Senior Director, Payroll

Location: Hybrid role based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, with a minimum of three in-person days per week and travel to campuses in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. Employment outside a commutable distance or outside New York State is subject to review. No visa sponsorship or work authorization is offered.

Salary: $132,870–$165,830 per year

Company

hirify.global is a nonprofit network of 18 free public charter schools serving more than 9,400 students across New York City.

What you will do

• Lead regular, supplemental, and off-cycle payroll operations across multiple legal entities, schools, programs, and employee populations.
• Establish payroll processes, calendars, controls, service standards, reporting, and accountability structures.
• Oversee UKG payroll operations, system configuration, testing, documentation, governance, and process improvements.
• Ensure payroll tax, wage-and-hour, employment, accounting, and data-integrity compliance across applicable jurisdictions.
• Manage external payroll providers and partner with Finance, People Operations, FP&A, school leaders, and program teams.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Assistant Director of Payroll and two Payroll Clerks.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field.
• Significant progressive payroll experience leading a complex payroll function for a large employee population.
• Deep hands-on knowledge of end-to-end payroll processing, internal controls, payroll taxation, wage-and-hour requirements, time and attendance, and federal, state, and local compliance.
• Experience supporting salaried and hourly employees, multiple legal entities, complex pay arrangements, and sensitive financial and employee information.
• Strong payroll systems expertise; UKG experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong analytical, communication, problem-solving, cross-functional partnership, and people leadership skills.

Nice to have

• Experience managing third-party payroll providers or managed payroll services.
• Experience with employees holding multiple jobs, stipends, supplemental compensation, or other complex pay arrangements.

Culture & Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• 403(b) retirement plan with a 50% match after six months.
• Paid time off aligned with the school calendar and up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave.
• Employer-paid life insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage.
• Professional development funds, tuition reimbursement, backup child and elder care, and an eight-week paid sabbatical after 10 years.
• Work may be required on some company holidays according to the payroll calendar.