a large organizational setting.
Highest-signal resume keywords
- Payroll Operations Leadership
- Oracle Cloud HCM Optimization
- International Tax Compliance
- Payroll Process Automation
- Payroll Analytics Proficiency
ATS Optimization Keywords
Hard Skills
- Payroll Processing
- Payroll Reconciliation
- Tax Reporting
- Workflow Automation
- Process Optimization
- Payroll Analytics
- Internal Controls
- Employee Self-Service
- Audit Coordination
- Regulatory Compliance
Soft Skills
- Leadership
- Coaching
- Collaboration
- Adaptability
- Sound Judgment
Industry Keywords
- Federal Regulations
- State Regulations
- Collective Bargaining Agreements
- Nonresident Foreign National Taxation
- U.S. Tax Treaties
- Higher Education Payroll Regulations
Tools & Technologies
- Oracle Cloud HCM
- Workday
- PeopleSoft
- SAP
- AI-Enabled Tools