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Director Payroll Services

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When you join Sunrise Senior Living, you will be able to use your unique skills to empower residents to live longer, healthier, and happier lives. Not only will you build meaningful relationships with residents, their families, and team members alike, you will also gain joy in serving others and deep fulfillment in your work. Explore how you can follow your passions and shed light on meaningful ways to serve, grow, and shine together.

Sunrise Senior Living was again certified as a Great Place to Work® by Activated Insights. This is the 7th time Sunrise has received this top culture and workplace designation, highlighting the special place Sunrise is to be a part of.

COMMUNITY NAME

Community Support Office

Job ID

2025-227394

JOB OVERVIEW

The Director Payroll Services provides enterprise-level leadership for payroll strategy, operations and compliance across Sunrise’s U.S. and Canadian locations while mentoring and developing a high-performing payroll team and serving as the most senior escalation point for complex payroll and compliance matters. This role oversees the execution of all payroll services, ensuring accurate, timely and compliant payroll delivery while driving innovation, automation and scalability within payroll systems and processes. The role also partners with senior leaders in Human Resources (HR), Finance, Legal, Information Technology (IT) and Operations to align payroll initiatives with organizational strategy, manage compliance risk and deliver a best-in-class experience for Sunrise team members. In addition, this role leads cross-functional initiatives related to system enhancements, process transformation, audits and organizational growth, including M&A activity.

RESPONSIBILITIES & QUALIFICATIONS

Responsibilities:As a part of the Sunrise team, supporting our Mission, Principles of Service and Core Values is a fundamental part of this job. Our foundational belief is the sacred value of human life. The unique responsibilities for this role include but are not limited to the essential functions listed as follows:• Lead enterprise-wide payroll strategy, including transformation initiatives that improve scalability, automation and cost-efficiency• Provide strategic direction and oversight of payroll operations across the U.S. and Canada, ensuring timely and accurate processing for a large, multi-state/provincial workforce• Oversee payroll compliance and risk management, ensuring adherence to all applicable tax laws, wage and hour regulations and internal controls• Lead all payroll-related audit activities, including internal audits, SOX compliance and financial reporting audits, ensuring controls are documented, tested and refined as needed• Drive the optimization and continuous improvement of payroll systems, particularly Workday Payroll and Time Tracking, collaborating closely with IT and HRIS to enhance functionality and system integration• Lead cross-functional collaboration with HR, Legal, Finance and Operations to support complex organizational priorities, such as M&A integrations, workforce changes and policy updates• Oversee payroll-related month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close activities, including journal entries, reconciliations, and financial analytics• Develop and maintain payroll-related KPIs and service level agreements (SLAs), ensuring a consistent, high-quality team member experience across all communities• Guide the development and implementation of standardized payroll policies, procedures and internal documentation to support audit readiness and regulatory compliance• Serve as the senior escalation point for complex payroll matters and inquiries, ensuring rapid, accurate resolution and continuous process improvement• Mentor and coach the payroll leadership team and staff, supporting career development, team engagement and professional growth• Maintain compliance in assigned required training and all training required by state/province or other regulating authorities as applicable to this role to ensure that Sunrise standards are always met• Perform other duties as assigned Core Competencies: • Proven leadership in payroll operations with the ability to drive large-scale transformation, system optimization and operational efficiency• Deep knowledge of complex payroll compliance requirements, including multi-state/provincial taxation, wage and hour laws and payroll accounting practices• Demonstrated expertise in Workday’s enterprise-level payroll system, with experience leading implementations and enhancements• Highly developed cross-functional collaboration and influencing skills, with the ability to build consensus and drive change across departments• Strategic thinking and analytical rigor to develop and implement scalable payroll solutions that align with long-term business goals• Exceptional leadership and team development skills to foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and service excellence

Qualifications:To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed throughout this job description are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required.• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance or a related field required; advanced degree preferred• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) strongly preferred• Workday Payroll and Time Tracking experience required; Workday implementation experience strongly preferred• Demonstrated advanced proficiency in Excel (e.g., pivot tables, XLOOKUPs, macros, etc.) with at least intermediate level proficiency in other Microsoft Office suite applications• Minimum of 10 years of progressive payroll experience leading payroll operations for a large, multi-entity organization, with hands-on expertise in U.S. and Canadian payroll for exempt and non-exempt employees, payroll taxes, and relevant payroll accounting• Minimum of 5 years of people leadership experience, including oversight of small- to mid-sized teams and leadership of managers or supervisors• Experience leading or supporting M&A activities, payroll process transformation and internal/external audits• Demonstrated project management experience, including the ability to manage project plans, dependencies, critical path activities and milestones• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic, growth-oriented environment while ensuring accuracy and compliance

ABOUT SUNRISE

Ready to take the next step and make a bigger impact than you ever imagined? As part of our team, you will help brighten the future for everyone at Sunrise and beyond. That is why we make it a priority to celebrate the unique ways you bring moments of togetherness and joy to everyone you serve. And when combined with the support, benefits, and growth opportunities we offer, the result is a career that PositivelyShines with everything you need to reach your goals – at work and in your life.

We also offer benefits and other compensation that include:

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and Disability Plans
Retirement Savings Plans
Employee Assistant Program / Discount Program
Paid time off (PTO), sick time, and holiday pay
Daily Pay offered to get paid within hours of a shift (offered in the U.S. only)
Tuition Reimbursement
In addition to base compensation, Sunrise may offer discretionary and/or non-discretionary bonuses. The eligibility to receive such a bonus will depend on the employee’s position, plan/program offered by Sunrise at the time, and required performance pursuant to the plan/program.
Some benefits have eligibility requirements

Apply today to learn why Sunrise Senior Living is a certified Great Place to Work®

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

Sunrise considers the health and safety of its residents, family members, and team members to be one of its highest priorities. Employment with Sunrise is conditioned on completing and passing a drug test (which does not include marijuana), participating in testing requirements (e.g. Tuberculosis Test, Physical Evaluation). Covid-19 and Influenza vaccination is only required to the extent mandated by applicable federal, state, and local laws and authorities.

COMPENSATION DISCLAIMER

Selected candidates will be offered competitive compensation based on geographic location of community/office, skills, experience, qualifications, and certifications/licenses (where applicable).

Average salary estimate

$125000 / YEARLY (est.)

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$100000K

$150000K

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What You Should Know About Director Payroll Services, Sunrise Senior Living

Join Sunrise Senior Living as the Director of Payroll Services and make a meaningful impact in the lives of our residents and staff! In this exciting leadership role based in McLean, you'll be at the forefront of our payroll strategy, ensuring that every team member receives accurate, timely, and compliant pay across our U.S. and Canadian operations. Your expertise will not only empower a high-performing payroll team but will also allow you to engage directly with senior leaders across departments such as HR, Finance, and IT to drive transformative initiatives. Imagine leading cross-functional projects that enhance our payroll systems, improving efficiency through innovation and automation. You'll be the key figure for all payroll-related audits and compliance, standing at the helm to navigate the complexities of multi-state payroll legislation. By cultivating a collaborative culture, you will mentor your team, helping them grow while ensuring that our payroll operations align with our mission and values. With a history of accolades, Sunrise Senior Living offers a supportive and fulfilling work environment where your contributions are valued. With your advanced knowledge of payroll processes and compliance, coupled with a strategic mindset, you will ensure we maintain our status as a leader in the industry and a great place to work.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Director Payroll Services Role at Sunrise Senior Living

What are the main responsibilities of the Director Payroll Services at Sunrise Senior Living?

The Director Payroll Services at Sunrise Senior Living is responsible for overseeing payroll strategy, operations, and compliance across U.S. and Canadian locations. This includes ensuring timely and accurate payroll processing, leading audit activities, driving system improvements, and fostering collaboration among departments to align payroll initiatives with organizational goals.